In a final, climactic battle for control of HALO and all its secrets, it’s the WildC.A.T.s versus the Seven Soldiers versus the Court of Owls! Winner take all! WildC.A.T.S. #12 wraps up a wild run that finally brought the Wildstorm characters into the DC Universe in a way that makes sense and works.

WildC.A.T.S. #12 delivers a satisfying ending to Matthew Rosenberg‘s run on the classic characters. As I said in my early reviews, the series has done a solid job of integrating the Wildstorm characters into the DC Universe, giving them opponents that make sense and encounters that don’t feel out of place.

While WildC.A.T.S. #12 doesn’t really stand on its own, it does wrap up the series bringing various plots together and connecting those final dots. As a finale, it works well, though at times it feels rushed.

What Rosenberg nails, and it shows in this issue, is the connection of the team members to each other. This is a dysfunctional team that butts heads and argues with each other but the second some outside force comes for them, they rally around their brothers and sisters. There’s a love there that’s only present in a squabbling family. And, it leaves things open in a fun way where we’ll hopefully get more of that dysfunction and fun.

The art by Danny Kim and Tom Derenick slips a bit in the issue. Not sure what’s up but the early half of the comic doesn’t have the usual polish and splash we’ve seen delivering a little but of bump in an otherwise fun ride. They’re joined by Elmer Santos and letterer Ferran Delgado. WildC.A.T.S. #12 isn’t the flashiest comic, in that it doesn’t deliver moments that stick with you, but it does deliver fun visuals and small details that pop. Grifter lighting up a cigarette while facing down Halliday and the Court of Owls is as cool as you can get, encapsulating the character in one panel. Maul going on a rampage is fun in a “Hulk Smash” sort of way. And the ending pages… they tease a lot for what might come delivering the mental state of the characters through images alone.

I’ve enjoyed the entire run and a bit bummed to know WildC.A.T.S. #12 ends the current run. There was a fun aspect of the series remixing these characters a bit as they get folded into the DC Universe more. Hopefully, it has laid the groundwork for more of that and this isn’t the end but only the beginning for something more down the road.

Story: Matthew Rosenberg Art: Danny Kim, Tom Derenick
Color: Elmer Santos Letterer: Ferran Delgado
Story: 8.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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