Emily Bright has taken her rebellion too far and enlisted a new ally, Dormammu! Find out if Strange Academy can handle the fight to come in Strange Academy: Finals #4 by Marvel Comics!

STRANGE ACADEMY: FINALS #4

Writer: Skottie Young
Artist: Humberto Ramos
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Editor: Nick Lowe
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 22nd, 2023 

Previously in Strange Academy: Strange Academy had a rupture when the students felt betrayed by the faculty. Emily Bright led half of the students to the Dark Dimension. However, students began having second thoughts and returned to the Academy. Emily is left with Dessy, who is changing with her time in the Dark Dimension, and Iric.

Strange Academy: Finals #4 shows that business is going as usual in Strange Academy, with Shaylee being late to class. The obstacle of this issue is a storm coming into New Orleans and the students volunteering their time and talents to help the townsfolk. Meanwhile, Emily, Iric, and Dessy stand in front of Dormammu. Emily reveals her plans, and Iric has second thoughts, exclaiming that Emily is planning to kill their classmates and is turning into a villain. Dessy attacks Iric in anger, and Iric uses powerful magic to defeat Dessy. Emily then sends Iric away.

As Iric rejoins his classmates, he warns Doyle of Emily’s plan. He also warns that she has Dormammu’s army for her assault.

Strange Academy: Finals #4 has always done a great job of making the students feel like students taking responsibility for their powers. Emily Bright is the perfect example of someone with so much potential trying to take matters into her own hands. Unfortunately, we also get the misguided philosophy that some teenagers have. This issue shows that Emily Bright is effectively alone. She doesn’t have any support, even from Iric, and Dessy seems to be down for the count now. And that isolation causes dangerous thoughts. I can’t help but take a step back and realize the real-world implications, especially with gun violence being a hot-button topic lately. Seeing the parallels makes me uneasy, mainly as a college professor, but I am engaged nonetheless.

Strange Academy must be an artist’s dream. The different character designs and the colorful magic are engaging to look at. You also glimpse unique places that wouldn’t otherwise be normal. In this issue, Magik took her students to Limbo, and we had a page about their struggles surviving there. Few books require the range of settings and characters that Strange Academy has, and I applaud the work of the artist and colorist.

I am continually thrilled by the quality of this book title and the sensitivity they give to the topics. Teenagers are impulsive and compassionate; I think we got their essence well within the student body. For me as an instructor, I find a lot of joy in reading this book. 4.5 out of 5 stars for Strange Academy: Finals #4.

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Strange Academy: Finals #4

90%

90%

Great Read

Strange Academy: Finals #4 provides excellent insight into the new isolation of Emily Bright and how her characterization shows her becoming the villain of this story.

• Writing

  9
• Art

  9
• Coloring

  9
• User Ratings (1 Votes)
  9.3