The major leagues are calling!

Now that Eric and Woody Henderson know they have what it takes to save the day, they finally have a shot at going pro – and they’re in luck, because UNITY might just be making a comeback! But the brothers aren’t ready for primetime just yet…they still have to audition for their spots, under the watchful eyes of G.A.T.E. and X-O Manowar!

Look, I won’t try to deny I am genuinely saddened that this is the final issue of Eliot Rahal‘s run on Quantum And Woody, let alone that it’s also the final issue of the current series for the two Henderson brothers. But I’m at least happy to see the series go out on a high note. A very high note. High enough to shatter the glass in your hand, if you want to take the analogy a little farther.

Francis Portella‘s art is coloured by Andrew Dalhouse, and captures Rahal’s swan song story with ease. With the story focusing on the brothers’ heavily encouraged audition for Unity, Valiant’s premier superhuman team, the story focuses on X-O Manowar putting Quantum and Woody through their paces in an amazingly understated work of art. Portella’s work here is super clean and easy to read, his judicious use of blank space an effective way of highlighting the emotional turmoil and internal conflict of certain characters within the comic. The grid work and panel layout are as simplistic and exciting as you would hope – often in the same dynamically constructed page. There are splash pages, traditional grids and enough eye catching imagery to give the reader a spectacular experience.

Yes, it’s the final issue, but I’m still trying to be vague so as to avoid spoilers for those wanting to go into the comic blind.

Somehow, with the last issue of the series, Eliot Rahal has demonstrated his amazing knack for getting into a character’s head and using that understanding to deliver some of the best comics you’ll read. He’s done it for Valiant before with the Archer and Armstrong Divinity III tie in, and once again with the finale of Quantum And Woody. Rahal questions what it is to be a hero, and the various shapes of heroism present in a costumed adventurers daily life – do you need to be constantly saving the world to earn your hero badge, or do you need to save somebody’s world? That Rahal is able to question the nature of superheroism whilst giving us a compelling single issue story is perhaps the highlight of the entire twelve issue run. It also has the benefit of being a brilliant introduction to the characters within the comic, which leaves me in a fairly unique position. It doesn’t matter that this is the final issue in the series, because it is such a fine example of comic book creativity it demands to be read by any and all with an interest in the medium.

When it comes to Quantum and Woody Valiant certainly saved the best for the last, and it’s a shame to see the series end on such a brilliant story. All I wanted after finishing this issue was to count down the days to the next issue – but that, ultimately isn’t going to happen. Like I said, it’s a shame.

Story: Eliot Rahal Art: Francis Portella
Colours: Andrew Dalhouse Letters: Dave Sharpe
Story: 9.1 Art: 8.8 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review