Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Peter Krause
Publisher: IDW
If the cover art is any indication, Insufferable is starting to get intense. Villains aren’t screwing around, and the hero “team” of Nocturnus and Galahad is on the verge of being overwhelmed. Sure, Mark Waid’s entire series has often dealt with more mature themes, but the fifth issue is something else entirely. Luckily, the more serious tone works very well in an enjoyable issue.
Insufferable #5 starts in a more unique way as Nocturnus returns to his home and finds Galahad and his publicist trapped in a Return of the Jedi-esque Ewok trap. Nocturnus could have been surprised by this moment, but Galahad has exhibited crazy behavior throughout the first four issues. Obviously, this discovery led to some arguments between the father and son, but it also led to an honest-to-goodness team up. The best part of this team up came when Galahad and Nocturnus worked together on some old school detective work. No masks, no fistfights, just brains and reading. Ok, most of the brain power came from Nocturnus, but the entire segment was enjoyable.
Surprisingly, working together actually benefited everyone, and the duo made some progress in a very disturbing case.
What made the case disturbing? Basically, the notorious villain Malvolia made a return alongside the mysterious Praetorian. The villain made a brief appearance in an early issue, but he has been mostly absent until now. Instead, he just popped up and helped Malvolia create a baby suit. Technically, this outfit could be considered a spoiler, but the comic cover shows it, so it will fly. Praetorian is a very mysterious character, and it’s a little disappointing that he hasn’t been featured so much more. Thankfully, Malvolia has made many appearances seeing how he is an intriguing enemy.
Insufferable is a fantastic series, and Mark Waid does a very good job handling the more serious tones. Not many people could make an outfit out of live babies and make it a serious matter, but Waid accomplishes it quite well. Actually, this borderline eerie scene starts out similarly to previous issues, but it plays out in a slightly different and satisfying manner.
If you think about it, Mark Waid and Peter Krause are like Galahad and Nocturnus, minus the genetic attachment and nonstop bickering. Thankfully, Krause and Waid work very well together because Insufferable is a constantly enjoyable comic. Who knows how long this comic will run, but Waid and Krause will make it worth reading for the entire stretch of time.
