“Yesterday’s” Comic> The Strangers #11

…and it turns out I don’t feel fine.

The Strangers #11

Malibu Comics/Ultraverse (April, 1994)

“Detour”

WRITER: Steve Englehart

PENCILER: Rick Hoberg

INKER: Tim Eldred

COLORING: Moose Baumann & Prisms

LETTERER: Dave Lanphear

EDITOR: Roland Mann

Zip-Zap uses his speed to save everyone from splatting at the bottom of the cliff. They find themselves in a different world from the one before, where the tumbleweeds are living animals. Electrocute, going on the downloads from the entity, is sure the answer is ahead of them, so Zip-Zap uses his speed to scout ahead, going through a few different worlds while Electrocute and Spectral find their powers restored. Eventually he finds the world from Electrocute’s vision, and comes across the Entity, whom he convinces to send them home. Too bad one of the demons followed and knows how to get back to Earth.

What they got right: I do like how this team comes together. Not the dating thing (sorry, Spectral, but at least Bob gets a girlfriend), but how they work together and trust each other as a team. We don’t see a lot of that this issue outside of the team trusting Zip-Zap and Zip-Zap’s reciprocation in not letting them down because they treat him like a member of the team instead of just a kid, and in how they trust Electrocute’s visions not just because of where they find themselves.

What they got wrong: How does all this lead to what the sky people are hiding and why they’re mistreating Yral and planning to attack the surface? I’m not making any connection yet.

What I think overall: This was a really good issue considering most of what happens is Zip-Zap going through some interesting worlds and the others having love lives. Except the burning dude, but I have to ask if making the gay guy “flaming” was the right move?