Comics Review: "THE MADNESS #6" Offers a Very Satisfying Conclusion

THE MADNESS #6 (OF 6)

AWA STUDIOS

STORY: J. Michael Straczynski

PENCILS: ACO

INKS: David Lorenzo

COLORS: Marcelo Maiolo

LETTERS: Sal Cipriano

COVER: ACO

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: David Aja; Chris Ferguson

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2024)

Rated: “Mature”

The Madness is a six-issue miniseries from AWA Studios.  It is written by J. Michael Straczynski; drawn by ACO (pencils) and David Lorenzo (inks); colored by Marcelo Maiolo; and lettered by Sal Cipriano.  The series follows a woman who uses her super-powers as a thief and her quest for revenge against a group of superheroes.

The Madness introduces Sarah Ross a.k.a. “The Raven.”  She has super-powers:  flight, super speed, super strength, and invulnerability, but she can only use one at a time.  Sarah has been using her powers as a thief, stealing from the rich and giving it to herself.  She plans one more big score so that she can retire to a life of luxury.  However, she steals from the “wrong person” and that leads to brutal consequences that will drive her to revenge... and to ultimate madness.

The Madness #6 opens as Sarah frees her recent prize – one from the Djinn – the dragon Ignatius.  Next, Sarah and the Raven have another conversation.  Will she stay or will she go?

Now, it's time for the final battle.  Just two names remain on The Madness' hit list.  They are Darius, the leader of the Council of Justice, who ordered the dropping of the bomb on Sarah and her family.  The second is Captain Micron, the one who dropped the bomb.  In order to complete her revenge, however, Sarah may have to destroy herself along with her targets.

THE LOWDOWN:  AWA Studios marketing began providing me with PDF review copies of their comic book publications since April 2023.  The Madness #6 is one of the recent acquisitions.

With this sixth issue, writer J. Michael Straczynski presents a final chapter that is as intense as all the previous chapters.  The Madness mixes the craziness of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen with the exhilaration of Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's The Authority.  At this end, Straczynski presents a final chapter that is complicated, but that also offers a satisfactory conclusion working on themes of dedication, loyalty, and love.

Artist ACO closes out his daring storytelling with intensity and verve.  The conflict is close and personal, and the heroine certainly seems imperiled.  He also sells us on an ending that offers continuation.  Marcelo Maiolo's colors are more like cinematography than ever, and I'm sure they look good in the recently released trade paperback collection of this series.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans looking for excellence in superhero comic books will want to try The Madness.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

THE MADNESS PAGE: https://awastudios.net/series/the-madness/

AWA Website: https://awastudios.net/ 

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