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The Black Beetle #4
Publisher: Dark Horse
Writer: Francesco Francavilla
Artist: Francesco Francavilla
The word masterpiece is probably overused, like everything else these days. This series, however, is indeed worthy of that praise. We’ve watched as the Black Beetle has tried to figure out who is behind certain criminal activities, and also who was behind the explosion that rocked the first issue. The reason for the explosion, and who it actually killed is up for debate. Well, in this final issue, these questions will be put to rest!
As this mini-series has moved forward, it’s become very evident that the criminals in this city had been running wild before the Black Beetle surfaced. He’s only one man, so it’ll take time, but it seems that he’s slowly but surely making a dent in the crime. This lone force for good against all odds isn’t a new concept, but when you throw it in a pulp/noir book, with the art of Francavilla telling the story through illustration, you’ve got a winner.
All the typical criminal types aside, there’s also Labyrinto. He’s a villain that reminds you slightly of the Riddler (because of his costume), but is very dangerous and capable of taking out the Black Beetle. This element of the story is what gives it its ultimate edge over anything else on the shelves right now. A multifaceted story with a tremendously talented artist sounds too good to be true, but pick this book up and you’ll find out it’s possible!
This is one of the few series that is going to be collected, and should be bought that way even if you’ve grabbed all the singles. Why? Because not only will it read even better as a compilation, but there will undoubtedly be more content in the trade/HC, like extra artwork, etc. If you can find the back issues, get them, but if not, look for the trade later this summer from Dark Horse Comics!  Rating  5/5



Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net