I think we need a bigger boat.

Rawr!  Here there be dragons, and when your sulky, less-powered brother gets turned into one, you reason with him to help him find the error his ways and utilize his new form to heal the wounds he’s caused.  And then, Oprah gives everyone a car.

I’m just kidding.  You smack the ever-living s–t out of him with metal, magic, and all of the cunning you can muster ’till he’s a steaming pile of pig feed.  Yeah, that’s more like it.  Our band of casually acquainted sociopaths go toe to toe with a Red Dragon (young though he may be) and are in the fight of their lives.  A great moment for the best miniature, giant space hamster tends to be the highlight of this issue for me, but every page is packed with goodness, as the team finishes up their first arc.

Jim Zub.  Jim Zub Jim Zub Jim Zub Jim Zub.  In other words: awesome.  Though this first arc comes down a little suddenly, it’s not out of place with the crazy antics that have entertained me so far in this series.  There’s still no wasted space and barely a breath that can be taken between the panels.  The story sings, and it’s a fight that we’ve been waiting for from the first moment we heard the word Dragon, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Dunbar continues his masterful ability to make combat leap off the page, and this fight is the one he’s been building up to.  There’s nothing I can say more than I hope he’s had as much fun putting this issue together as I had reading it.  It seems like he did.

This issue is the culmination of everything so far in every way, not just the story, but the style, fun, and action, as well.  It’s everything a boss battle should be in the game and carries the idea of the fun and camaraderie that makes this pastime such a blast.  Such a great series – if you haven’t been reading it, I really don’t know why.