Black Market #4 Review

Can this amazing series end on a high? Or will it fizzle out on the final hurdle? Read on to find out.

The official description from BOOM! Studios:

Everything’s looking up for Ray—he’s off the hook for the murder of Hotspot, the crooked cops aiming to blackmail him have been framed and incarcerated, and he finally has enough money to afford treatment for his wife’s M.S. diagnosis. So why do all of those problems pale in comparison to the “favor” that he now owes Biochem: kidnapping the world’s strongest hero, Ultra?

Having been sensational throughout I’m kind of saddened to see Black Market come to an end. But on a more practical stance, it’s always better to get something short and sweet, than long and dull. Ending on a monumentus high, this series manages to capitalize off every single development point, with the final product being jaw-droppingly good.

Frank Barbiere leaves the best to last in this gripping tale, with the twists and revelations in this issue blowing my mind. Though the back and forth jump in timeline has caused some confusion for me personally throughout this tale, I felt it gave great depth in this final issue, with it showing just how well thought out this tale is. The intensity in Barbiere’s script also really stood out, with the emotion and action oozing with awesomeness. Rounding things up, we are also treated to a definitive end to the story, as though it’s done in a way where Barbiere could continue, it doesn’t leave fans wondering what happens next.

Victor Santos has also left his best till last, with his artwork across this issue being phenomenal. Having very deep, and engaging layouts, Santos really allows the reader to get dragged into this world, with every panel being captivating. He also manages to give a very dynamic flow, with the emotion and action popping out of the page. Helping to enhance the definition of Santo’s art we once again get fantastic colours from Adam Metcalfe, with the mixture of bold and dark colours giving extra tone.

Black Market as a whole has been a phenomenal series, but it has certainly ended on a high, with this quite possibly being Frank Barbiere’s best individual issue. Having both great action, and gripping revelations the issue manages to tie up every loose end, with the emotion throughout being utterly enthralling. Due to all these reasons I highly recommend this issue, and the series as a whole.