ThunderCats X SilverHawks #4 Review: Cheetara Strikes Back

ThunderCats X SilverHawks #4, written by Declan Shalvey, illustrated by Drew Moss, colored by Igor Monti, and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry, does not stroll into the room politely. Nah. This chapter kicks the door open, launches a Darkbird through the furniture, and tells everybody to buckle up because the crossover is officially entering the danger zone. WEPA! As Part 10 of this larger cosmic saga, the issue wastes little time explaining the situation. The heroes are surrounded, the enemy keeps adapting, and Cheetara is running out of space to maneuver.

The issue opens with Commander Stargazer confronting the Interplanetary Force 8 Council about the Darkbird program. Instead of getting straight answers, he receives the usual bureaucratic shuffle: denial, classified information, and threats aimed at the person asking the questions. You know the routine. Somebody creates a dangerous mess, buries the paperwork, and then acts offended when the bodies start piling up. Shalvey uses the scene effectively, establishing that the Darkbirds are not merely random mechanical villains. Somebody authorized them, somebody covered up their creation, and somebody desperately wants the truth kept under wraps.

Back on the battlefield, Cheetara proves once again why she is one of the fiercest ThunderCats. The Darkbirds can analyze attacks, modify their defenses, repair damaged units, and deploy replacements. Cheetara’s answer is basically, “That’s cute. Catch these hands.” She attacks with speed, instinct, and pure determination, but Shalvey wisely avoids making her feel untouchable. She takes punishment, becomes exhausted, and recognizes that fury alone will not win the battle. Still, she keeps moving because every second she buys gives her friends another chance to survive.

Lion-O also gets a strong showing despite his altered physical condition. He may appear younger, but the leadership, courage, and weight of responsibility are still there. When the others consider leaving him behind for protection, Lion-O shuts that conversation down immediately. He knows what happened to Panthro, understands the threat facing everyone, and refuses to watch from the sidelines. That moment works because it reminds readers that leadership is not about size or age. It is about stepping forward when everybody else is wondering whether they should run.

The clash between the ThunderCats and SilverHawks personalities gives the crossover much of its flavor. The Darkbirds operate through cold calculations, tactical responses, and emotionless commands. The heroes are the complete opposite. They are angry, loyal, frightened, unpredictable, and willing to make strategically foolish choices to protect each other. That emotional chaos becomes an advantage because the Darkbirds can calculate movement, but they cannot fully understand sacrifice.

Bluegrass also brings some much-needed fun to the madness. Only in comics can a metallic space cowboy weaponize music against a cybernetic enemy and somehow make the whole thing feel completely natural. Drew Moss embraces the glorious absurdity without turning it into a joke. The sequence is energetic, visually clear, and exactly the kind of larger-than-life craziness a ThunderCats and SilverHawks crossover should deliver.

The major revelation concerning the Darkbirds gives the issue its real bite. These are not ordinary robots. Their construction involves cloned organic material and a disturbing connection to the Thunderians. Suddenly, the villains are no longer simple evil versions of the SilverHawks. They are evidence of hidden experiments, stolen lives, and a program that treated living beings like spare machinery. Every punch now carries more emotional weight because Cheetara and Lion-O are not simply fighting for survival. They are uncovering something deeply personal.

Shalvey keeps the story moving quickly, although the pace occasionally becomes too aggressive. Several major discoveries occur without giving the characters much time to react before the next attack begins. A few quieter panels could have allowed the horror behind the Darkbird program to hit even harder. Still, this chapter is designed to escalate the conflict and launch readers toward the finale, and on that front, it absolutely handles its business.

Drew Moss fills the issue with powerful movement, heavy impacts, expressive characters, and technology that feels dangerous instead of decorative. Igor Monti’s colors bring together the bright cosmic energy of the SilverHawks and the warmer, more organic world of the ThunderCats. Electric blues, deep purples, burning oranges, and metallic highlights make the battlefield feel like two beloved animated universes colliding beneath a cosmic spotlight. Jeff Eckleberry’s lettering keeps the dialogue, robotic calculations, combat sounds, and tactical information easy to follow even when the action becomes chaotic.

Then comes that final-page arrival. Oh, they knew exactly what they were doing. Friends believed to be lost suddenly change the entire balance of the battle, setting up one serious reunion heading into the conclusion. I will not spill the whole pot of arroz, but let us just say the cavalry has arrived, and they look ready to collect every unpaid bill in the galaxy.

ThunderCats X SilverHawks #4 is fast, colorful, slightly chaotic, and packed with the oversized energy this crossover promised. Cheetara dominates the battlefield, Lion-O reminds everyone why he remains a true leader, and the Darkbird conspiracy finally reveals the ugliness hiding beneath all that polished metal. It may not be the easiest chapter for brand-new readers, but anyone following the crossover is getting action, answers, and one hell of a setup for what comes next. The walls are closing in, family, but the heroes just found themselves a much bigger hammer.

CRUSADERS SCORE:
4/5

Writer: Declan Shalvey
Artists: Drew Moss, Alessandro Ranaldi, and Joe Mulvey
Colorist: Igor Monti
Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry
Main Cover Artist: Declan Shalvey
Editor and Packager: Nate Cosby
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Author Profile

Al Mega: I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!