Über #13

By Kieron Gillen & Gabriel Andrade

This issue will catch you off guard. It takes a break from our ubermensch smashing, destroying and blowing things up to introduce a little humanity to the victims of war and it’s cost. You’re reminded that the world war of Uber was not what the series would have you believe, kick butt and take names, this was a war of contrition and impacted soldiers and more importantly, the civilians of warring nations. Kieron Gillen takes an, even if unexpected, nice break from some very heated action, deaths and mayhem in recent Uber issues to put #13‘s focus back on people, those most impacted by the world war. Having been overwhelmed lately with large battles, loss of life on a larger scale and taking a break from the enormity of war.

If you’ve been reading Uber, then you know that Gabriel Andrade is no stranger to gore, violence and showing us what peoples’ insides look like and he continues to deliver cringe worthy art in #13. Andrade keeps raising the bar with each release of Uber and continues to outdo himself. With each issue you’re probably thinking, ‘Oh he can’t possibly get any more gory than this.’ If you think that you’d be wrong. In this issue the people explosion meter is cranked to 11 and if you’re eating while reading you might want to take a break from that sandwich. One thing you’ll notice about our tank-girl is that, unlike other destroyers, tank men or ubermensch, she is not a toned, vein riddled and quivering mass of muscle. She is a small, unassuming and some might say normal looking Ukranian girl who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. That makes what she unleashes with her strength or control of “blue storms” that much more impressive, you just don’t expect it.

The story of #13 is what you’ll find intriguing, Kieron takes a break from Hitler, Stalin, Churchill and the Japanese and puts us in the shoes of some unassuming Siberian farmers. We don’t know much about them and maybe it’s better that way. We find out a little about their plight, they’ve contributed to the war effort in the only way they could but most importantly they’re hungry. It really shows what earlier issues of Uber may have not touched upon, but may have been implied. Does touching the red alien crystals change both the subject mentally and physically? If you were thinking that then be prepared to have that question answered. Being one of the top issues in the series so far, this is an exceptional release as it deviates from the main plot and reminds you that behind every war there are victims. Gillen really makes you care about, not just the people who are involved in the war, but the people behind the war, the little people. Absolutely worth the pick up.