Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Highland Laddie #5Highland Laddie #5 of 6
Dynamite Comics
Ennis, McCrea & Burns

The mini series focusing on Hughie, from The Boys, set in his homeland continues with perhaps the strongest issue yet in an otherwise forgettable series. This mini series, by showing us the hometown of Hughie, has managed to take away some of the charm of the character. Add in that the story has introduced some uninteresting characters in the context of the main series and that the series has a hokey subplot where Hughie and friends solved mysteries when they were kids and you have a weak mini series. But this issue has something of value.

The meat of the issue is the back and forth between Hughie and his former girlfriend, Annie. As a carryover from the previous issue, the yelling between the two is done and they seem to have some common ground to discuss their problems and their future. The issue is good because it gives a gradual and natural build up of trust and letting each other's guards down to have some normal, non-dramatic dialogue. While reading the issue it's hard not to see the two getting back together, but honesty is still a problem.

Hughie still won't explain how exactly he knows the information about Annie and her deeds to get herself into the ultimate super hero club, The Seven. Hughie knows all about Annie's skeletons but Annie knows nothing about Hughie's secrets. More importantly, Annie has no idea what Hughie and The Boys have in store for the super hero community. The tension for future issues has its groundwork dropped down in this issue.

The issue has more of the Hardy Boys-like mystery as that subplot is starting to shape up (as you can see from the cover). Beyond that, the issue really doesn't have a ton else in it.

Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle ReviewsThe artwork is very good. McCrea and Burns don't try to imitate Robertson's style. It works because this story is much more low key than in the main series. There isn't much violence, we haven't seen any capes and town setting is quite different than any other from the main series. McCrea provides a level of realism his previous work didn't even reach, such as The Hitman series. The artwork brings out the emotion in the dialogue heavy issue.

I haven't liked the premise behind the series from the beginning but you would be crazy to pass up this particular issue because it will have lasting impacts on the main series down the road. Ennis is moving his characters into place for the giant confrontation when the main series winds down and the seeds are in this issue.

3 out of 5 Geek Goggles