Writer – Brian Augustyn
Artist – Mike Gustovich
Inker – Richard Space
Colours – Eric Kachelhofer
Letters – Gaspar Saladino

This issue is interesting for the fact that it hearkens back all the way to the first outing in this series where Black Condor apprehended a thief and murderer. Now that man has his day in court and Black Condor is called to testify. There remains a problem though and that is the fact that Black Condor has no other name other than that and due to his being unable to provide a proper identity, his testimony cannot be accepted. Also due to the fact that one witness has backed out and everyone else is dead, that leaves only Ned to give him and as his version of events cannot connect the culprit to the actual robbery, the man is set free while Black Condor is jailed for contempt of court. All of this leads to a perfect confluence of events for the villain as he can kill the remaining witnesses without Black Condor’s interference, kill Ned and then kill Black Condor while he rots in a cell. Condor is not a happy man and when the attempt is made on his life, he learns of the plot to kill Ned and the woman who backed out of her testimony, breaking out of jail so that he might save them and hopefully not be too late. Brian Augustyn does a great job with this issue as readers do not often see the aftermath of events like this issue portrays. Even more fascinating is that it deals with just a run-of-the-mill villain, though it is not so much the villain that is the focus but Black Condor and how his actions have repercussions in the real world. Where it all goes from here is unknown though for while Condor has saved Ned, his best and only friend, he has broken the law once more. Will that crime be forgiven or will Condor voluntarily go back to jail? The more interesting story will be to see him as a man on the run despite him being a hero, though if this is what happens, one will only know should they tune into the next issue. With some effective artwork by Mike Gustovich, the book might not have been standard fare, but it was a good read.

3.5 out of 5