Written by: Mariko Tamaki
Art by: Diego Olortegui, Walden Wong, Chris O’Kalloran, and VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 10, 2019

If you’ve listened to our podcast, you know that I am a huge Laura and Gabby fan. Sure, that love has extended to this series, but even I couldn’t turn a blind eye to the fact that not much has gone on over the ten issues leading to where we are right now…the penultimate issue of the series. Yep, it’s all ending next month and I know I am worried about seeing these characters going forward, especially Gabby. So, does this issue give us any hint at what is in store for X-23 and her awesome sister? Let’s find out…

Well, not much really happens in this issue, but the one big thing that does has me pretty sad. It looks like Gabby (with Jonathan in tow) is taking it to the streets and leaving Laura. We do see some lead up to it, told in a flashback, but it’s nothing really memorable and kind of points out the major flaw of the series.

Yep, Laura and Gabby are out to take down any and all clone sisters and while the X-Assassin story was okay, it was just more of the same old same old for X-23. It’s not that there are no other stories to tell with these two characters, it just seems like Mariko Tamaki just didn’t have much to say and kept trying to grab the All-New Wolverine magic instead of paving her own way. It’s a shame since she does have the voices of the characters down well, just nothing new for them to do.

It seems that Gabby agrees and instead of continuing the hunt for clones, she is fine to just up and leave. Now that didn’t feel right and if the last we see of her is the cliffhanger in this issue, it will leave a bad taste in my mouth for a long while.

We do get a little fight and hints at more sisters, but this issue is 100% setting up next issues finale and it seems that Tamaki may end it with a falling out between my favorite characters. That wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t so forced.

There isn’t much going on here and what we do get might just upset the only fans left reading. I still have hope that Tamaki pulls it back together for the finale and gives us all something to smile about, but we will have to wait and see. Diego Olortegui and the entire art team did a really good job here, especially since there wasn’t a whole lot going on.

Final Thoughts:

I have defended this series month after month, but this penultimate issue has me pretty down. It’s bad enough that my two favorite characters book is ending, but splitting them up is heartbreaking. I hope it’s just a twist that will be revealed in the finale, but even if it does, there is not much going on here besides the really good art.

5.5/10