The Short Strange Ride Nears Its Final Destination In Cemetery Beach #6

Cemetery Beach #6 opens up exactly the same way the last five chapters have. Mike and Grace are still running for their lives through a madman’s gauntlet. The fugitives are close to escaping, having reached the outer ring of the settlement, but such things are usually easier said than done. When President Barrow learns of their progress, he decides to take matters into his own hands.

Warren Ellis introduces some really cool new elements in this chapter, then blazes right along to the next thing. Weaponized doggos in gas masks and Siberian Guards straight out of 007: Goldeneye. Mantle is the most interesting and dangerous level we’ve seen, and we only get to look around for thirteen pages before setting up for the big boss fight.
What’s worked best about this mini thus far has been Jason Howard’s artwork. Ellis wisely steps aside and lets Howard do most of the heavy lifting, moving the story along with very little dialogue. The action sequences are insane as usual, with no shortage of explosions and head shots.

There are mini-series that seem like they were written as a graphic novel, and then cut up to release as monthly installments. Cemetery Beach is not one of them. It’s almost the exact opposite of that. It feels like each of these chapters could have easily been drawn out into a full book, and I would have bought every one of them.
Next month is the blowoff. I have so many questions. I hope this all gets wrapped up neatly, but I don’t see how it possibly could. Someone’s definitely gonna die, and some secrets are definitely getting told. Beyond that, you got me.

Cemetery Beach #6 (of 7), Image Comics, released 06 February 2019. Written by Warren Ellis, art by Jason Howard, letters by Fonografiks.