Well, The Question mini has come to an end. Overall I thought this a pretty good series. I really can’t understand why this book got so little attention.

Some problems in its finale include: while Metropolis was calling for vengeance on the evil within it, and the heart of that evil was embodied in Lex Luthor, no vengeance was visited upon him; also, The Question did all that he did in order to save Superman, yet did not really spoil the weapon being designed to off Supes; then there is the fact that Superman, though thankful for help, cannot accept The Questions methods – killing any and all bad guys (except Luthor) – and yet Superman only tells him to leave town.

These things aside, I think the comic still superior to the vast amount of minis out today. The Question introduced (at least to me) a new and very powerful character with a complex background and presence. It also introduced me to the wonderful splashy noir artwork of Tommy Lee Edwards and the poetic meandering dialogue of writer Rick Veitch. For this, I am most thankful.

There seems to be no further Question related material slated for the near future, and it is really a shame. This is a character that could enjoy cult status with lovers of books like Swamp Thing. Of course, this character would be more effective far away from Metropolis, but perhaps putting him there for an initial run will only heighten his potency. It is my hope that The Question will show up in future books. He should, at least, appear in Azzarello’s Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, as Lex’s current endeavor is the focus of both books, but we’ll see.

Sometimes an audience just isn’t ready for innovation. I am afraid that with all the hype around the Crises in the DCU, The Question has gone relatively unnoticed. Hopefully, in the years to come someone will take a harder look at this great character and put him back to work.

 

-Peblee