The Good: Reads like an episode from the original TV series.
The Bad: Ends halfway through, at the commercial break.
The story: The Iron Terrapin has left behind a little "gift," and the sudden cloudburst that drenches the city of Central West following the first battle turns out to be far from benign. As G-Force and the rest of the world watch in horror, the brainwashed citizens of Central West hold their own city hostage in the name of Spectra. G-Force and Chief Anderson rush from Utoland to Center Neptune to consult with President Kane, and Anderson receives the authority to put G-Force into action.
The setup, layout and pacing, showing the citizens being knocked out and recovering, is classic BotP, straight out of the TV series. As a matter of fact, the same device was used in BotP episodes, "Panic of the Peacock," and, "The Duplicate King" when a sonic device turned the citizens of a city into destructive zombies. The Top Cow team has mastered the general feel of the show--nice accomplishment. Unfortunately, the story ends before our heroes have a chance to do anything about it. Readers get the feeling the issue ended right at the equivalent of the show's eyecatcher.
The characters: Not too much to comment on here, as we don't see much of G-Force in this issue. We are treated to one scene where Tiny worries about the girl he rescued last issue. When Jason sneers at Tiny's concern, Princess kicks him in the shin and tells him his "people skills suck." She then switches to overwhelming concern and we learn that all Jason's previous macho, asinine behavior is a smokescreen to hide his pain. As Princess holds his face and implores him to share his feelings (and Jason surprises me by not shaking her off), Mark scowls in the background and I think, please, please, please don't make this a three-way relationship triangle. Just don't. Giving Jason some personal angst will please the female fans, but don't degrade Mark by making him petty. Leave the Mark-Princess attraction as the fans remember it.
This issue also marks the return of General Tomak. Not that I missed him. He has a few territorial issues with Anderson in the beginning, but seems a bit too easily convinced of the Space Terrapin's alien beginnings. He is interrupted by a phone call and implications of a project he thought was canceled; politely excuses himself and leaves Anderson and Kane to hash out Anderson's new position. More suspicions of the general.
The art: Nothing stands out to me, other than the admirable way the comic has captured the style of the original show. I see more familiar anime characters, though none I could identify straight.
The cover I found a little strange, mostly due to the awkward angle of the pose and the way the lining of the cape reflects off the costume. Mark's chest seems too flat, his legs too broad. While I don't discount Alex Ross's skill, even a camera can make its subject look awkward if presented in a certain way.
The bottom line: If you liked the TV show, you should like this issue.
Other Reviews of Issue #6:
http://www.zentertainment.com/comicreviews.php?op=showcontent&id=726
