The Bionic Man #5
Based on a story by Kevin Smith
Script by Kevin Smith and Phil Hester
Pencils by Jonathan Lau
Colors by Ivan Nunes
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross, Jonathan Lau
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 21, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

Hot Damn! It’s Steve Austin on his first all-out undercover adventure with his brand new bionics. While fun, it’s not at all what I was expecting from The Bionic Man #5.

OK, let’s get one thing straight, and for me to do this I HAVE to go into spoiler territory: While the story is a LOT of fun, there was something about it that bothered me. Writers Kevin Smith and Phil Hester have brilliantly updated the bionic man and his powers significantly from the 1970s, but there’s one of his new powers I’m not that fond of — it’s Steve’s ability to make his face and voice resemble anyone that he wants. While this is cool in a Zartan sort of way, Steve spends most of the issue fighting and spying as a 60-year-old Russian business executive. That’s really not what I want out of this comic book.

Jonathan Lau’s art, again, is superb. He’s the only artist in the biz that can make a spy fight with a old man look interesting. He’s really getting into the groove with Steve Austin and his supporting cast, too, which is very nice. I don’t know if I’d like to see Lau on a superhero title. He does really well with his renditions of “real life” setting and proportions, that I’m not sure I’d like to see him draw giant over muscled heroes and villains throwing cars around.

The bad news is, this was my least favorite issue of the series so far. The good news? It’s still really really good and if this creative team has a track record for 1 out of every 5 issue’s that’s “just really really good,” this book is going to be around a LONG time. And that’s…a good thing.