Comic Review: Young Justice (2019-) #4

Young Justice #4

DC Comics

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artists: Patrick Gleason & John Timms

Part of the many books that Brian Michael Bendis is writing for DC Comics is a return of the fan-favorite team, Young Justice. Tim Drake, Conner Kent, Bart Allen, and Cassie Sandsmark are back together again just in time for the return of the TV show of the same name. I’m sure that’s why Young Justice is back, but the comic is fun and stands on its own.

In Young Justice #4 most of the team is captive in a dungeon in Gemworld. Most of this issue is a flashback from Amethyst’s point of view about the current situation with Opal and Gemworld. Between the flashback and the present day, there are cuts to Impulse, Superboy, and his family.

This is a fairly straightforward issue. It’s mostly just giving us the background and history for this conflict in Gemworld since Amethyst is a member of Young Justice now. I like the story and the series so far, but it’s been a lot of set-up. Besides Superboy having a wife and kid, nothing too memorable is happening in the story. I’m only vaguely aware of who/what Amethyst and Gemworld are, so this issue kind of helps with identifying them a bit. By the end, the flashbacks wrap back around and leave us where the first issue ends. I don’t think the story in this issue is bad, just very middle-of-the-road, not too hot, and not too cold.

Besides the story being middle-of-the-road, I think the art in this issue is fantastic. In particular, there’s one page of Superboy uppercutting someone that I can’t get over. Everything else is good, but that page really stands out in my mind. I enjoy the general look of Gemworld. We’re not seeing too much of it, but it looks like a pretty standard fantasy setting so far. There are a few panels where I think things get a bit iffy for some background characters. It’s not anything too distracting, though.

I like the art, but even with it, this is still a very average issue for me. The reason for the team coming together has a lot to do with Amethyst and Gemworld. I can see why we need an issue that’s focusing more on that, and this issue serves that purpose. But at the same time, we’re kind of ignoring the new characters of Jinny Hex and the Teen Lantern. And there’s been no elaboration on Superboy’s kid. Those things are coming, I’m sure, but I think they’re more interesting than the politics of Gemworld.