COMIC REVIEW: FTN reviews Accelerators #5

I think I say this about every issue, but I truly mean it each time… The Accelerators just keeps getting better and better!! This time we get an important look into Bertram and Lex’s past, and also get what I think it an important part of the future.

The main theme of this issue is the creation of the time travel “donuts” known as the accelerators. If you haven’t read the comic or any other reviews these accelerators allow the user to travel forward in time but they are not allowed to go back. They are a project created by Lex and her scientist colleagues and her husband Bertram and his military colleagues protect the operation. Sounds simple enough right? Wrong. Issue 5 gives us a glimpse of the New Year’s party the whole team had in 1965 and there we learn the creator behind the entire project was a shady little old man. Every team has a “mastermind” and this man not only created and funds the whole “time travel donut” idea, but also in an evil genius type way set up the entire demise of both the scientific and military teams that were working on the project. Who ended up taking the fall of all of this? It was Bertram of course. But from this point on I think his true story is going to come out and this old man from the past is going to have a lot of explaining to do (if he ever makes it back into the series, which I think he definitely will).

Now fast forward to present “future” times, Lex is finally back with Spatz and after a quick Spatz-like explanation of everything she has missed they both agree that they have to get Bertram back from the games and figure out how to fix this whole mess. Bob (spatz’s boss type lady) however has different plans and she takes Spatz on yet another walk and they unknowingly stroll past something that I think is the most important thing in the entire issue, a seemingly homeless bum on the street begging for money. I have a very good idea of who this bum is, but I will keep that to myself to let you draw your own conclusion; however like the old evil genius from the past I think this “traveling stranger” has a major part in this comic’s future.

The final main story in the comic is Bertram’s games career. He has gone thru an upgrade since last issue and things seem to be going as well as they can be for a regular competitor in death games. However Bob has something in mind for all the area competitors and let’s just say Reptar has entered the arena!! (Rugrats fans anyone? Or is it just me lol) It’s will be interesting next issue to see how all the arenas competitors deal with not only each other, but a giant green dinosaur! I hope Bertram survives so Lex and Spatz can find him and the next leg of their crazy journey can begin!!

This series is always amazes me. The writing from Porto is spectacular; the way he can transition from future events to past events is great and leaves no confusion. This issue’s looks into the past tie right in with where issue #1 started and there seems to be nothing missing which can sometimes happen with stories. The characters all have their own personality and each panel has it’s purpose, there is no filler.

The artwork from Smith and Yates goes right along with the story and the double page spread with the introduction of the dinosaur is my favorite page of the issue. The whole arena is filled with people, and while the attendees aren’t super detailed you can tell they are people and the time was taken to put colored clothing on the majority of them. Also…there is a panel that shows the accelerator donuts on a bookshelf, while the accelerators look amazing it’s the RFI Porto book, volume 1 copy of Human City and Anne Bonnie book on the book shelf that I noticed right off… Nice work guys. 🙂