Basil Karlo has found his imposter but at what cost!
After an encounter with Lady Clayface herself, Sondra Fuller, Karlo discovers it is Preston Payne who’s stolen his identity!
With Karlo’s friend Katie held captive, time is running out on saving her life. Karlo has played many role, but is “Hero” his greatest one?
CLAYFACE: CELEBRITY DIRT #5 by Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Fran Galán, Patricio Delpeche, & Tom Napolitano (DC COMICS) delivers its’ pen-ultimate chapter.
Let’s take a look at what happens now!
CLAYFACE: CELEBRITY DIRT #5 by Jude Ellison S. Doyle, Fran Galán, Patricio Delpeche, & Tom Napolitano (DC COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Doyle takes this story into dark places as the details of Payne’s plans come to life. The opening sequence of his “wedding” shows the unhinged persona creeping out. Dialogue is sharp as he digs into Fuller. Once the time jump to present occurs, the mood continues to be unsettling as Fuller discloses more on her estranged partner. This only becomes worse when Payne tells his version to Katie.
Readers watch as his words become more unstable as he progresses the story. A simple polite gesture is taken to extremes with Payne wrapping his warped head around kindness. It’s this kind of feel Doyle plays off of. This becomes worse with every fleeting panel. There’s never a shortage of horror involved as Payne descends further into madness. This leads into the chilling closing pages. The end game is here and the players get the board ready. Buckle in for an unpredictable close.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW!
Galán & Delpeche lean into the disturbing elements of psychological horror with the art. The wedding scenes show how unstable Payne has become. Every mannerism makes readers skin crawl as he professes his thoughts. The jump to present stabilizes matters long enough for a well needed break. The pause dones’t last long as Payne’s talk with Katie grows increasingly unhinged.
Payne’s mannerisms with his plastic mask elevate the horrific looks as he talks. Everything from his eye movement to crooked smile jumps off the page. This plays well with the use of light and shadows in the coloring. This is very apparent in a haunting half panel after his flashbacks. The scene is staged so perfectly that it is upsetting to see. Readers watch more body horror take place with another flashback moment. This moves events into close with a terrifying final panel to stage the major confrontation. Excellent horror imagery throughout this issue.
FINAL GRADE: 8.8
Secrets revealed and terror rising everywhere as the end game is her for Basil Karlo. Doyle exemplifies the horror nature of this story in the writing. Galán & Delpeche create terrifying looks that push to new heights. An unsettling look at fame and the cost to keep it. Get ready for this finale.
Let me know your thoughts on CLAYFACE: CELEBRITY DIRT #5 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
