The result is a damn near perfect penultimate issue that makes the wait for the finale that much harder. Read Full Review

In the meantime, what a terrific series! Highly recommended! Read Full Review

But I am thrilled we didn't get the total reveal. It means at least one more clue review post will happen. Otherwise, I love Superman being ethically sound here, shutting down Leviathan. I love Lois being smart enough to put together a good team and wise enough to not believe them. And that art. Dreamy. Read Full Review

Of all of the issues in this story, Event Leviathan #5 will be the one that gets people talking and really trying to identify “who is Leviathan?” as the finale of the mini-series approaches. This will be the last time fans can speculate between themselves about who this villain is and what will this means for the DC comics verse moving forward. As of next month, we'll all finally have the answer, but until then, I will continue to sit anxiously on the edge of my seat wondering what it all means. Read Full Review

However, if the reveal falls flat, Bendis will be damned with faint praise. There is always the possibility Bendis has been brilliantly and meticulous, setting everyone up for the ultimate swerve by deception. We will have to wait and see. If you needed a reason to get excited about next month's grand finale, this book does the job! Read Full Review

Bendis first big DC event has gained so much momentum that some of the parts seem to be falling off the sides, leading to an uneven but still entertaining penultimate issue. All Event Leviathan needs to do now is stick the landing. Oh, and redefine the status quo of the DC Universes espionage community. No pressure. Read Full Review

Alex Maleev always crafts beautiful, provocative art and this issue is no different. Both the characters and the amazing backgrounds blend together to create some pure, breathtaking art. Read Full Review

Although the identity of Leviathan isn't revealed, we do finally get an appearance by Talia al Ghul and there are hints dropped about the organization's tie to Kate Spencer (and more importantly, the Manhunter tech she uses). With one issue remaining, there's still much to be resolved. Worth a look. Read Full Review

Skeptical at first, Bendis now has my complete attention with Event Leviathan #5. I am usually not a fan of big events because they never seem to make a real impact. Regardless, this event has been such a fun ride I am not worried about the impact it will make. If anything, I wish it could keep going. Pick this issue up at your local comic book shop or whatever way you get comics. Read Full Review

Final Verdict: It'll make you want to pull your hair out, but it's a must-read. Read Full Review

Another slow-burn issue in the Leviathan series. Some comic book readers might find the mystery frustrating. Read Full Review

With Event Leviathan #5, we're one issue away from the finale of the weirdest event in DC memory " if a world-shattering story that's only being reflected in two other titles can be called an event " and we're finally getting close to answers. But as is typical for this series, those answers are being parceled out slowly amid a lot of mostly entertaining dialogue. Read Full Review

Bendis and Maleev drive the story forward quickly, though not fleshing out some of the most interesting parts of the web theyve woven. Read Full Review

Event Leviathan #5 brings us closer to solving the mystery, and the centrality of that mystery is the book's strongest point. Much of the dialogue still feels dull or off, but the overall effect is nevertheless a positive one. At the very least, I'm not dreading the final issue. Read Full Review

Unfortunately, Event Leviathan #5falls victim to the same problems of previous issues. Bendis offers about a hundred times more word bubbles than plot points in this series. And in a story so heavily focused on dialogue, Bendis does little to break from his choppy writing habits. The occasional humorous or cleaver line is overshadowed by the sheer slog of dialogue to get through (or more realistically, skim over). Event Leviathan #5feels less like an event and more like a game of Guess Who that's gone on too long. Read Full Review

Last issue seemed like the story was finally going to progress so Bendis stalling for another issue was incredibly disappointing. You could easily skip this issue and miss absolutely nothing. Bendis is putting all his chips in on the final issue in hopes readers will be satisfied with the conclusion even if the journey was so uneventful. Read Full Review

Well, we've seen a group of detectives standing around and talking throughout this series, getting nowhere in the process and now it's time to see another group of detectives do the same..... that is until the final few pages where our heroes get a forced idea out of nowhere of who Leviathan really is!  I really don't care because this event has been awful.  I'm not a fan of the art and this issue just did more of the same until it realized that there's only one issue left and had to do something by the end. Read Full Review

Not sure how much I'm supposed to care about the Lois Lane dad sitch but the Lev character is super fun, as well as the ending. Really looking forward to the next issue, which has been rare for this series but also maybe just bc they said Lev is revealed.

Strongest issue yet, even if some of that strength was just from the conversations between the various The big moment, with Supes and Leviathan talking, should have come a lot sooner. But no matter what else, I am looking forward to seeing how this all ends.

Easily the strongest issue of a series that clearly should have been at least two issues shorter. Bendis finally finds tension, drama, and actual mystery after four issues of meandering and chatter that was aimless even by his standards, and convinces me to be interested in the identity of Leviathan just in time for the inevitable last-issue reveal. As to the art, Maleev does his usual fine job, and what a great cover!

Okay, I actually really like this twist if it means bringing back who I think it is...

+ Like • Comments (2)

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egonnn244 - Oct 13, 2019

So, who is it?

Br'er Lapin AKA 20-Ish Ceiln - Oct 14, 2019

Mark Shaw is my guess... or Paul Kirk.

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4.5 points for exquisite art and colors. 1 point extra for Elongated Man. And another 1 point for Bendis' not entirely terrible dialogue. But, man, this is an event comic about absolutely nothing. How does a team of great detectives, that includes 2 magic users, come to total consensus on a suspect by process of elimination, only to be proven wrong almost immediately? Every character in this series is really bad at their job. I only know Bendis from his DC work but how did he come to be known as great OR terrible? He just seems "okay" to me, never more or less. It was pretty annoying though to go through a fifth issue in which nothing happens (but happens beautifully thanks to Maleev) only to realize the entire series was going to amount to the final issue. more

" A mask is a secret. This entire event has been about truth. We got rid of the spies because the frist order of business in the new order is: No more secrets. "
- Leviathan

I loved how Batman bugged the car and the general dialogue between the people. The ending between Superman and Leviathan was also very good. But the issue did have a lot where they just recapped who are the suspects and the whole thing with the Manhunters wasn't all that great. I just hope the reveal isn't done poorly. The issue was generally very forgettable.

Prelude:
Well, it's that time again. Time to read another issue of Event Leviathan. Please tell me it improves.

The Good:
Art is good. That's it.

The Bad:
Boy, we're in for a ride here.

General Lane's death is pointless and he's in Doomsday Clock which is even more boggling.

Why does everyone have to talk to each other using their full names?

Hang on Bendis, since when were "average run-of-the-mill international arms-dealing organization", groups that kidnapped people in key positions, slowly overtaking Gotham as they corrupt more and more people?

It's the penultimate issue and we still don't know who Leviathan is! Odds are it was a former Manhunter but where have the clues been?

Oh and a good dose of Bendis-Speak too.

Conclusion:
Wow, what a mess of a series. I'm giving it the boring 5. For reference to get anything lower than a 5, you need to do something offensive to a character and what they stand for. Think HiC or Ric. Luckily Bendis avoided that here. more

"...in case son of Superman hits puberty..."

Good art and I like the premise behind the story, but the issue itself was just all over the damn place.

The opening pages made no sense. Sam Lane supposedly being Leviathan was very out of the left field, then things happened and suddenly everything clicks for Damian and now they know who Leviathan is. All seemingly without any rhyme or reason.

This and Superman #16, not the best week for BMB. Maybe, you have put just a tad too much on your plate, hm?

This whole event feels off. Like reading it but with no emotion. Art is alright. Whole story is crap. With the beginning with Lois and her father to the end with possibly finding out who Leviathan is.

As often ith Bendis, it's all talk, but no substance. There is some story underneath this never ending waterfall of meaningless dialogues, but it's pretty darn difficult to find anything that matters among them.

Previous issues, time and time again, have proven that a lot of talking doesn't equate to having good/complex plot. Think about this - Orwell's Animal Farm has 112 pages, while the last Twilight book has 756. Similar examplex are countless, but I guess I don't have to beat a dead horse much more, since the point is already pretty clear, and it is: quantity =/= quality. Wish Bendis grasped that thought, because so far, Event Leviathan is one big disappointment. And a boring one at that.

Jesus I’m so bored. Why are we doing this?

I've been disappointed in the series myself. For all the build up and the fact that it's supposed to be so major of a deal it's written with very low impact. And the mystery part of it has no depth or build up to it. There is little to no sense of urgency or danger to it. It's like the characters are all playing a game that no one wants to play or cares if they win. Everything is so - well this happened with the general response being " oh okay ".

I give it a 3 just for humor value alone. Over all story would be in the negative range

I am so sick of this story, it's unreal.

5 issues in and nothing of significance has happened. Boring and let down would be an understatement. This book is built around the promise of something happening and then nothing does, garbage issue and garbage series.

I expected what would happen in this issue. Part of the “bendis” method is to talk in circles around something without actually saying it so I was fully confident Leviathan’s identity would not be disclosed. I also called the end text of “Next: Leviathan Revealed”.

This issue’s dialogue was a chore to get through, completely irksome and most of all devoid of substances. Something sort of happened so in that sense it’s far better the most of the other issues in this title. Only issue away from the finale and barely anything has happened and the plot continues to progress at a glacial pace. Abysmal writing with nonsensical team-ups and twists and turns.

This is the second “event” title DC has released this year that essentially failed to deliver because just like Heroes in Crisis, I highly doubt 1 issue will be enough to compensate for 5 of nothingness. more