Review: Monarch #4

The latest installment in the adventures of Travon, a brother from another solar. Buckle up for high drama and high action. This is one of those moving and shaking issues. Decisions are made and consequences come to bear. So, what’s the scenario?

Writer Rodney Barnes really picks up the action in this issue with Travon making his choice between love and loyalty. His human girlfriend has been taken and he’ll move heaven and Earth to save her. The decision sets him up for a showdown with not only her captor but his own creators as well.

Recent turncoat Todd has gone full supervillain, trapping Travon’s love, Daysha and holding her for his own sick entertainment. Can the hero get to the girl in time? Todd’s backstory is fleshed out more in this issue as well. And here Barnes does a masterful job of explaining his twisted personality but not making him a victim. He’s still clearly the bad guy here. Overall, the writing is sharp. Travon is all business and Dayshu is no basic damsel in distress. Only Todd strays off into the melodramatic, but that’s what any comic book supervillain worth his weight in salt does anyway.

The best comics are the ones a reader can pick up blindly and be immediately drawn to (no pun intended) by the art and get invested into the story. Monarch #4 does exactly that. It’s the perfect jumping off point for readers who may have missed the previous issues as it gives background on the characters and the hero’s motivations.

The art is next level. Gorgeous paneling, coloring, and the action explodes off the page. The character designs are great (specifically the looks of the characters of color who are stylized but not caricatures). The framing of shots is also fantastic which is important in any comic. But it’s the lighting and use of shadows that steal the show. The art team of Alex Lins (art), Luis Nct and Mar Silvestre Gallotto (color), and Jason Shawn Alexander (art designer) deserve major props for creating such a visually stunning issue. There’s action, there’s intrigue, and of course, a cliffhanger.

As this interstellar, action-packed love story continues, all the players are now in place for a potentially even more explosive next issue. We’ll be keeping our eyes open to see what happens next, and you should too.

Writing – 4.5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Coloring – 5 Stars

Overall:
5 Stars

Written by; Rodney Barnes
Art by; Alex Lins
Colors by; Luis Nct
Letters by; Marshall Dillon
Published by; Image Comics

Author Profile

Christopher R. Ford

Writer, author, and blogger. Published author of three children's books and also writes for the boy Creators For The Culture. Part-time sneaker head, full time nerd.