So, the end of the crossover between The Rocketeer and The Spirit is here. It’s had a few ups and downs but its mostly came out on top, so how does Pulp Friction #4 end things?

The official description from IDW:

In Central City, Denny and Cliff, AKA The Spirit and The Rocketeer, are on the trail of a deviously dangerous, glove-wearing foe—but will they be able to unravel the web of mystery and intrigue they have become embroiled in? Find out in the grand finale of Pulp Friction, as two timeless characters finally discover the truth… or do they? Bonus! What happens to our hapless heroines, Betty and Ellen?

I remember not liking this mini-series when it first started, but this last issue is very good at proving me wrong. The whole issue reads smoothly, even managing to appear larger and longer than it actually is. There is plenty on offer here, providing a vastly satisfying conclusion. As a four-part story goes, there are enough threads and sub plots to give plenty of depth and everything is generally address in turn here – nothing is simply hidden or dropped along the way.

Mark Waid writes some excellent dialogue in Pulp Friction #4, with both the Rocketeer and The Spirit having their own personalities shine through. Of course, there are a fair few ‘buddy moments’, but Waid ensures the differences are just as important as the similarities by the end.

Visually, there is the usual offering of J Bone’s art and Rom Fajardo’s colors, so preferences will be similar to the previous 3 installments. Still, it nothing gets lost in the more complicated panels and the issue manages to move smoothly. The use of color also helps, although it does focus on browns, oranges and blacks in part.

All in all, however, its hard to find any major fault worth complaining about. The potential for future cross-over events is always there but, as a one-off, this is more than enough for now.

4.5/5