Major Spoilers
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Twitch Discord RSS
    Major Spoilers
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Random Access Memory
      • Retro Review
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Podcasts
      • Critical Hit
        • Critical Hit House Rules
        • Critical Hit World Building
      • Dueling Review
      • Finally Friday
      • Geek History Lesson
      • The Legion Clubhouse
      • Major Spoilers Podcast
        • MSP TPB for 2019
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2013
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2012
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2011
      • Munchkin Land
      • Top Five
      • Wayne’s Comics
      • Zach on Film
    • Features
      • Casual 60
      • Comic Casting Couch
      • Comics Portal
      • Did You Hear?
      • Editorials
      • Features
      • Gamer’s Corner
      • Hero Histories
      • Let’s Get Nerdy
      • Major Spoilers Adventures
      • Random Access Memory
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Movies
      • Did You Hear
      • Movies
      • Television
    • Comic Previews
    • Patreon
      • Patreon
      • Store
    Major Spoilers
    Featured

    Wild Blue Yonder #4

    Stephanie EstesBy Stephanie EstesMarch 7, 20145 Mins Read

    Major Spoilers reviews Wild Blue Yonder #4 from IDW Publishing.

    WBY4WILD BLUE YONDER #4
    Writer: Mark Raicht and Austin Harrison
    Artist: Zach Howard
    Color: Nelson Daniel
    Ink: Yolyon Yates
    
Publisher: IDW
 Publishing
    Cover Price: $3.99

    PREVIOUSLY: Time is running out. Desperate to survive, The Dawn is making a run for open sky. However, every path they choose the Judge and his fleet of warships are constantly a step ahead. With war inevitable, will The Dawn be able to prepare in time for the ultimate aerial showdown?!

    Who’s really the bad guy here?

    I went into the initial reading of this book with a limited knowledge of previous issues (I did read a review here on Major Spoilers of issue #2 https://majorspoilers.com/comic-book-reviews/review-wild-blue-yonder-2/) and one eye on the fact that it is #4 of a 5 issue run. That being said, I wasn’t surprised when the story picks up in the middle of an awaiting ambush plotted by the villain character, Judge, of our heroes aboard the airship the Dawn. In a very non-descript setting, shown through art and coloring that is muddy, but in an appropriate and not at all bad way, we are witness to a conversation Judge has with a girl named Sarah, we learn that the Dawn is wanted for its ability to keep to the air without ever having to land or refuel; she calls it a “forever ship” and says she believed it to be a myth. Couple this last thought with Sarah’s barely compliant attitude and we’re lead to believe that she isn’t with Judge of her own volition. Judge tells Sarah he has a spy aboard the Dawn helping him to locate the airship. We also find out that Judge has been recruiting the best humanity has to offer, and I infer from the stand alone issue, while it may not necessarily be implied, that someone has charged him with selecting those who shall board the Dawn, presumably to carry on the human race while everyone below suffers extinction. Judge then confesses to Sarah that he has no intention of being one of these select few and will not board the Dawn himself. I find all of this information an interesting play into the idea that every villain is the hero of his own story. Is it actually so horrendous to want this very special and unique ship for its ability if you intend to use it to possibly preserve the human race? Complicated, God-complex inducing, yes and yes, but it could also be necessary. Also, for this to ship to provide such an exclusive capability in a world where the surface of the earth is literally crumbling and toxic, why is there only one group of “bad guys” or actual bad guys after them?

    The Thunder Rolls…

    At this point the story transfers to the Dawn, and we see Cola, our heroine, thinking aloud to her dog, Critter, about how she should handle the fact that the ship’s commander, who is also her mother, is angry with her over a quasi-botched mission in which she is forced to either let her Gun, Tug, die or go against her mother’s orders to save him (she decided on the latter). We then find that Tug has been working to rebuild Big Cola’s plane, we discover who the spy is (spoiler: it’s Tug), and he assures everyone that he was only doing what he believed to be right but has since switched sides and that he will defend the Dawn “no matter what it takes.” He apologizes to Cola again as they board their oddly vintage plane in preparation for battle with Judge and his crew. The last thing we see is a double-page splash as three planes fly off toward both a literal and metaphorical storm.

    Wild Blue Yawn-der

    Okay, maybe that subtitle is a bit of an exaggeration (I just couldn’t pass up the terrible pun), but only a small bit. While I have faith that if I had read the previous 3 issues this one would have been more interesting, on its own this issue presented no new or interesting ideas. It was heavily padded with tropes that are growing a bit old. Oh, you romantically fell for your partner? There’s a spy among us? No one understands you or why you behave like such a lone wolf? I’m over it.
However, there were good things about the book as well, particularly the art. I was absolutely stoked to see a female lead that isn’t overly sexualized but isn’t pushed too far in the other direction either. The dark coloring is very fitting for the post-apocalyptic backdrop, and while certain aspects of the way the characters are drawn are a little wonky, they are consistently so. I specifically noticed and appreciated that Cola is drawn as realistically balanced combination of Olivia and Big Cola. My favorite panel comes just after Tug is discovered and has promptly been beaten. The bottom middle panel on page 14 shows him brimming with tears and dripping blood that defies gravity and it just stuck with me.
    Bottom Line

Based on this single issue alone, I can’t recommend that you drop everything to run and buy this book, but at the same time I’m not upset about having purchased it, either. It is a pretty middle of the road book with art good enough to bump my score to 3.5/5 stars.

    austin harrison IDW Publishing Major Spoilers Mark Raicht Review Wild Blue Yonder zach howard
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleVIZ Media acquires two new Studio Ghibli Library Deluxe Editions
    Next Article Magneto #1 Review
    Stephanie Estes
    • Twitter

    Stephanie may look like a nice southern belle, but she nurtures the soul of a nerd. She spends her time obsessing over neat stuff that the muggles just don't understand (though she'll talk their ears off about it anyway) and likes to read books that don't even have pictures in them, too. She is also married to her very own superhero, so y'all behave, dudebros.

    Related Posts

    COMICS PORTAL: Magazines Promoting the Movies!

    Read More

    Unchosen #1 Review

    Read More

    Wayne’s Comics Podcast #701: Interview with Curt Pires

    Read More

    Comments are closed.

    AMAZON AFFILIATE

    Support this site by making a purchase through our Amazon affiliate links

    Reviews
    6.0
    July 13, 2025

    Unchosen #1 Review

    6.3
    July 13, 2025

    Retro Review: Marvel Team-Up #95

    8.7
    July 11, 2025

    Fantastic Four #1 Review

    6.0
    July 8, 2025

    JSA #9 Review

    7.0
    July 7, 2025

    X-Men: Hellfire Vigil #1 Review

    Patreon Support
    Sponsor

    ComiXology Home Page

    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Twitch
    Major Spoilers Patreon
    • About
      • Major Spoilers Terms of Use
      • Major Spoilers Frequently Asked Questions
      • Major Spoilers Privacy Policy Statement
      • Major Spoilers Podcast Gear
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy (EU)
    Major Spoilers is copyright 2006-2025 by Major Spoilers Entertainment, LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT