When people hear the term “basic instinct” arguably two things come to mind. Either it is the thought of behaviors and acts that are socially savage or you’re thinking about Sharon’s seductive show. But in the last issue of Last Flight Out, co-creators Marc Guggenheim and Eduardo Ferigato use what may be Dr. Caewood’s instincts to remind readers of our “source code”. After years of focusing on the wrong job, can Ben Caewood carve out enough time to save his life’s work?
Last Flight Out # 6
Writer & CoCreator: Marc Guggenheim
Artist & CoCreator: Eduardo Ferigato
Colorist: Natalia Marques
Letterer & Designer: Diego Sanches
The issue opens with Ben Caewood visiting the grave of his wife. As he speaks I realized this is one of a few times Ben has admitted his failings. Don’t get me wrong, several times during the series Caewood has lamented on how he raised Sara. However this time he allows the facade of justification to fade. No longer can he hide behind his work, because he knows that raising a child, his child, was always the most important work to be done.
Cause I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane
After Burke’s betrayal all “hope” was seemingly lost for Caewood, Sara and Alex. What is it about scientists and contingency plans? We expect them to have one for every scenario, and quite frankly most good ones do. So the whole failing to mention or execute a backup plan seems to coincide with our basic tendency of waiting until it’s too late.
The failure to relay information about the ship serves as a story element, in more than one way. Having Caewood acknowledge the ship’s existence would take away the urgency of the mission
. It certainly makes me wonder how Burke would have acted. In a story about hope and fear it is Burke who has been our villain, often pointing out the mistakes we make when faced with touch situations.
The other thing Caewood’s oversight does is it allows the doctor and his daughter time to finally “flesh” things out. Apples and trees, birds and bees. There is a temptation to call this section cliche but that too seems a bit basic. Is the problem that we see this message so often, or that we fail to solve it?
I felt the art was less dramatic than in the previous issues. Ferigato and Marques do perform their artistic duties with the same detail to faces but the scenes resonated less. Part of that may have been the majority of this issue is close-ups focusing on both what is being said as well as how it impacts the listener. I also must say the infograph/email pages (courtesy of Deigo Sanches) being omitted was a little disappointing. Similar to how I felt with Spy Island, these little “commercial breaks” seem to allow artists a chance to have fun within the confines of the story.
According to all he knew, Tevat Noah III was Dr. Caewood’s last chance for survival. However, Last Flight Out # 6 proves there are things that are innate, things we know without knowing. I could not shake the Donna Summer song “Last Dance” from my head as I finished this issue and wrote the review. From his words Ben Caewood either knows the song or the emotion. Now if he can only make his connection in time?
“I need you,by me, beside me,to guide me” – Donna Summer, Last Dance
Score: 8.0