In the last issue, Unity #5, the team went into Thailand to find out what had happened to Livewire, who dropped off the map after going to investigate a piece of Vine technology. They discovered that Silk had already gained control of the area and was more than ready for them. This issue reveals more of Silk’s careful planning.
One thing Kindt makes clear in this issue is that this iteration of the team has yet to learn to work together smoothly. The Eternal Warrior, X-O Manowar, and Ninjak do not quarrel openly, but they have slightly different approaches and goals that slow their responses and may yet lead to open conflict. Livewire may have learned to respect Aric, but she has not yet learned how to communicate clearly. Silk, on the other hand, is all set. This creates a tense book where outcomes are uncertain. One minor disappointment is Silk himself: He is a very careful crazed maniac, but he is a crazed maniac, pure villain without any of the gray areas that kept the last arc of Unity so interesting.
CAFU continues to give the characters clear, expressive, and individual faces. Of special note is the panel where Silk drops into full maniacal mode for a moment. Action scenes are strong with each of the fighters holding to different styles. Reber’s colors are, as always, clear and an essential part of dividing the present and past timelines.
I may complain a little about having an insane main character, but Silk is a very clever madman, and he is so far ahead of the heroes so far that it is not at all clear how they will catch up. In other words, Unity remains the strongest of Valiant’s very strong lineup.
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: CAFU
Colorist: Brian Reber
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Cover Artists: Clayton Crain, Raul Allen, Michael Walsh, and CAFU