By Keigen Rea — People who enjoy being middle managers are the worst.

I’ve had good middle managers, but they’ve been exceptions — and they’ve been people who were actively trying to become actual managers, or trying to help employees on a day-to-day basis. But those middle managers that are fine with their little title, and their little bit of power, who lord it over everyone? The woo-ooo-orst.

Ted is a middle manager, in every part of his life. He’s the Judges wiping hand. The Sheriff, however, has the real power, and he’s a private to his Semper-Fi club. Still, he’s little more than a trigger finger. He exists to make other, more powerful people happy, to accomplish their goals. He lays the bricks for better plans by bigger people. Like most others giddy from middle management power, though, Ted believes he’s above the rules he enforces. Where he’s concerned, he can do something for himself, like go to an ex-squad member’s funeral before doing a little murder.

How’s that go? 

Well, he gets blackmailed into letting his whole ex-squad into the boundaries of Stillwater, where they then become effectively immortal, and they’re interested in helping out with the democracy of the town. 

In short, middle manager Ted tried to step out of the lines one time, and he wound up letting some marines into his town by force. Because, while he loves his little taste of power, he’s spineless when it comes to those with more of it than him. 

The thing is, this story isn’t wrong about Ted or his bullish behavior — and I hope he keeps getting put in his place — but I don’t think it’s a good ending to this first story arc (which I have review in full and LOVED). By the end of the issue, the only change we can see is the Semper Fies going from their secret clubhouse to the courthouse. Following a previous issue that was literally explosive, this didn’t feel satisfying at all, especially when there isn’t another issue until May. I get that the intention is to leave readers with a cliffhanger, but really, last month’s cliffhanger wasn’t different from this month’s, at least not in any tangible way. 

Instead of feeling like the wait between Stillwater #6 and Stillwater #7 is unbearable, I feel that the series's momentum was wasted on this issue. It’s nothing that’ll get me to stop reading or anything, but it’s very much the lull in the story so far. 

Overall: On one hand, I liked the issue’s story fine. On the other, it fell short as a follow-up to issue 5. The wait til May’s issue 7 will be perfectly bearable. 7/10

REVIEW: Stillwater #6

Stillwater #6
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Ramón K. Perez 
Colorist: Mike Spicer 
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image/Skybound 
Price: $3.99
The first arc of Skybound’s newest hit horror series ends here! After last issue’s explosive cliffhanger, everyone’s least favorite officer, Ted, takes the law into his own hands…
Release Date: February 17, 2021
Read It Digitally: Stillwater #6
Buy The Physical Trade: Stillwater Vol. 1

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Keigen Rea is watching his wife play The Last of Us Part 2 and thinking about how a simple “press square to swing club” would have greatly improved it. Find him on Twitter @prince_organa or don’t, whatever.