Vanish #6: And This Week’s Rug Pull Goes To…

Vanish #6 is a paradigm-shifting issue for the series, fundamentally altering Ollie’s actions and mental struggles in a way that rips away depth, but adds to the character’s overall battle with indoctrination. It’s a subversion that is very difficult to judge without the context of future issues, talking about it even more cumbersome as it’s a massive spoiler.

We open on Diabolus, ruminating about his fears regarding the return of Vanish. At the same time, Ollie races to the basement of his home, to find Elynor safe and sound with Battle Rocket in captivity. Prepared to take him out, she struggles to keep Oliver contained as their deepest relationship secrets shake the foundations of everything he once knew.

This issue picks up with a new penciller, Netho Diaz. While he isn’t at the same level as series mainstay Ryan Stegman, Detho proves that, with time, he’ll eventually stand toe to toe with sequential art giants. His art revels in the atmosphere of Vanish, bringing out some of the series grimmest emotions. The coloring team is equally on point, the entire art team swirling together to bring about some moments of truly immersive expression. This is a series with peak sequential storytelling.

The narrative here is rich enough to fill an entire issue and have it worth the price of admission, while remaining very lofty in ambition. The issue is dedicated to exploring the state of Ollie and Elynor’s relationship, sprinkling in a bit of Diabolus’ backstory for good measure. Thankfully, this isn’t just flashback heaven. The reveals and emotional stakes explored in this issue still move the plot along, even leaving room for reptilian cruelty that is as equal parts funny as it is edgy.

Cates brings a level of rawness to the relationship drama in this issue. As Elynor struggles to hold onto her love as he slips farther into his darkest habits, your heart can’t help but shatter. There’s a level of realism and understanding in the darkest moments of Vanish that keep the book from being shoddy edginess for the sake of being cool. I could feel the anger, betrayal, love, and pain radiate off of every scene and panel. The marriage of art, story, and dialogue here is the quintessential magic of comic books. Now, the big reveal regarding Elynor makes up the meat and potatoes of this issue, and it has the potential to either raise the thematic storytelling and drama of this series to new highs, or go absolutely nowhere. Only time will tell.