Kings Watch #4 Review

With the penultimate issue in, has the crossover kept its level of quality or begun to flounder? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

THE COBRA has engineered the most devastating event to hit planet Earth in millennia! The world is under siege from the forces of a nightmare land, and only FLASH GORDON, MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN and THE PHANTOM know how to battle the hordes of Mongo! But they’re spread thin and time isn’t on their side…even Cobra doesn’t realize what he’s unleashed and now faces a life of servitude…to MING THE MERCILESS!

Since the first release of this mini-series, I’ve been in awe of what the creative team has delivered. The took old properties, updated them, and combined them in a way that feels both honest and natural. It’s been an experience watching this squad battle the evil that’s been affecting the world and this latest round is no different.

Jeff Parker delivers an entertaining script in the wake of some bleak events. Earth has been invaded, and now its up to our rag tag team of heroes to discover how to remove this figurative cancer that’s now affecting everyone. Through the author’s words a lot happens here, as we enter what feels like the most rushed portion of these festivities. Narration is used to speed up momentum as the entire issue builds toward a proper cliffhanger that’s got me excited. That said, I do wish the title would have been given more room to flesh out the dire situations.

The art by Marc Laming is a triumph and by far, with respect to the text, the best reason to buy into this. Whether he’s tacking a battlefield in London or a cave dedicated to the secrets of The Phantom, this is one illustrator who has a knack for adapting to the needs of the written word. Solid line work combined with a brilliant display of colors by Jordan Boyd give us a treat with a striking barrage of detail.

Kings Watch #4 is a good comic that entertains all the way to its climax. Recommended.

3.5/5