My Rating
“Convergence: Part 03 of 04 – Private Lives”
Breaking News! One in twelve people around the world have suddenly fallen into a mysterious coma. Kenn Kawa, member of the internationally known Challengers of the Unknown, reveals that his daughter Danni is among the afflicted. Even stranger, data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that every victim shares one peculiar connection: they were born between October 23 and November 21.
As the number of victims continues to climb, the Challengers scramble to understand what could possibly connect millions of unconscious people around the globe. Is there a scientific explanation for the phenomenon, or are supernatural forces at work? With the birth dates pointing toward a specific sign of the Zodiac, the investigation begins moving into some very strange territory.
Does the Zodiac calendar hold the answer to this global epidemic? Will Clay Brody hold hands across America? What elemental properties lie hidden within topaz gemstones? More importantly, how does any of this connect to the events unfolding throughout Convergence? Collect the series to find out!
Review
This is part three of the four-part Convergence crossover storyline, and unfortunately, this chapter was kind of a dud for me. The story began in The Book of Fate before continuing into Night Force, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that from reading this issue. I expected the plot to build directly upon the events of the previous two chapters, yet Challengers of the Unknown #6 mostly seems interested in doing its own thing.
The worldwide coma epidemic is certainly an interesting idea. Having one in twelve people suddenly drop unconscious should make this feel like an enormous event, and connecting the victims through their birth dates adds another layer to the mystery. We also get Zodiac signs, topaz gemstones, and plenty of supernatural weirdness. Unfortunately, all those ingredients never came together for me in a particularly satisfying way. For the third chapter of a four-part crossover, I wanted a stronger sense that everything was finally converging. You know, hence the title!
On the positive side, at least we didn’t get another abrupt artist change. The artwork maintains the visual identity I’ve enjoyed throughout this series, even when the storytelling leaves me scratching my head. Maybe the fourth and final chapter will pull everything together and make this installment more important in hindsight. As a standalone chapter, however, this one didn’t do much for me. Three out of five stars.