Real Heroes #4 Review


So it’s been a while but Real Heroes #4 marks a return for the mini-series. This was a series I struggled with, as it had plenty of good and bad elements, so how is it shaping up now it’s pushed past the half-way point?

The official description from Image:

The cast of The Olympians movies has been taken to a world where their fi ction is a reality. Asked to save the world, they were scattered and terrified as the Mutants and Brainchild came for them. Now the awful truth about this world and its heroes is revealed as the Devastators come to rip the Earth apart.

Real Heroes 4This issue fixes some of the concerns I had previously, but also plays into some of them. On the whole, I still think the angle of people living up their roles – or ‘superheroes vs reality’ – is a tried and tested format, but the changes in this issue certainly help put it in a slightly new light. One could argue that it’s offering a critique on the nature of a superhero but, honestly, I think their just trying to offer a fun romp.

If there’s one thing that saves this issue, it’s the writing. Bryan Hitch offers a script that challenges the superhero concept gently but, more importantly, spins the current story on it’s head. This helps shake things up and provide the sense of urgency and panic that was somewhat needed in this title. Admittedly, the revelations may come across as a little silly, but I think that’s part of the atmosphere Hitch was going for; tense, but not overtly serious all the time. Isn’t that what superheroes are about, anyway?

Visually, Hitch’s pencils add plenty of detail, but there isn’t anything we haven’t seen already. This limits the appeal of the pencils, but the colors from Jeremy Cox and Laura Martin do a good job adding some fresh appeal. Sure, there’s a lot of blues and oranges, but there are a few other dabs of additional color that give me hope for this series.

In short, this is an improvement, but there are ways to go. I am enjoying it, but you can’t help feeling a title like this could be much more.

OUR RATING
6
  • + Plenty of drama!
  • + The plot gets kickstarted again!
  • - Nothing new to really look at
  • - Feels like it's holding back

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