The Question: All Along the Watchtower #6 review

It’s the final face-off between the Question and the Cyborg Superman. As the last issue of this mini-series opens the latter, Hank Henshaw, wants to destroy the Justice League Unlimited Watchtower, while the former, Renee Montoya, just wants to stay alive.

Expelled into space, she’s saved when Blue Beetle Ted Kord – supposedly under the mental control of Henshaw, along with dozens of other Leaguers – surreptitiously saves her. As she recovers, Renee has a vision of those she has loved and lost, living and dead.

Meanwhile, Henshaw is metaphorically moustache twirling.

He sics original Question Vic Sage on Renee, but inspired by the spectral words she fights back like a tiger, grabbing a Phantom Zone Ray blaster.

The spell is broken. That’s awfully convenient, and I don’t think we ever get an explanation as to why the ray gun did that. But writer Alex Segura has covered himself in that first image I posted, from the flowery opening page.

Happily, the story ends pretty cleanly, with Cyborg Superman defeated, his plan derailed, the heroes free and Renee deciding to embrace a new philosophy.

She’ll get by with a little help from her friends. And Alan Scott’s Green Lantern ring which she had in her pocket.

Was this set up in a previous issue? I’ve read them all but have no memory, and Segura doesn’t bother giving us a panel to remind us… this is very much a ‘wait for the trade’ book. Hopefully next time Segura gets a series I’ll remember this and read his work on DC Infinite when the story is done, however ‘messily’.

So yes, a ray gun that de-hypnotises superheroes, and a wishing ring she’s inexplicably adept with help Renee foil Cyborg Superman. While I like that Renee realises she has good people around her who want to help her – never mind that they have as big a stake in the crisis as does she – I do think her antagonist for this adventure should be someone a little more her speed. Henshaw is a Justice League level bad guy, she should be fighting someone she can take down with her own skill set – show the League she doesn’t need to be a borrower to make a difference .

Cian Tormey just gets better as an artist, with this issue showing how much he’s grown. The storytelling is splendid, the characters nicely on model… well, apart from Henshaw, who’s looking particularly spiky, which suits his extra-melodramatic mode in this story. The short fight scene with Vic Sage is a model of dynamic clarity, while that splash of Henshaw with his superheroic thralls is typical of the fun OTT drama.

And the art is masterfully coloured – for the most part – by Romulo Fajardo Jr. ‘Most’? Yes, a pivotal moment showing that Blue Beetle save of Renee is muddied. Literally. It’s his first appearance in the issue, he’s not namechecked by Segura, and I missed him on first reading.

Willie Schubert’s instantly recognisable lettering style elevates every page.

Tormey and Fajardo’s cover is a little odd – what’s with the blue drips, were they originally blood red and someone one got nervous. We’ll probably never know.

My hope for this mini series was that it would end with Renee putting away the accoutrements of the Question and go back to being a Gotham detective. That’s where she blossoms, that’s where she belongs. Or am I wrong?