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
    Faith: Dreamside #4 Review
    Review

    Faith: Dreamside #4 Review

    Ingrid Lind-JahnBy Ingrid Lind-JahnJanuary 11, 20194 Mins Read

    It’s the final showdown with the monster Belu! Can Faith and Dr. Mirage break Monica Jim free?

    FAITH: DREAMSIDE #4

    Writer: Jody Houser
    Artist: M. J. Kim
    Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
    Letterer: Dave Sharpe
    Publisher: Valiant Entertainment, LLC
    Cover Price: $3.99
    Release Date: January 9, 2019

    Previously in Faith: Dreamside: Faith’s friend, the young hero Monica Jim (Animalia), is haunted at night by demons. They enlist the help of Dr. Mirage, and after Monica is spirited away – literally – Dr. Mirage and Faith enter the Deadside. While Monica is imprisoned in the dark, Faith’s journey is much more trippy, with giggling flowers, a transforming dragon, and a little grinning cherub who seems to be a spirit guide. They find their way to a cave, where the spirit guide reveals itself to be an enormous winged snake spirit!

    CONFRONTING DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES

    Faith: Dreamside #4 opens with some explanation. The monster, named Belu, originated with early humans, with a dream that would be unfulfilled. It came to exist in the Deadside, and as time passed, it created the land around it. But after all this time, it is getting bored, and in the best tradition of monsters everywhere, it yearns for something new to conquer. And it thinks it can find someplace, working through Animalia.

    Dr. Mirage hears this, and asks Hwen for his opinion. But the Hwen that steps out of the shadows is a nightmare version of her husband, and she realizes that the companions they picked up last issue are in cahoots with Belu. At that moment, Faith is grabbed from behind by her own double and finds out that her powers do not work.

    Dr. Mirage challenges Hwen, and realizes that he is part of her own dreams or nightmares. She relays this information to Faith, who then realizes that her oldest dream was that of becoming a superhero, the dream she had to give up when she was arrested. She apologizes to her counterpart self for giving up on that dream so easily. Maybe other people no longer believe in her, but she can still believe in herself. This is a powerful message, and it affects the other Faith.

    Dr. Mirage kills her own nightmare. In a fit of rage, Belu decides to consume Monica immediately. However, he seems to have lost his power over her. She no longer fears him, says Dr. Mirage. He is fed by fear and loss, but the three of them are no longer giving him anything to feed on. Faith, Dr. Mirage, and Animalia all have access to their powers, and together they fight Belu. In an amazing touch, Belu is not killed, but he is reduced in size to a tiny demon snake, who will have to start over again, if anyone dreams of him.

    The resolution is satisfying. In the real world, Hwen is his normal ghostly self, and Dr. Mirage is more at peace. Faith has rescued Monica, but in doing so, Monica has saved her as well. We learn about characters by the decisions they make, and Faith decides to take up the mantle of hero and clear her name.

    TRIUMPH OUT OF DARKNESS

    I do like the look of Faith: Dreamside #4. In this final chapter, it really focuses on expression, and quite a wide range of it at that, considering we have Belu’s minions. The horror is not overdone here, but the wide, toothy grins and wildly staring eyes immediately tell us that these guys are creepy. There are also some lovely panels when Monica goes through her deepest despair. She’s still imprisoned, and the deep blue color accentuates that despair well.

    This is all about the characters, so we don’t see much of the world they’re in, except for pieces. At the beginning of Belu’s story, we do see a rough and rugged land in prehistoric times. Most of the rest of the settings are indications of where things are.

    Belu, as a four-eyed, multi-winged, giant serpent is an interesting foe who is toothy and terrifying. The final battle with him may be brief, but not only is it the triumph of heroes over monster, but it is quite literally light over darkness. The light effects are lovely. And I just adore the ending when Belu goes back to being a teeny little four-eyed snake. He is absolutely cute (if somewhat cranky).

    BOTTOM LINE: A SATISFYING AND OPTIMISTIC CONCLUSION

    It’s great when a story can tell us something about its characters, and Faith: Dreamside #4 does not let us down. In saving Monica, Faith herself has moved from a dark place back to a more hopeful one, and that movement is fitting. I like how Dr. Mirage’s calmness and composure play against Faith’s irrepressible nature.

    Faith: Dreamside #4

    80%
    80%
    A Satisfying Conclusion

    It’s great when a story can tell us something about its characters, and Faith: Dreamside #4 does not let us down. In saving Monica, Faith herself has moved from a dark place back to a more hopeful one, and that movement is fitting. I like how Dr. Mirage’s calmness and composure play against Faith’s irrepressible nature.

    • Writing
      8
    • Art
      8
    • Coloring
      8
    • User Ratings (0 Votes)
      0
    Faith Faith: Dreamside Jody Houser jordie bellaire M.J. Kim Review valiant entertainment
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleTop Five War Movies
    Next Article Major Spoilers Question of the Day: The Best Superman Edition
    Ingrid Lind-Jahn

    By day, she’s a mild-mannered bureaucrat and Ms. Know-It-All. By night, she’s a dance teacher and RPG player (although admittedly not on the same nights). On the weekends, she may be found judging Magic, playing Guild Wars 2 (badly), or following other creative pursuits. Holy Lack of Copious Free Time, Batman! While she’s always wished she had teleportation as her superpower, she suspects that super-speed would be much more practical because then she’d have time to finish up those steampunk costumes she’s also working on.

    Related Posts

    Major Spoilers Podcast #1131: The Podcast Smurfers

    Read More

    Giant-Size Dark Phoenix Saga #1 Review

    Read More

    Supergirl #2 Review

    Read More

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    AMAZON AFFILIATE

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

    Reviews
    8.3
    June 17, 2025

    Giant-Size Dark Phoenix Saga #1 Review

    7.7
    June 17, 2025

    Supergirl #2 Review

    6.0
    June 16, 2025

    Runaways #1 Review

    8.0
    June 15, 2025

    The Death of the Silver Surfer #1 Review

    4.7
    June 15, 2025

    Retro Review: Master Comics #11 (February 1941)

    Patreon Support
    Major Spoilers Store
    Recent Comments
    • Derrigable on COMICS PORTAL: Where Is All The Cool Merchandise?
    • ZackaryTobias on COMICS PORTAL: Where Is All The Cool Merchandise?
    • Nathan on Wayne’s Comics Podcast #696: Interview with Creators from Concrete Arcanum
    • Austin Cowboy on FIRST LOOK: Conan the Barbarian #21
    • Frank on COMICS PORTAL: Batman Meets… Deadpool!?
    Subscribe to the Major Spoilers E-Mail List
    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