Comic Review: Strange Adventures (2020-) #4

Strange Adventures (2020-) #4

DC Comics

Writer: Tom King

Artists: Mitch Gerads & Evan “Doc” Shaner

Strange Adventures is a series with something to hide. The tension is rising with every issue, and the situation is getting more complex. The story is unraveling slowly, and there’s much that is still to be uncovered. How long until things come crashing down? Only time will tell.

Adam Strange is still under fire as the scandal about him continues, with Mr. Terrific leading the investigation. In this issue, we get to see Mr. Terrific in full detective mode as he arrives at the planet Rann. There, he researches the planet’s history involving the war on the Pykkts, which Adam Strange was directly involved with. Mr. Terrific is welcomed to Rann warmly, but the niceties come off as suspicious. As he makes progress in the investigation, some red flags begin to show themselves.

Meanwhile, Adam Strange is desperately trying to return to Rann to aid in the war. He seeks out the help of some of DC’s biggest heroes, but they are hesitant to help given Strange’s controversy. I enjoy Adam Strange’s plotline in this series because he’s not just trying to clear his name, he genuinely wants to protect the people of Rann as well. Seeing Strange still continue to try and be a hero amidst this crisis creates complex feelings. I think he is probably in the wrong, but he also doesn’t come off as a bad person. This will likely create more conflict as the series progresses.

This series is a slow burn, which isn’t uncommon for Tom King. That’s not always a bad thing though, and I think it really helps to set the tone for this series. The story is being unraveled very meticulously, and while I appreciate how things are unfolding, I can’t help but think that this will read better in trade than through monthly installments. Mr. Terrific is slowly conducting his investigation, and he is a force to be reckoned with. I wasn’t familiar with his character before reading this series, but he is fantastic and he’s carrying a lot of the story. Seeing him come closer to breaking this case is enough to keep me invested, and I can’t wait to see things come to a head.

The artwork in this series is gorgeous. The futuristic cities of Rann are reminiscent of Coruscant from the Star Wars franchise. Lens flares and chromatic aberration are used frequently, all of which are visually striking. The artwork that stood out the most to me in this issue is Evan “Doc” Shaner’s drawings of certain Justice League heroes that make appearances. They are drawn so smooth and colorful, helping to show the morally-just, favored heroes juxtaposed to the worn-down Adam Strange.

Strange Adventures is making slow progress, but I’m fully invested in seeing what comes of this story. Mr. Terrific is becoming a strong main character, and Adam Strange is a protagonist shrouded in mystery in a way that I’m never sure how to feel about him. There’s a lot of mystery concerning character motives and the course of events, but Mr. Terrific’s going to get to the bottom of it, and he’s not letting anything get in his way.

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Read Strange Adventures #4 at Comixology