This was fantastic. I don't know how popular or unpopular this opinion will be but, after this ending, I think I've enjoyed this second half more than I did the first, even though I know the first was super-popular. The first probably was more fun issue-to-issue (with the speculation and the like) but gotta admit I only started to read this recently and read it in one go. And in one go, this second half is just incredibly well told (and actually gets complimented by the first in some very fun ways, including the fact that you can go back and see who are going to be the two main chraracters of this finale from the very beginning). Something like say, Dceased, feels more like a traditional superhero story with some (tame) horror elements (complete with character resurrections, cosmic villains and grand battles that take all the focus). This feels like a horror story (with comedy sprikled throughout) with superhero elements. The structure is smaller, intimate, it's not as interested in the grand setting as it is in the small moments and dark endings are always a possibility. I think both work well, but it was nice seeing this story escape from the shadow of the other one by trying something different. And te fact that it managed to do so while balancing mystery, adventure, comedy, a big cast of characters and not falling into the pitfalls of grimdark fiction is nothing short of astounding. All twists were fun but man, this last one wasn't just fun, it was actually very well prepared. I'm not going to spoil it here but it's the best dark rendition of a fairy tale lesson. Think the last part of Return of the Jedi. I would like to have more but even if I don't, I feel pretty satisfied with this ending. An excellent series agaisnt all odds (I mean, it's cape characters turned into vampires, there are more thigns that can go wrong than there are that can go right), go read it.

This book has been kind of meandering since it came back...