Comic Book Review - Basilisk #5

Rob reviews Basilisk #5...

Along with both Mighty Morphin and Power Rangers, Basilisk is the other BOOM! Studios comic that I eagerly await for the preview to drop into my inbox. Cullen Bunn's ultra-violent thriller does an excellent job of leaving the reader wanting more. Straight from issue #1, we've seen the brutality of the Chimera, yet we still don't quite know exactly who - or what - they are. While some (and I use the term loosely) questions have been answered, such as Hannah's connection to the events and her need for revenge/closure. Others remain unanswered...

Back in issue #4 Basilisk wrapped up its first story arc. We got a pulse-pounding battle that not only highlighted the viciousness of both the Chimera - but also Hannah. With the ensuing battle resulting in a loss for the Chimera, we're now in the in-between. Before his demise, Manny reached out to Regan to divulge just what the Chimera's purpose is. Whilst this is still unknown to the reader, there's a very high chance that it's going to drive this new story arc in moving forward. 

Moving back to issue #5 and we catch up to both groups as they attempt to rebuild from the recent battle. First of all, we're shown more exposition to Hannah's life before. We've been steadily uncovering this past via these often brutal flashbacks, yet here it's different. There's a nice touching scene between Hannah and her husband and daughter. While it only lasts for a couple of pages, it serves well to highlight Hannah's loss and her thirst for vengeance. And much like previous flashbacks - it's beautifully rendered by Jonas Schaf and Alex Guimarães. 

On the other side of this dynamic, we have the Chimera. After suffering the loss of Manny - the figurative "voice" of the group, Vanessa, Cara, and Jimmy Boy reflect on what just happened, and Manny's revelation of who the Chimera areas he died. It's a somewhat poignant scene as Vanessa and Jimmy Boy plan their revenge, as young Cara seems to be suffering remorse over their previous actions. 

There are certainly some cracks beginning to show, and it's these smaller details that make Basilisk such a great read. It's also worth noting that we still don't know the reasons behind Regan's split from the group, and maybe this will be echoed through Cara? 

There's also a small hint as to how the Chimera's powers work as Manny's "gift" seem to manifest within Regan - which is wonderfully shown by Ed Dukeshire. 

Basilisk #5 continues the trend of dragging the reader into this world, whilst dropping clever hints as to what's coming. The whole narrative has been one climactic battle, that's certainly going to heat up as the series continues. Issue #5 slows this down somewhat as Cullen Bunn uses this "downtime" to not only advance our knowledge of the cast but to show a somewhat human side to things as both teams deal with their loss and the grief that comes with it. 

Rating 8/10 

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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev