God Hates Astronauts #4 Review

How many other titles have crab people and a king tiger? God Hates Astronauts #4 has all of that, but so did the last 3 issues. While it’s certainly funny and enjoyable, what can this title do to stay fresh?

The official description from Image:

The invasion of King Tiger Eating a Cheeseburger’s space crab army is about to begin! I sure hope all those crappy NASA “superheroes” are ready to save the Earth. Oh, spoiler alert—THEY AREN’T!

Don’t get me wrong, this comic is funny and entertaining from start to finish. Yet it feels alittle shallow in parts, especially on repeat readings. There’s plenty to read and get into, but it’s not deep enough to last subsequent reviewing. It looks good and has some laughs but it all feels the same.

If I have one major gripe, it’s that the plot is so slow. The invasion has yet to happen and that was teased in issue #1. Ryan Browne goes into so much depth, it does get in the way of the narrative but, hey, it’s a fun ride. Browne’s sense of humour is fantastic – quirky and bizarre, but fantastic – yet many of the jokes here feel like their riffing off of old jokes. The trick is, however, the fact they’re not old jokes. While they may be recent in terms of plot, this is a monthly comic and it makes even a few issues ago feel like an ancient chapter.

Visually, God Hates Astronauts #4 still has plenty to offer. Browne’s artwork complements his quirky writing style, with a strong talent for overreactive facial expressions. It’s these little touches and the sheer amount of detail that helps sell the world of God Hates Astronauts. It’s silly, a little camp and very much humourus in tone and Browne’s art – alongside the vibrant colors of Jordan Boyd – helps to really sell this side of the title.

All in all, it’s not a bad entry but I’m really looking forward to the next issue. The fifth installment looks like it could offer something more substantial in the way of plot, with hopefully the same amount of laughs.