As Greg Pak’s creator owned series Mech Cadet Yu continues its new arc, it runs the risk of running into the pitfalls of any other monthly running series. This includes the possibility of becoming formulaic with the constant training and academy life presented in the series. Unless the creative team find a way to shake things up that is.
Summary
The academy is overrun by a litter of newly hatched Sharg. Yu and his team have to stay alive on limited resources.
Writing
Most people believe the easiest solution in stories involving giant robots is to just call in the machines to fix whatever problems the characters are experiencing. These are the same individuals who ask, “Why don’t the Power Rangers just form their robot right away and win?” The fact is giant robots won’t solve all of your problems (shocking isn’t it) and often their pilots have to figure out what to do on their own.
Writer Greg Pak presented formidable odds for the characters to overcome without robots, and by doing so delivers a very powerful issue. Every page leads to an final page no one sees coming. Though last page cliffhangers should be good, it’s not always best to say they are the greatest part of the issue. They are intended to be shocking and praising them too much seems to take away from the rest of the issue. It takes a special type of final page to truly steal the show. Somehow this issue succeeds it in spades by delivering a final page which will have your jaw on the floor.
Artwork
Once again the art team is in perfect harmony. Takeshi Miyazawa’s art is in top form and is able to explore new aspects with this issue. There are scenes of violence, injury, and even some great human action scenes presented.
The coloring by Triona Farrell works to showcase the destruction and chaos which takes place as the Sharg attack. The human and alien blood work offers a very nice sense of dread to the issue.
The lettering helps to sell the dire situation the students are under as they work to stay alive. Simon Bowland finds a way to perfectly express how the characters should be feeling without having them scream the entire time.
Conclusion
This series just keeps getting better and better. This issue finds a way to raise the stakes higher than ever before and seems to be a better end for the first arc than issue #4 was thanks to the surprising way it concludes. Though not the ideal starting point it makes up for it by rewarding those who have been reading with a fantastic issue.
