Escape #5 Review
With nowhere left to hide, the only way forward is the mission. But is the mission even possible to accomplish? - By Jonathan Cadotte
ESCAPE #5
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Daniel Acuña
Colorist: Daniel Acuña
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 31st, 2025
Previously in Escape, a bomber pilot named Milton has found himself trapped behind enemy lines while on a mission to destroy a weapon that could change the outcome of the war. While evading capture and most likely death, he’s been given refuge by a baker named Anders and his son.
Time to Move On
Escape #5 starts off with a group of soldiers walking through the wrecked streets of the city as they reminisce about their lives before the war and what they’re looking forward to getting back to. Their commanding officer puts a stop to the discussion and informs them that when the war is over, they’ll miss being a soldier above all else. The group then enters the house of Anders and begins investigating him while looking for Milton. Anders and his son are able to avoid suspicion for the time being. He makes it clear afterwards that he is no longer comfortable with Milton staying there and tells him to move on. Milton manages to make his way to the site of the Titan Cannon and begins to surveil the area, realising that infiltrating the base might be impossible.
Unoriginal Quality
If you’re looking for a comic that is dripping with dread and tension, Escape #5 is the comic for you. If you’re looking for a comic that has unique takes on characters and avoids well-established tropes, maybe look elsewhere. This issue is essentially three conversations: Anders and the soldiers, Milton and Anders, and then Milton and himself. Each one has its own tone, but each one feels like it has stakes, and each one feels like it could go right or wrong at any moment. There is also a heaviness and dourness in the discussions that feels appropriate and poignant, even though it brushes up against being overly melodramatic. It’s just a shame that we’ve seen all this before.
Of course, the easiest comparison whenever a scene involving a Nazi-like character interrogates someone is going to be Inglourious Basterds, which is a bit unfair. But this comic does feel as if it is deliberately parroting that opening scene. Even this could be excusable as an outlier in an otherwise unique setup with fresh characters, but this doesn’t really have that either. The soldiers in the beginning are stereotypes to such a degree that the fact that they’re technically the “bad guys” isn’t enough to put a new spin on it. Anders, a sympathetic character, comes across as single-minded. While his motivations are understandable, they’re one-dimensional.
Still Beautiful
Escape as a series has been one of the best-looking comics ever since it debuted, and with each issue, this title becomes firmer and firmer. What’s been so astounding is how each issue shines in a different way, and Escape #5 is all about subtlety. Without much action to speak of, the visuals are especially reliant on facial expressions and being able to convey small changes in moods and emotions, and it absolutely steps up to this challenge. As always, this is especially impressive considering these are anthropomorphic animal characters.
Bottom Line: A Lot to Love Here, But Still Some Drawbacks
Escape #5 is a comic where all the intensity and action come from interpersonal interactions and monologues, which isn’t always a recipe for success, but it manages to work well here. The plot opens this book up to comparisons to other stories in a big way, and once those comparisons are made, other cracks start to appear especially in terms of character tropes and depth. But there’s no denying that, moment to moment, this comic delivers doses of tension and dread directly to the veins. 4 out of 5 stars.
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