Another chapter in the life and times of Edward Blake is here, but should anyone really care about the history surrounding The Comedian?  Read on to find out.

The official description from DC:

“All I could see was red. Then I saw the white and the blue. And the pinko.”

And don’t miss the latest sensational chapter of the CRIMSON CORSAIR, from writer and artist JOHN HIGGINS.

The saga of one of the most controversial characters in the original Watchmen has been nothing short of a mixed bag.  There’s been a good amount of interesting developments, rehashed ideas and some solid moments that ultimately failed to offer enough detail or reason to make this mini-series worthwhile.  This latest outing doesn’t fix those bumps in the road but it does succeed in yielding some very compelling moments that easily make this comic book a worthwhile purchase.

Brian Azzarello hands in his best script to date as the series writer employs just enough gumption to make this complicated world work with its warped main character.  The dialogue flows quite well as our protagonist fully embraces his version of his role in the Vietnam War while fighting against superiors he just doesn’t agree with.  The most interesting thing is the fact that we’re reading a tale about a character that is simply unlikable through and through, but somehow the author offers up just enough to foster a human connection.

J.G. Jones once again does a superb job on the pencil work.  His artistic skills easily elevate the narrative quality in this series as details combine with enough cosmetic control to yield a versatile visual experience.  Each line, be it thick or thin, informs the plot and character development as it slowly but surely builds itself up in order to embrace some some truly outstanding panels.

Before Watchmen: Comedian #4 is the best issue of this mini-series so far, it still doesn’t justify its existence but it’s certainly moves things along in the right direction.  Recommended.

4/5