Villordsutch reviews Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency #5…
Will the museum’s gala event for King Ahktenkhamen, a serial-killing couple, and a soul-stealing phone all wrap up nicely here? Of course not! Luckily, Dirk wouldn’t have it any other way.
It’s our final issue of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency – well until February 2016 that is anyway – and it’s been rather great getting here. With all the strands of interconnectedness finally leading to this last issue, we need to see if Chris Ryall can tie them up in a firm knot, or will they slip through his fingers at the final moment? For those that missed the penultimate review you can check it out here.
With everything finally coming to an end at the gala opening of King Ahktenkhamen, it’s up to Dirk now to show how, why and what it all means; however Dirk Gently readers mostly know this involves a lot to do with the dirty word of “coincidence”, or so it seems. With our serial killing couple (one now a husk of a woman) stalking Dirk & Co. at the gala and Neferthop looking unsure which life-force’s to start feeding on first – due to numerous choices – it takes some prompting for Dirk’s “wanna-be” associate assistant for Neferthop to begin his life-force gorging to get the party started. It’s here everything move’s rapidly as Dirk comes into play by actually releasing the knowledge locked up in his head, to start the world moving, travellers in time to arrive and also to leave.
Though chaotic and hectic – as you’d expect – Chris Ryall does it, and brings an enjoyable, pleasant and positive close to Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency; even our Serial Killers go out as charred skeletons but still holding hands. Again the artwork, inking and colours from Ilias Kryiaszis, John Livesay and Leonard O’Grady are – as usual – great throughout the comic, though on the odd occasion we got some bizarre face distortions which looked slightly off.
As a complete package Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency has been rather brilliant! Yes when I heard this series was starting without the Douglas Adams pen behind this story I had my doubts, but they were rapidly put to bed, and yes I initially moaned that Dirk looked a lot like David Tennant and again come issue #2 Dirk just became Dirk. Knowing there is not only another comic book series but a possible TV series on the way has made me a very happy person.
A great close to a great opening series.
Rating: 9/10
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=orZBAVqQhSc
Originally published November 18, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
