Review: Heavy Vinyl #4

In the fourth issue of Heavy Vinyl (Boom! Box), we find ourselves dropping on the gang as they prepare to catch a train into the city in an attempt to crack the code they found in the liner notes of Rosie“s latest album. When they arrive however, they learn much more about what is going on and why bands are suddenly disappearing. This teenage mystery based on pop music and girl power is a quick fun read.

Writer and creator Carly Usdin has produced a well thought out story that seems to break out each chapter into individual issues. This brings me to the only drawback I really have with the comic. As someone who was picking up the fourth issue, without having read the first three, there is no synopsis of the events that have led us to the beginning of this issue. I would have enjoyed the issue more if I knew who the characters were and why they were all lying to their parents about going to school, when they were really on a secret mission. Admittedly, this is a personal problem, because I had not read the first three issues. It“s a problem that could have been solved however with a brief paragraph before the first story page that caught me up to the here and now. I was able to figure the plot out as the issue continued, but an introduction to new readers would be welcome.

Most of what I“ve just written is nit-picking. I don“t want to give the impression that I didn“t like the comic, because I did. There is obviously a fun teen based story going on here, and there is absolutely a talented art team involved, lead by Nina Vakueva (pencils), Irene Flores (Inks), and Rebecca Nalty (Colors). The writing by Usdin is high quality and the characters are interesting and worth caring about. If you“ve ever found yourself lying on the floor of your bedroom, combing over liner notes of albums, trying to learn more about the musicians you love, (raises hand) then you“ll be able to relate to the characters of this story.

Heavy Vinyl #4 is a good, fun comic for teens. It“s not tainted by the news of the day. It is what a teen comic should be, a brief escape from the world we live in to allow you to enjoy yourself. If you“ve not read the first few issues, I would recommend picking them up as well.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Heavy Vinyl Â #4 (of 4)Â
Publisher: BOOM! Box, an imprint of BOOM! Studios
Writer: Carly Usdin
Artist: Nina Vakueva
Colorist: Rebecca Nalty
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Cover Artist: Nina Vakueva

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Bryan Spaulding

In his free time, other than reading comic books, Bryan enjoys listening to his ever growing record collection and driving his 27 year old roadster named Mingo.