Meru has started to take control of her own trajectory in the latest issue of Mind MGMT, and it is glorious. She has always been one of my favorite characters, from her early days as a frightened audience surrogate to the capable and determined crusader that stands alone against the hordes of ruthless psychics. (Ed. Wow, that got pretty hyperbolic at the end.) No longer able to follow Lyme and Duncan, she is finally charting her own path. It has been fun watching her grow into the role. The new issue shows how strong she is, without losing track of what she has been through.

Matt Kindt’s artwork has always been great at capturing the emotions on the page, and this issue is no exception. It drives home Meru’s determination in the face of all she has lost and her incredible confidence. It is also a gorgeous comic book. This issue isn’t showy, but there are little moments here and there that are as lovely as anything out there. I would normally say that Kindt has outdone himself with the art in this issue, but he always seems to outdo himself, so that doesn’t really mean that much anymore.

I had so much fun reading this comic. It is supremely entertaining to watch Meru propel herself through the Eraser’s sprawling organization like Liam Neeson in Taken 3: Tokyo Drift. Fortunately, she hasn’t abandoned herself in her quest. She is still the compassionate and inquisitive woman who is willing to see a path through to the end. In short, she is still Meru. Kindt’s writing in this issue shows us the relentless force driving her without losing track of why we liked her in the first place.

I desperately want to write a thousand words breaking down the callbacks and subtle details hidden in this issue. I also want to discuss the plot in minute detail and make wild predictions about the next issue. I want to walk up to random people on the street and excitedly tell them how good the writing, characters, and art in this comic are. Mostly though, I want to read it again.

Five Tokyo Drifting Irishmen out of Five