The flying turtles are back! I was wondering when we’d see them again. They were shown briefly in Issue #1, and I’ve been looking for them ever since.  Despite not seeing any flying turtles for a couple of issues, the team of Lemire and Nguyen do not disappoint in this fourth issue of the ongoing series.

When last we saw Mira and her dad, they were running for their lives from a monster. Lucky for them, their little robot, Bandit, turned it into a smoldering slag heap.  Who knows what other surprises their pet robot has up its sleeve or transistors or whatever makes it run.  But the danger is not over, as Mother’s minions continue to pursue them. (I don’t want to spoil what comes next, but remember the eagles scene in The Return of the King?) Though Mother has a happy surprise waiting for her, she has been keeping her own secrets, the meaning of which we do not know yet.  

The art is subtle and dynamic at the same time. This is one of those comics that I will read over and over again, just to pick up the nuances in the art and coloring.  I also love the fact that Bandit only speaks one word, but the lettering changes it up enough so you know when it’s upset or happy. There’s a nice balance of action and quiet moments, which can also be the most horrifying. Not that it matters, but I am curious as to how many alien species there are in this world since I have not read Descender yet.

As you can probably tell, I’m really enjoying this series, and I can’t wait to see where it will take me.

Creating Team: Jeff Lemire (writer), Dustin Nguyen (writer/artist), Steve Wands (letterer)
Publisher: Image Comics
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