Comics Trey Didn't Buy: Prophet and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents

Shaun's back with another review of a book Trey has chosen to unfairly ignore. This time: Prophet #23 and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #5! 
Prophet #23

Ah Prophet, another month, and another glorious meat-eating issue to sink my proverbial teeth into.  Did I mention that this series is awesome?  I think I did in the two previous posts.  Not only does this month’s issue feature plenty of John's masticating, but behold, a cover featuring our intrepid explorer chowing down on a Stegosaurus!  Instead of picking up directly where the previous issue ended, we find John continuing his journey riding atop a four-winged giant insect.  This issue culminates in John completing his mission (sorta).  My highest praise for this series so far comes from its fantastic quality to tell an epic and satisfying story in just twenty-one pages.  A lot of current comic authors cannot seem to do that in as many as twelve issues.  The creativity in this series continues to ramp up with each installment.  I especially enjoyed how John is able to find a way onto the G.O.D. satellite after traversing a Tower of Babel, of sorts.  Yet instead of the various alien species of the earth attempting to build the tower, disparate factions are warring to control it.  The issue’s finale also features a well-paced confrontation whose seeds were laid in issue 22.  Great “what happens now?” ending, too.  I cannot wait for more!

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #5

Nick Spencer’s penultimate T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents issue continues to explore the history of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. organization‘s covert war with the Sub-Terranean Empire.  This issue recalls moments from Spencer’s first run on the book, so individuals who did not read Vol. 1 might be a little lost (heck, you practically need to re-read those issues to understand the context of Vol. 2).  Most of this issue acts as a summation of the series events with a couple of reveals.  Continuing with biblical themes from the Prophet review, a character spouts a question to the Agents before murdering one of them.  If you read Vol. 1, the question “Why did God harden Pharaoh’s heart?” will be familiar.  I am not quite sure what Spencer is attempting with this biblical interjection.  In the Exodus account, God hardens Pharaoh’s heart despite his recognition of the power of Yahweh.  Pharaoh was compelled to release the captive Israelites from slavery after witnessing Yahweh’s capacity to afflict the Egyptians with plagues.  Yet Pharaoh, knowing better after what he just went through, pursues the fleeing Israelites with his army only for them to be drowned in the Red Sea.  I guess Spencer is saying that sometimes despite knowing full well the futility of one’s actions, pride causes them to act poorly? Or, perhaps, that the purposes of a higher order trump those of individual actors?  Whatever the case may be, all I know is that this month’s cover features two characters on it holding guns that decidedly don’t hold inside the comic.  Editorial must have said to the artist “Put guns in their hands!  People buy more comics with guns on the cover!” Peace.