DCU Comic Book Reviews

INFINITY INC. #7

The Influencing Machines Of Metropolis, Part 2

May 2008

Written by Peter Milligan

Pencils by Matt Camp

Inks by Matt Camp

Cover by Max Fiumara

Synopsis

As the television influence Lucia’s father to force Lucia and Natasha to participate in a “beauty contest,” John Henry Irons has deduced the location of the power making the citizens start acting crazy.  Mercy decides to go and help.  Meanwhile, Gerome is in therapy when Irons calls and asks him to check out the area.  However, Mercy gets there first, but she is attacked by Frank Sparrow, the one controlling the television and influencing others.  Mercy runs into Gerome and Erica and attacks them, believing they are zombies, but the duo are able to subdue her.  They then find Sparrow, but he is able to control them, until the third version of Gerome appears and knocks Sparrow out.  Later, Sparrow is taken back to the psychiatric hospital for evaluation. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

At the very least this issue provides an impetus for Infinity Inc. to actually become, you know, a superhero team like they should be, rather than a psychological drama the series has become since it debuted.  The problem, however, is that Milligan’s story is all over the place and, as such, the overall plot suffers.  Think about it: Natasha really has nothing to do with this issue.  You could easily take her out of this issue and it doesn’t really change the plot or the story.  Because of the lack of focus, or tight plotting, the story meanders and it suffers because of it.  The villain is not defined that well, the characters are still underdeveloped, and there is still no sense where this series is heading or what Milligan wants to accomplish.

The ending reminds me of the bad 70s hour long action comedies like Dukes of Hazzard in which something is said or done and the lead character smile or laugh, providing the freeze frame fro the end credits to roll over.