Mike and Grace are so close to their goal they can see it. However, before they can escape the colony, they have to face off with President Barrow. In Cemetery Beach issue 7, Warren Ellis writes a definitive conclusion to an explosive series with art by Jason Howard and letting by Fonografiks.

   There’s no room for failure at this stage in the mission because any mistakes made by either party will end with death. Since this is the first time that President Barrow has gone out himself to join the hunt for Mike and Grace actively, this is going to be the final showdown.

   Over the course of the series, Ellis has developed the main characters. Mike and Grace have gone from total strangers, working together for convenience's’ sake, to a team looking out for each other. Throughout the series, Ellis has been doing a balancing act between revealing details and keeping much of the setting mysterious. This final issue is no different, maintaining the strange vibe while wrapping up many of the loose ends.

    Even when there aren’t any words, Howard’s art can convey the emotions the characters are feeling through their facial expressions and actions. The backgrounds are equally informative, showing significant amounts of detail as well as being beautifully colored and detailed.

   This issue was under much pressure to wrap up the series in a satisfying way, and the creative team rose to the challenge. The ending answered some questions while also leaving many things unanswered. In many ways, it’s not the expected ending, but it’s the best ending the series could’ve had.

Grade: A+