Broken Frontier

While not nearly as entertaining as the last issue, Grant Morrison's Joe the Barbarian #6 still delivers a solid, enjoyable story about Joe's ongoing battle between fantasy and reality.

This is a difficult issue to review because there is not much one can say about the series, for good or bad, that has not already been said before.  Although it is great to see an expanded cast of characters and audiences should have fun picking out key action figures in the background (my personal favorite being Mr. Freeze and Batman together or Robin holding a sign reading "dying means you're not dead"), the issue itself is more of a "where do we go from here" story where Joe and his allies debate and rally the troops.

In terms of story progression, however, the greatest advancement Morrison achieves in this issue is the further complication of deciphering Joe's reality from his potentially diabetic-induced imaginary world.  For the first time, readers witness elements from Playtown emerge within Joe's house.  Yet, for a series that is quickly winding towards its conclusion, Joe the Barbarian #6 is a good, albeit not as satisfying as previous issues, movement in that direction.

What praise and attention this issue deserves stem largely from the masterful interiors by Sean Murphy and Dave Stewart.  This is perhaps their best collaboration thus far and together they make up for what appears to be absent in the narrative in terms of delivery.  Joe and his companions have never looked better and in terms of scale and environment, audiences should truly feel a part of the adventure.  Stunningly beautiful, the panels, design, and layout of issue #6 warrant a second or even third reading to appreciate fully the details Murphy and Stewart have created.