Valiant; $4.99

Foundation City is under attack from the terrorist group Human League, fronted by Black Sheep and @X. Flamingo is fighting her way back inside the domed city to rejoin the fray, Alloy is trying to stop a bomb from going off, and the rest of the team are in the thick of the battle with @X’s forces. The problems continue to mount when Livewire realizes that the strike team they are facing knows how to counter their powers.

This is the last issue in the first arc of Valiant Beyond All-New Harbinger, and it is a doozy. Written by Fred Van Lente, illustrated by Erik Tamayo, and colored by Exequiel F. Roel, it is a well crafted combination of action and story. It’s obvious that Foundation City isn’t as perfect as it appears to be with people left outside of the dome in harsh conditions, and a continued divide between psiots and regular humans.

One of the team members has seen the unfairness up close while the others fight for their lives. New character Cici brings more depth to the situation by pointing out how she is treated by fellow psiots with more impressive powers than her own. Meanwhile, the action swirls with kinetic energy as the team fights Black Sheep and the strike team.

The ending makes it clear that the complexities of the book will continue in the next arc.

-Amanda Sheriff