Previously on Irredeemable Premier Edition Volume 3, “The greatest superhero, Plutonian, turns against his former team, the Paradigm, and the ensuing chaos seems irreversible. This is not just a tale of hero-turned-villain, it describes the vindictiveness associated with god-like powers.” Knowing that Plutonian might not be on their side one day, some members of the Paradigm made a pact with an alien race to solve their potential problem. The aliens returned, a battle ensued, Plutonian was captured using advanced technology, and the world was safe.
Irredeemable Premier Edition Volume 4 by creator and writer Mark Waid and BOOM! Studios returns fans to the whereabouts of the apprehended evildoer. Plutonian has been delivered to “a cosmic madhouse buried in the heart of a star.” The most ruthless beings in the galaxy are kept in this asylum, and escape doesn’t seem like much of a possibility. Waid quickly showcases how Plutonian is willing to kill others to get answers, and it’s apparent he will need help to escape and return to Earth, while also exploring parts of his past that explain the burdens of growing up with incredible powers.
There are plenty of visuals to keep your attention, including demonic creatures, bright energy blasts, and gruesome injuries. One of the techniques to help make these characters appear larger than life is the panel work. Some of the characters spread beyond their scenes onto others. Each page is designed differently from the next, as panels are varying shapes and sizes, and sometimes overlap with one another. This helps to emphasize brute force and blinding speed, as each page uses every inch to maximize special powers and facial expressions. It’s a particularly incredible effect to watch psychotic supervillains react to Plutonian’s viciousness. It expands upon how far gone this once hero has turned, making it impossible to believe there’s a chance of returning to any kind of beloved status.
Irredeemable has multiple layers to the story involving love triangles, betrayals, heroes turning into villains, and yes, plurals to all of those. Waid presents plenty of plot angles to keep you guessing what will happen next. Whether or not Plutonian is on the planet, can the world leaders protect their countries from the remaining superheroes or themselves? Will the biggest destructive disaster in history be created by the hands of humans or heroes? Will these chapters represent the end to all Irredeemable life?
This edition has many artists contributing to it. Peter Krause, Diego Barreto, Eduardo Barreto, and Damian Couceiro handle drawing the illustrations, while Andrew Dalhouse, Zac Atkinson, Nolan Woodard, and Archie Van Buren draw colors onto the images. This volume collects issues 24 through 31 and features a cover gallery including additional artists like Drew Johnson, Kathryn Layno, Dan Panosian, Scott Clark, Darrin Moore, and Trevor Hairsine.
Irredeemable Premier Edition Volume 4 is currently available in a hardcover edition, as well as a digital release.
