Talon #17 – Review

By: Tim Seeley (writer), Jorge Lucas (art), Jeromy Cox (colors)

The Story: Calvin Rose is the world’s greatest escape artist. He’s escaped family, identity, Santa Prisca, the Court of Owls, and even death. But before his series ends he’ll have to escape from immortality and its slow march towards a cage.

The Review: As the final issue of the series it’s kind of appropriate that Talon #17 almost seems like a first issue in reverse. It opens with a kiss, establishes the backstory of nearly all the major characters, and is all about a character attempting to lose their superpowers.

The sensation that this series ended a few months ago is definitely setting in, but this is the sort of story that might support a one-shot or a miniseries or, perhaps more likely, wouldn’t be published at all. That’s not a criticism of the issue, the market often demands bigger and better stories with bigger and more profitable characters but this is a lovely little story for fans of Talon and his world.

Though the issue lacks the definition of Calvin’s escape or his shower with Anya, this issue does a fantastic job of reestablishing the mission for these characters and this series. These characters have a simple air of heroism about them, one that’s only emphasized by the rather sinister antagonists.