Joe and Ken have reunited! However, that reunion doesn’t seem to be particularly happy. Find out why these brothers have grown apart in Arcade Kings #4 by Image Comics!

ARCADE KINGS #4 (of 5)

Writer: Dylan Burnett
Artist: Dylan Burnett
Colorists: Walter Baiamonte and Sara Antonellini
Letterer: AndWorld Design
Editor: Amanda LaFranco
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $7.99
Release Date: August 30th, 2023 

Previously in Arcade Kings: Joe and Ken were adopted by Vic McMax and trained to fight. Joe always showed more promise, but something happened, leading Ken to run away while Joe was forced to stay. Joe realizes that he has to find his brother and has been on the road looking for him to explain what happened.

Arcade King #4 starts with a reunion of Joe and Ken, and through flashbacks, we learn that their childhood wasn’t great. Not only were they trained to fight each other, but they were also genetically modified to be strong. Joe’s body responded well to the modifications but had little effect on Ken. As children, when they learned what was going on, they planned to run away. Ken left first, but Joe was caught. However, when Ken realized Joe wasn’t showing up, he believed Joe had abandoned him.

In the present, the two get into a heated argument and start to fight. Though it is difficult to say if Joe was trying his best, both sides punch each other, and Ken manages to get up, seemingly winning the fight. Joe decides to return home and complete the experiment he was designed for. Vic, who has been very sick, is hooked up to a device with Joe, and Vic’s body is restored.

Man, Joe’s emotional arc in this issue was captivating. Arcade Kings has a title that has been emotionally superficial in many ways, as it plays on many tropes that sometimes prevent depth of character, which I think is natural to the genre. Sometimes, it is easier to punch things than to manage our feelings. However, Arcade Kings #4 had profound implications that I was not expecting. The discussions between adult Joe and Ken and how that is reflected in their childhood are thorough and believable.

On top of that, Joe was manipulated to return to Vic. There is a crazy turn of events where the fighter chooses not to fight. The implication of returning to your abuser is wild to think about in the context of everything we learned. The story still relies heavily on tropes, and the characters are still somewhat flat, but these ideas are thought-provoking.

The art is also very well designed. The visuals are dynamic and reminiscent of arcade fighting games. Dylan Burnett has successfully created a video game feel in comic form. Great work here.

Arcade Kings #4 is an excellent culmination of the series thus far. It plays well on the tropes and does precisely what it intends to do. While this story feels cartoony and doesn’t have the same depth as other stories, it achieves its intended goals and fits nicely into the genre. Because of that, I have to give this a 5 out of 5; it is not a perfect book, but I find little fault with what the creative team sets out to do.

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Arcade Kings #4

10.0 Best Issue Thus Far

Arcade Kings #4 adds a level of depth missing from previous issues in a fantastic and thought-provoking way.

• Writing 10
• Art 10
• Coloring 10
• User Ratings (0 Votes) 0