Review: The Wrong Earth #5

On Earth-Alpha, sidekick Stinger loses faith in the grim Dragonfly as villains take control of their secret crime-fighting headquarters! On Earth-Omega, Dragonflyman befriends a member of the murderous Number One’s gang!

The Wrong Earth is one of the best comics out there right now and one of the best superhero comics.

Writer Tom Peyer continues the fantastic multiple world story he has created in The Wrong Earth #5 and uses it to explore different facets of the same character (from multiple Earths). What Peyer brilliantly is able to do is create a comic that’s a spoof, an homage, and just straight superhero adventure all at the same time. You can read it any way you want and no matter what, it’s still enjoyable. There’s a multi-level approach to it all.

In this issue on one Earth the destruction of the portal between worlds is dealt with resulting in something that’s rather unexpected. What’s also interesting is the exploration of the relationship between hero and villain. In this case what if you take a gritty modern hero and have their rogues be the more comical ones from the 60s. Wouldn’t those classic villains look like a joke? Did they then? There’s an interesting exploration of that and at the same time the gritty character too. Peyer feels like he’s making a statement about both comic eras and has concluded they’re both a bit silly.

We see that in the gritty world where the more innocent Dragonfly has come to the conclusion he should still stick to his ideals no matter how messed up the world is. But, there’s a bit of movement in those ideals and the conclusion seems to be there’s a happy middle. Go to the extreme on either end and things get rather comical and silly.

Peyer is joined by Jamal Igle on art, Juan Castro on ink, Andy Troy on color, and Rob Steen on lettering. I say this every issue but the team’s ability to take two very different styles and bring them together is impressive. It’s seamless and looks perfectly natural. What’s interesting is in this issue, those two styles have blended together a bit more as if to say that Peyer’s middle is the best route. Art and story seem to have the same focus.

That story alone would be worth picking this issue up.

Writer Paul Constant, Gary Erskine on art, Andy Troy on color, and Steen lettering deliver a back-up story focused on Dragonfly as he fights a nanite infuse bad guy. It’s the first back-up to be a multi-parter and not only is it solid it also adds in some history, as these back-ups all have. It’s an awesome bonus to an already great issue.

But there’s more!

There’s two prose articles, one by Matt Brady with art by Joe Orsak and another by Robert Jeschonek with art by Elliott Mattice and both are interesting reads. They’re the bonus that makes it feel like you’re really getting something for your dollar.

This is another great issue that delivers the more we should expect. The series has been entertaining and the fact you get so much more for your money makes it feel like even more of a deal and good value. AHOY is the company to watch out for in 2019 as they continue to show why they were the best of 2018.

Story: Tom Peyer, Paul Constant, Matt Brady, Robert Jeschonek
Art: Jamal Igle, Gary Erskine, Joe Orsak, Elliott Mattice
Color: Andy Troy Lettering: Rob Steen
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

AHOY Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review