Review: Event Leviathan #5

 Event Leviathan #5 came out this week and as usual, I absolutely loved it. I thought for sure this issue would end with the big reveal of who Leviathan is. Instead we someone being heavily implied as being Leviathan. But until I see an actual answer, I am holding out hope on my Leviathan Theory.

This issue rolled along as most of this mini-series has, a thorough review of clues and suspicions punctuated by some brief moments of action. This issue had a lot of facts drop and a lot of guesses eliminated with very little fanfare. It makes me wonder if this story could have supported 9 issues or 12 instead of the quick 6 it is being told in. We have lots of suspects crossed of the list here. We get lots of clues here, mostly in dialogue patterns and speeches. But best of all, this is clearly a Superman story as Lois and Clark are the core around which everything revolves.

And since we didn't get a reveal, you are going to get another clue review as well as a dandy of a new back-up theory, supplied by a blog friend who will get full credit when that post happens.

Brian Michael Bendis continues to have snappy dialogue with flourishes like Zatanna saying she is a fan of Lois and Constantine being called Sting. The whole thing crackles.

And Alex Maleev continues to stun with his art, stylish, moody, and brimming with emotion.

On to the issue.

 The first couple of pages shows just how solid Lois Lane's second group of detectives are. While Batman, Green Arrow, Plastic Man and the rest have been grasping at straws, this second group drops some facts.

We get a run down of all the people they have eliminated as being Leviathan.

Steve Trevor. Amanda Waller. Talia Al Ghul. Ra's Al Ghul. Maxwell Lord. Batgirl. Jimmy Olsen. Red Hood. Kate Spencer.

They have all been cleared.

Now Lord was a favorite given the plot, the knowledge, and all the other jazz. So I was happy to see him eliminated. But I didn't have any of the others on my short list.

I'll also add this is one of those places I wouldn't have minded more story. How did they eliminate these people?

 But then they drop the bomb.

Their investigation, both tangible evidence and mystic discovery spells, all point to General Lane, another suspect high on people's lists.

Lois doesn't buy it. After all Leviathan has been setting up lots of people. And she asks for Superman and ultimately Batman to help disprove all of it.

I can't imagine it's Sam Lane. He's nearly dead. 

 When Superman and Batman can't help immediately, Zatanna opens a portal and they all jump through to talk to Lane himself.

Amazingly, Lane says he basically agrees with Leviathan. He isn't the bad guy but he supports the idea.

That sounds like Sam Lane doesn't it?

It's a good thing the crew arrives because Leviathan troops arrive with the intent on displacing Lane.

A skirmish arises and we see once again that Sam Lane is a crack shot, shooting the Leviathan rogue through the eye. But it is too late, the displacement grenade goes off and for some reason Lois and Sam and teleported to some mountainside.

But before the blip, Sam says he has left Lois all she needs in something called a Snowman's ticket. I have no idea what that means. It sounds like an information cache showing everything Lane has on Leviathan. I wonder if Lane knew this was happening and didn't inform anyone and didn't try to stop it.

Meanwhile, Superman is still with Plastic Man having been teleported to  Leviathan last issue.

Finally we get a sense of just how immense the Leviathan army is with infantry, small fighters, and large cruisers all at their disposal.

Big moments demand big art. And we got it.

And boy, that blue just sizzles.

Leviathan is dangerous.

Then we get some one on one conversation between Leviathan and Superman. And it is here that I think the most information can be gleaned. For one, Leviathan talks like an adolescent. Remember this is the being that said 'bluffy bluffer' before.

Here, Leviathan says that the blue displacement technology (a knock against my thought that it is someone's powers) was taken from Spyral. It was a contingency plan to use against Jon 'Superboy' Kent should things go wild. That alone should gall Superman.

Also, the original plan was for Leviathan to attack while Superman was off planet so he would come home to the new world order and just protect it.

What I love is Superman just cutting this line of talk off. He isn't buying this evil. So Leviathan should stop selling. That's Superman!

Then, another hefty clue.

You may remember that before people felt that Leviathan must have 'daddy issues'. We see that is true, right from Leviathan's mouth. He talks about how Superman had all this pressure of responsibility put on him by his upbringing. Superman has had tough times with Jor-El.

Maybe Superman doesn't need to solve all problems. But on Earth or Krypton, Superman isn't ready for that. Hmmm ...

This sounds like a problem that Leviathan is dealing with themselves, just transferring on to Superman. Hmmm ...

 And Leviathan says he knows  everything. We sort of knew that given the Justice League knowledge. But everything sounds ... I don't know ... bigger.

Meanwhile, the first group of detectivrs, specifically Damian, realize that maybe another Manhunter might be behind Leviathan. The technology of her staff, her being set up, the goals of Leviathan ... it all screams Manhunter.

Now Mark Shaw was also high on everyone's list. This is heavy implications here.

Is Leviathan Shaw?

But then an even bigger clue.

Leviathan says that they aren't wearing a mask. The face seems to open a bit allowing Superman to see who it is.

Does that mean that Leviathan's 'mask' is actually their face? Or is he speaking metaphorically?

With Batman trying to get to Lois, his tank is overturned by a missile attack from the original Leviathan, Talia. She is ready to save the world!

Okay, I will admit that Mark Shaw/Manhunter seems to be the identity of Leviathan here. Those clues have been piling up. So I'm not surprised by this. But it seems to come out of left field and seems to not fit other clues I have trawled up. But right now, he is leading the pack.

What I do wonder is how Bendis can wrap this up in just one issue. We need the reveal. We need the defeat. We need the fallout. Can it all come together.

I honestly have loved this series and I am sad to see it go.

But I am thrilled we didn't get the total reveal. It means at least one more clue review post will happen.

Otherwise, I love Superman being ethically sound here, shutting down Leviathan. I love Lois being smart enough to put together a good team and wise enough to not believe them. And that art. Dreamy.

Overall grade: A