Throughout this entire arc, the question that’s been at the forefront of everything that happens is “What’s in the case?” Well, apparently, what’s in the case is the apocalypse. And, when time runs out, it will be unleashed upon the world.
It seems a little weird to say that a comic wherein the apocalypse is unleashed is a bit anti-climactic, but . . . well, you’ll understand why when you read it. The conclusion to The Chase is kind of strange and still doesn’t give us any definitive answers. I suppose it doesn’t need to. The case is just the MacGuffin. It sparks the action, but once things are set in motion, the story can go where it will. Would it really make a difference to the events that unfold if we were to find out at the end that the case held a nuclear bomb, a piece of alien technology, or a secret recipe for egg salad? Not especially.
Still, some will probably be at least a little dissatisfied with the resolution. Personally, I think it works pretty well, but I’m sure not everyone will agree with me; however, the most important factor is they leave plenty of opportunity to revisit all of this in future issues. The mysterious tattooed woman who was their antagonist will hopefully play a part in the next saga. As for the case . . . well, read the comic, and you’ll see what I mean.
This has been a rather bizarre adventure all around, and, at times, frustrating for the complete lack of answers it gives us, but, in this issue especially, I wonder if the creators of the comic did it like that deliberately, just to mess with us.
I’ve commented before on the fact that Danger Girl is something of a self-parody. It pokes fun at crazy, unrealistic, over-the-top action stories, while at the same time taking great delight in being one. All the female characters, from the Danger Girls to the background characters who appear in a single panel, have exactly the same, somewhat unlikely body type. At the beginning of this issue, Val, the teenage tech whiz, hacks a train with her iPad and gets it to stop using a giant “Stop” button on the screen. These sorts of things are staples of mindless action/adventure stories, which Danger Girl (which, as I’ve mentioned before, is NOT mindless, despite appearances) takes to ridiculous extremes. It does this partly to show how ridiculous these tropes actually are . . . and partly just because they’re fun to do.
The Chase would appear to be another example of that. Complicated, poorly understood, and poorly explained technology is another staple of action/adventure stories. So, they give us some, and then don’t bother even trying to explain what it is or how it works to any satisfying degree, because in the end, it doesn’t really matter. So, is it a cop out, or a stroke of genius? I’ll leave it to you, the reader, to decide for yourself. But, at any rate, it’s a fun and entertaining ride.
