The hits keep on coming in Project Superpowers #4 as Black Terror makes a decision, Masquerade bares her soul to her fellow Scarlet Sisters, a traitor is discovered and Samson has a rematch with the only person to defeat him. Oh, and a shocking revelation about Captain Future!
Title: Project Superpowers 2 #4
Written by: Alex Ross and Jim Krueger
Art by: Edgar Salazar and Ivan Nunes
Main Cover: Alex Ross
1 in 5 Chase Cover: Stephen Sadowski
1 in 12 Chase Cover: Steven Segovia
Man, it has been one hell of a ride in the Superpowers Universe. Every since The Fighting Yank first took up his quest to free the Urn trapped heroes the world has gone off in a completely different direction than expected. Old friends have returned, some changed only slightly, some majorly, and the status quo in world affairs has changed. The Superpowers, lead by Green Lama, have taken over the Pentagon and Manhattan, but at the cost of being labeled terrorist by the very government they are trying to help. The Supremacy, that evil cabal behind much of the world’s trouble, continues their nefarious plans and has gained a powerful ally in the form of Captain Future. On top of all this, the ex-sidekicks of the Superpowers have consolidated under the banner of The Inheritors. Led by Boy King, they are trying to find the remaining Urn lost heroes to bring them to their side and confront their former mentors, whom they believe are on the wrong side.
Up to speed? Good.
After the confrontation with Captain Future, the heroes all seem to take a moment to find themselves and to gather their thoughts. While conversing with the Green, Lama reflects over current events, and does not seem to be satisfied with the answers he gives himself. Bob, the Black Terror, arrives to tell Lama that he has decided to leave. The Crusader troopers that the government uses are clones of his friend The American Crusader, and Bob has decided to take up the job of killing every one of them as a way to save his friend. It’s hard to tell how Jethro takes this news, as he is so wrapped up in the Green. He is either mad at Black Terror, or just doesn’t care. Such ambivalence in so powerful a being is disturbing.
Elsewhere, the Inheritors go about trying to help the Urn heroes they have discovered. Have you guessed the Kid Terror’s secret? It’s a dozy! We check in with the Death Defying Devil’s team of Claw busters as Dare voices that she believes the Truth is dead. But can The Truth, or truth, ever really die?
One of the most interesting exchanges of the book happens between the so-called Sisters Scarlet. Masquerade confides in Lady Satan and The Woman In Red that she thinks she may be losing herself identity. The little exchange, over coffee in the Pentagon commissary no less, is one of the more revealing of the series. You get this feeling that underneath all the masks and powers, these may actually still be regular people with regular fears. This little coffee clutch is a nice touch, and it brings these heroes down to Earth some.
There is just so much going on in this book it is hard to preview it without giving a lot away. By the end of this story, we have a traitor revealed and a rematch occur. Neither of those occurrences come about nor ends in the way you would think. Also, the heroes find out a truth about their enemy that may just be enough to change tide of the fight, and not in a good way. Oh, yeah, and a hero finds out a truth about himself. This also will have a mighty impact on our heroes, although it may have to be explained to some.
Like I said, there is a lot going on in this book. Alex Ross and Jim Krueger turn in another fast paced issue that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A lot of revelations are made, so if you have been following the story, this is one you do not want to miss out on. The art by Edgar Salazar and Ivan Nunes’s colors are excellent, but I did notice some proportion issues with Captain Future toward the end of the book.
This issue has a portion of character insight mixed with a lot of foreshadowing and a ton of action. As a fan of the series, I can honestly say that each issue has me looking forward to the next. Although I am curious about where this story fits in with the Meet The Bad Guys series and the Black Terror ongoing, it does not diminish my enjoyment in the least. But, because of this and how hard it may be for new readers to jump in, I’m giving a 3 out of 5 stars here. It’s above average and I love the concept, but it may be tough for new readers.
3 Comments
“There is just so much going on in this book it is hard to preview it without giving a lot away.”
Given that you’re writing on this particular site, I don’t think anyone will complain if you provide… ahem… major spoilers.
Well, when I wrote it, it was a preview,and the book had not come out yet. Unfortunatly, life made it difficult for me to get it in before deadline, and it came out on the day of release instead.
The big reveal was very obvious since issue 2, it’s start with “Men call me…”