The Hypernaturals team continues to investigate the deaths of the previous team, while a headless robot trashes their headquarters. Will they solve the biggest mystery of the Quantinuum or if they get a gigantic robot fist to the face? More after the jump!
SUMMARY
Pros
The art is very active
Abnett and Lanning do great work together
Cons
Not a great jumping on point
READER RATING!
[ratings]
HYPERNATURALS #4
Writer: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Artist: Tom Derenick & Andres Guinaldo
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Colorist: Stephen Downer
Editor: Dafna Pieban
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in THE HYPERNATURALS: Prismatica’s tragic history was revealed, Sublime was questioned about his part in the death of the Centennial Hypernaturals team, Halfshell and Shoal were cornered by some thugs and Clone 45 was welcomed back to headquarters only to be attacked by Ego’s support body.
PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS AND EXPLOSIONS!
This series has always brought up some interesting points concerning the universe, science fiction logic, consumerism, advertising and the ramifications behind individuals having too much power, supernatural and otherwise. Since this is all set in a futuristic society, many of the aforementioned subjects can be discussed without it seeming too sentimental. While this is true of all comics, Hypernaturals does it particularly well.
However, this series doesn’t bash the reader over the head with political and philosophical overtones either. There is still a healthy amount of humor between characters, enough to make them relatable and not impossible to see from a human level.
This particular book is a good example. In it, the impromptu Hypernaturals team still investigates Sublime’s part in the assumed deaths of the centennial Hypernaturals team, while two of the more junior members become indirectly responsible for an explosion in a mid-level housing tenement. At the same time, a former member gets his abilities back in a moment of desperation. It has bittersweet implications. His powers are back, which is good, but this implies Clone 46, his successor, has died.
What really stands out in the introduction of Chernovski. It’s hypothesized by one of the former Hypernatural teams that Chernovski attempted to flee via quantum trip, an expedient teleportation and transportation system. In doing so, the system malfunctioned and ended up cloning him at least a hundred times. This delves into the idea of tinkering with a technology because it’s convenient, without truly understanding the possible consequences of said technology or, as Chernovski himself says, “what happens when you screw with the universe.” It’s an interesting topic to play with and I’m excited to see more of it in the upcoming issues.
CLONE 45 VS. GIANT ROBOT
The art is very active. There are very few panels that feel static or dead. Every panel has movement or the implication of movement. One thing worth noting about the art in this book, as with most Boom! Studios books, is the heavy lining and their free use of color. They aren’t afraid to use color and it definitely works for this series.
What stuck out most was the fight between Clone 45 and the headless robot. While definitely not a new concept, the mechanics between man vs. machine were very well rendered. In particular, one panel where Clone 45 saves a scientist by knocking a hover table into the back of the machine’s legs looks as realistic as it can for this art style. It looks very fluid and organic. And it’s not just that panel. The whole battle between Clone 45 and the robot is very well rendered, including all the mishaps that may befall a normal guy attempting this kind of battle to the death.
BOTTOM LINE: Worth picking up if you’ve been reading the series
As much as I love this series and the points it brings up, this issue isn’t one to pick up on a whim. It’s best to read this one if you’ve read the previous issues, otherwise it’ll be confusing. If you have read the series up to this point, however, it is definitely one of the books to pick up. Abnett and Lanning do great work together and it looks like they’ll only keep getting better.
2 Comments
This was easily my favorite issue of the series so far. I don’t mind that Abnett and Lanning have been taking their time about coming to the point, but until this issue, I’ve been feeling like we’re just killing time waiting for the reveal. We still haven’t seen the reveal, of course, but at least now that the plot’s shape is coming into focus, we’re picking up a little tension–and a little steam– in the storytelling.
This was easily my favorite issue of the series so far. I don’t mind that Abnett and Lanning have been taking their time about coming to the point, but until this issue, I’ve been feeling like we’re just killing time waiting for the reveal. We still haven’t seen the reveal, of course, but at least now that the plot’s shape is coming into focus, we’re picking up a little tension–and a little steam– in the storytelling.