Abbott’s magic has more strength thanks to Sebastian’s cane. Now Samir warns her she must face the Umbra tonight. Will she find enough power to fend it off for good? Find out in Abbott 1979 #4 from BOOM! Studios.
ABBOTT 1979 #4
Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artist: Sami Kivelā
Colorist: Dan Jackson
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Editor: Ramiro Portnoy
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: February 14, 2024
Previously in Abbott 1979: Elena starts to take control of her own life. She interviews for the TV station, and they are impressed with her. She calls her brother Elmer and asks to meet him at the historical museum. Elmer arrives surrounded by the Umbra. Elena apologizes to him, and the Umbra tries to get into her head. She uses Sebastian’s cane to push the Umbra out. It changes form into that of a large dog, one of the things Elena does fear. But she faces it in order to protect her brother. She digs into their shared memories of positive things so they can rise above their fear. The next morning, they awaken at the museum and Elmer is free of the Umbra.
A TOUCH OF HOPE
Abbott 1979 #4 opens outside the museum in the morning. The ghost of Elena’s friend Samir is there. His body is dead, but his soul fights on. He warns Elena that the Umbra is in the Realms of the Dead and it is trying to find its way to cross over into Detroit to consume first the city and then the world. He and a handful of other spirits work to hold it back. He tells her that Sebastian made the last sacrifice – giving up his soul to help make Elena stronger. She looks at his cane which she now wields. Samir and Sebastian had known each other for centuries, and he realized that Elena has a soul strong enough to challenge the Umbra.
Samir reminds Elena that she needs rest. After all, she is still human. Her work in freeing her brother dealt a major blow to the Umbra. She has a little time, but she must recover as much strength as she can before this evening.
A few hours later, Elena gets a call from the public TV station. They want to film and run a promo for the new show she will be on, and they want to record it today. An hour later, she is at the station and records an assertive introduction to her new show, Fighting Words. She talks about the things she wants to fight for such as fairness and safety and for everyone to have their voice heard. The undertone is that the people need to unite against the coming darkness.
Later that evening, Samir comes for her. He warns her that the Umbra has found a new avatar in the world, one it has been working on for years. That avatar is ready to bring the Umbra across into the world, and only Elena can stop it. This avatar is at the river. He surprises her by using magic to fly them there. He brings her down to the level of the water, and she can walk on it. The river recognizes her as its guardian. Everyone’s lives hang in the balance tonight.
And then he says his last good-bye. He, too, is making his last sacrifice. With his departure, Sebastian’s cane turns into a sword, and Elena is clothed in a mystical suit of armor. She feels like she is all set to fight a dragon.
A monster arises from the river, like an enormous dragon with several snaky necks, but the faces all appear human. They are humans who accuse the Lightbringer of causing their deaths, and tonight they want their revenge.
TAKING CHARGE OF HER LIFE
As Elena accepts her role as the Lightbringer in Abbott 1979 #4, we are treated to a color shift in the art. Not only is it daylight, but the sun is also coming out. Samir, as a spirit, is surrounded by sparkles which bathe Elena in a golden light. This gold theme pops up throughout the book in trees in the park, the battle in the Realms of the Dead, and even in the backdrop for Elena’s television program. I like the way this gives us a sense of connection and flow, as though a dark tide is starting to turn. We also see Elena, for the first time, I believe, in a light gray suit and not something that blends into the darkness.
The magic stands out in this issue as well. I love the sequence when Samir takes Elena’s hand for flying. They soar above the city and out over the river, so their backdrop is the downtown skyline. The confrontation is at the Ambassador Bridge, a distinctive landmark we get to see from a few unusual angles. Samir and Elena are alone on the river when he says his farewell, and even as we see Elena’s sadness and Samir fades away, Elena is bathed in more and more light which becomes a suggestion of armor. It is a beautiful effect.
BOTTOM LINE: GETTING READY FOR THE CONFRONTATION
The tide is starting to turn in Abbott 1979 #4. As Elena’s magic starts to return, she finds her inner fire and her center. She now knows what she must do.
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Abbott 1979 @4
Abbott reconnects with her purpose in life just in time to face the Umbra again!
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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.