Review: Black Badge #4

Just when you are getting used to the idea of the government using a bunch of teen scouts as their ultra secret, off the books demolition and assassination squad, things are getting flipped upside down again. In this issue of Black Badges, Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins introduce enough different troops of special ops “scouts”“ to drive a believer of Deep State conspiracies into their bunker for years.

First, we meet the Squabbies, a seemingly free-lance band of operatives who are out to stop the Black Badges“ extraction mission. Lead by a former Black Badge, the team is warned that not everything is as it seems or as they“ve been briefed. After a little back and forth, and a large explosion, the troops separate.

The Badges manage to get out of Pakistan and back to their headquarters where they learn that they are going to the Rainbow Jamboree. Don“t be fooled that this is going to be a picnic. Once there, the Black Badges meet their counterparts in the Blue, White and Pink Badges. Each troop has their own specialties, like data mining and psy ops, etc.

While it is clear that despite the adults promising a celebration, these teams have been brought together to do something big, if they can just get along. Kindt (Divinity, Ether: The Copper Golems) continues to spin his webs and just as you feel you are getting a feel for the story, he knows how to make a sharp turn into the unexpected. You can sense that these kids are trapped into something bigger than they can possibly realize.

Kindt also manages to drop in a reference to his and Jenkin“s other book Grass Kings.

There is something about Jenkin“s (Adventure Time Comics, Peter Panzerfaust) art in this comic that really works for this book but I don“t think would translate well to another book. It isn“t a realistic style. In fact, at some points it is so loose that you may mistake one character for another. But despite this, Jenkin“s style really sells the explosions, both physical and mental. It really is powerful in way that I don“t think would work for any other artist.

If you missed the first three issues, this is a good point to jump on the series if it sounds interesting to you. The first three missions were clearly just to get you up to speed on the characters and this world. But after an action packed start, this book slows down as it has to introduce a lot of characters. They do that in a way that doesn“t slow the story down too much, and keeps the tension high.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Tyler Jenkins
Colors: Hilary Jenkins
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Boom! Studios

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Andy Hall

Sent from the future by our Robot Ape overlords to preserve the timeline. Reading and writing about comics until the revolution comes. All hail the Orangutan Android Solar King!