DCU Comic Book Reviews

CRIME BIBLE:  FIVE LESSONS OF BLOOD #5

The Parable Of The Faceless

April 2008

Written by Greg Rucka

Opening Page by Steve Lieber and Eric Trautman

Art by Manuel Garcia and Jimmy Palmiotti

Cover by John Van Fleet

Synopsis

Following Flay’s directions, Renee Monotya arrives on the Shores of the Abandoned.  She is greeted with hostility until she dons the Question mask.  Then she is greeted with reverence and taken directly to Flay.  He tells her they will fight to the death and the winner leads the Dark Faith into the new darkness.  At first, Renee refuses to fight, but when Flay tells her to fight or Elicia will die, she reluctantly fights.  Renee and Flay battle each other, with Renee getting the upper hand, but she refuses to kill him.  When she turns her back on him, he attacks her again.  When she hits him, he falls off a cliff and impales himself on wooden stakes.  With Flay dead, the order fall to their knees and request Renee, “command us in Cain’s name.”

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

If I may say so, we did not really get an ending.  It is more of a beginning.  Part of me is pissed off that Rucka couldn’t find an ending to the mini-series, but part of me realizes that (much like the recent Black Adam mini-series) this series was commissioned as a bridge between Renee’s appearances and at the very least we get this before her next appearance, not after (again, like Black Adam).  The other part of me likes the ending as it definitely sets up the Question for whatever DC has in mind down the road (possibly in Final Crisis).  As someone once said, for every door that closes, a new opens. 

As for the actual issue, putting the ending aside, this was excellent.  The lead-in set the stage perfectly and the dialogue between Renee and Flay put the previous issue into perspective, showing each person’s view of the events (or the lessons).  Then the fight, which is handled well, showing the back and forth struggle, somewhat resembling their previous verbal interactions.  I also like the call back to Crispus Allen (the partner she did not avenge) when she walked away from Flay.  Rucka has been writing Renee for a number of years and I appreciate the reference, especially since it was so pertinent to the issue at hand. 

 

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