BATMAN/STATIC BEYOND #4 (DC COMICS)
Shutdown’s revenge tour has made its’ way to graduation day!
The Tomorrow Institute is in the midst of a great celebration. Picking a fight with that many super-beings is a gusty call. In Melvin Kim’s mind, he’s wanting to make a statement. Unfortunately for him, Static is more than ready for this challenge.
Shutdown’s impact also has Terry McGuinness caught up in some unfavorable places as well.
BATMAN/STATIC BEYOND #4 by Evan Narcisse, Miguel Mendonca & Wil Quintana, & Wes Abbott (DC Comics) continues the pair’s exciting team-up!
Let’s take a closer look to what is unfolding now.
BATMAN/STATIC BEYOND #4 by Evan Narcisse, Miguel Mendonca & Wil Quintana, & Wes Abbott (DC Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Narcisse cranks up the action for this chapter. Shutdown’s attack is met with a full force response. This elevates his status more as a dangerous threat in the “Beyond Universe”. The writing shows Kim’s anger being the true main power source. It leads to some great back and forth scrambles before switching over to Terry’s saga. Once here, the book plays into the covert moves of Batman tales. This builds up the tension as Korba advances. Terry’s portion gets some much needed reinforcement via a dynamic character’s entrance.
Adding in Ebon to the Batman portion allows for a few avenues to grow. Their banter is excellent in showing their similarities in moving out of sight. It also gives Ebon a quick tease of his powers. Readers watch as they get brought back into the main fight at a clutch moment. The fallout leads to a calmer point which helps move Static’s portion to the closing point. Before that, there’s an interaction with The Cooperative. Narcisse adds in a bit of political drama i dealing with Earth’s acceptance into this union. It results in a great sub-plot to start gaining steam. The moment is overtaken by the closing pages. One victory is quickly wiped away by the final page. No good deed ever goes unpunished indeed.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
Mendonca & Quintana open the chapter with a great action shot of Shutdown starting his attack. Panels start flying fast with each thrown blow. It creates a quick tempo which lasts during this section of the story. Once pages go to Batman, the slower moves take hold. Terry’s escape from Korba bursts with intense looks. Every panel feels unsteady to reflect the dangerous escape. A near full shot shows Terry turning the tide. Quintana’s coloring pops this moment off the page. This feeling moves over to Ebon’s introduction to the story as he enters with a purple glow. Their interaction is one on uncertainty with how they read the other. The eyes tell a story all their own until it’s moved to Static’s fight.
The panels here are all great action images. It might sound repetitive but it’s what readers would want out of a chaotic fight. Once the fallout starts, the interactions with Ebon carry an immense joy to them. A fantastic two page spread breaks down Statics plans to combat the energy issue. It serves as a soli lead-in for the closing pages. Readers watch as Static’s actions lead into a new direction until the closing page. Once here, a full shot showcases how quickly events can turn.
FINAL GRADE: 8.8
The revenge tour of Shutdown takes a drastic turn with Static and Batman getting some much needed help. Narcisse’s writing solidifies the impact of the “Beyond-verse” new threat. Mendonca & Quintana construct exciting action withing a fast-moving story. This is one series you want to keep an eye out for on New Comic Book Day!
Let me know your thoughts on BATMAN/STATIC BEYOND #4 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
