Xombi #5 – Review

By: John Rozum (writer), Frazer Irving (artist)

The Story: Riding on pterodactyls.  Golems with rocket packs.  Nuns and guns.  ‘Nuff said.

The Review: There’s been a lot of speculation, both dark and ecstatic, about the upcoming state of the DCU, post-Flashpoint.  Through it all, I’ve managed to keep my cool, encouraging cautious optimism whenever possible.  But one of the few things that threatens to break my veneer of objectivity is the thought that among the new lineup of titles coming this fall, Xombi will not be counted with them.

While it’s true I have a soft spot for David Kim, since we share a racial demographic, I really just appreciate that Rozum treats him as a person, not a cliché.  Even if you strip away David’s last name and distinctly Oriental (yup, I said it—I’m Asian so I can) appearance, his character remains just as sympathetic.  His good nature, decency, and affectionate manner are qualities we can all appreciate in a hero, and none of it has anything to do with his race.

You have to admire how the entire cast always shows fully-formed personalities well beyond their stereotypical appearances.  For example, your first instinct is to understand Nun of the Above’s distaste for magic as part of her religious devotion, so it’s all the more surprisingly impressive when she snaps, “I don’t agree with all church doctrine, but embracing the occult as Julian does only invites darkness.”  Bitter personal experience, not dogma, fuels her prejudice.