Doctor Mirage #5 (of 5): Let Yourself Move On

The end is certainly nigh. The final issue in the miniseries proves to be quite the shocker with a revelation that will fundamentally shift the character, bringing about a new direction that is ripe with storytelling potential.

But does this issue actually stick the landing?

That is quite a difficult question to answer, considering the implications of the story. For years, this character has operated not as a sidekick to her husband Hwen, but more like an extension. They were the dark romance story of the Valiant Universe, inseparable even in death and bound to their struggle together. It’s a heartfelt and emotional concept that always defined the character and the stories that surrounded them. But that’s all gone now, destroyed in the wake of the events of Doctor Mirage #5 and seemingly for good. No more Hwen and Shan as she is encouraged to move on and simply accept that Hwen isn’t coming back. Now it’s time for us to do the same.

The best part is that the issue does take all the right steps to get to this pivotal moment. We’ve taken five issues now to substantiate the story and give precedence to what’s happening. Grace’s character undergoes a downfall of her own, setting up a new villain that is tied inexplicably to her late husband and Shan herself seems to have taken his death quite well. All in all, the story concludes rather tidy. All of the narrative threads come together and we end with a resolution that takes the character deeper into the unknown.

There isn’t much to be said about the quality of artwork in this series that hasn’t been touched on yet. It’s magnificent and suits the nature of the story very well. The psychedelic aesthetic makes a vivid return and the character expressions are remarkably powerful. It’s quite difficult to find any complaints because it captures so many elements of the character and the world in an interesting and engaging way.

Can we just get over the loss of Hwen as Shan did? Should we, even? In comics the dead always manage to find their way back into the fray, it all just depends on who is spearheading the most current iteration. For now, it seems everything we know about Doctor Mirage will change going forward and the dark romance we’ve all come to love over the years has ended, putting Shan in a place where “a new space in her heart has opened”…