In 1999, Gabriel Winter received a message from the future that changed everything, leading him and his friends to create w0rldtr33 to stop the impending darkness of the Undernet, a sinister force intent on destroying the world. Now, Ellison and the surviving members of the w0rldtr33 gang must race to prevent Angel from restarting the internet—and ending the world as we know it. All roads lead to San Francisco, but they’re not the only players in the game.
Hot off the heels of issue #16 and its enticing revelation (No spoilers here!), the world James Tynion IV reveals is one that is meticulously crafted, with mysteries in abundance. W0rldtr33: Volume 4 continues to ratchet up the Lovecraftian horrors while still engaging us with a mystery that begs to be solved. It’s a testament to Tynion as a writer that he’s able to create a dense story with a diverse cast of characters.
Fernando Blanco’s artwork has to be spotlighted once again. Each character, location, and panel is distinct, adding to the depth of the story while providing a unique look and feel that belongs solely to this series. Jordie Bellaire’s colors absolutely add to the series’ uniqueness that cannot be overlooked; however, there are two faults of the series that are evident even more so in this volume than before. The first has to do with the pace of the story, mainly how it seems to be moving at a drip-feed pace. The other problem is that the Undernet is beginning to feel less like a malevolent being intent on global Armageddon and more of an evil MacGuffin that gives the villains their powers for the heroes to fight against.
These problems stem from the fact that the characters seem to always be reiterating the plot points in every issue. That’s not to say that the story is stalling out, but rather that, after 21 issues of build ups, flashbacks/flashforwards, and warnings of how evil the Undernet is and what it could do to the world, the pieces feel like they should be in place. Luckily for us, that’s exactly where the end of Volume 4 leaves us, with a hell of a cliffhanger and a promise that things are about to accelerate in a big way.
With all that said, W0rldtr33: Vol. 4 is getting us ready for the next act. The pieces feel as though they’re finally in place for us to truly dive in, and with Tynion at the helm, we can rest assured that the execution will be worth the build up.
Creative Team: James Tynion IV (writer/co-creator); Fernando Blanco (art/co-creator); Jordie Bellaire (colors); Aditya Bidikar (letters); Steve Foxe (editor); Dylan Todd (design)
Publisher: Image Comics
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