Review: A-FORCE #4

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A-FORCE #4
Written By Marguerite Bennett and G. Willow Wilson
Art by Jorge Molina and Laura Martin
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: September 9, 2015

After finding out Arcadia has a traitor in its midst from the previous issue, it doesn’t take much to put clues together in the first few pages of this issue. After briefly laying some emotional scars to rest, our leading ladies mount a mighty assault on their conspirator, letting loose their fury and grief. Soon, everyone, even the Thors, are on the same page, and they attempt to apprehend their power hungry former ally. Yet, she has one last gambit, knocking a hole through Arcadia’s bordering shield and leaving them at the mercy of the Walking Dead Marvel Zombies.

So, saying the stakes were raised in this issue is a vast understatement. We’ve dealt with some obvious emotional trauma since America was banished to the shield, even though the story of Arcadia began rather sunny and bright. This issue brings all of that pain to the forefront, driving the women of Arcadia to fight fiercely for their home and the people they love against someone they trusted. A-Force #4 is the very epitome of an explosive penultimate chapter, and I fear that all bets may be off in next month’s issue.

At this point, I most certainly trust Marguerite Bennett and G. Willow Wilson with any character now. The way they work together as writers creates such an astounding dynamic that manages to flesh out characters and their personalities within the span of a few pages. I’m essentially making a list of who I want them to write, because I have zero doubts they can pull it off based on this issue. Capturing regret, loss, joy, innocence, intensity, and desperation is no easy feat in such a brief medium. Yet, Bennett and Wilson convey such a wide array of humanity without skipping a beat.

Jorge Molina and Laura Martin construct some absolutely stellar action scenes. This kind of action packed issue is my favorite kind of comic. I’m a sucker for emotional stories and development, but nothing beats heroes and villains with power on full display for me. There are some excellent punches thrown and everyone gets to showcase her unique abilities, whether fueled by incredible green muscle or ancient Asgardian magic. Molina and Martin also create some incredibly evocative and moving scenes between our characters, particularly in the opening panels.

Sif, Gamora, and Valkyrie are excellent additions to this story and it’s awesome to see them again. I think it fits that they would be the Thors on the front lines in Arcadia, but they also show that the Thors aren’t a basically homogenous group. They have a much more independent and powerful image, something that speaks to their presence among the ranks of Doom’s military force.

This series got me excited when news first broke, and I’m saddened to see it go in the next issue. Still, we have an on-going to look forward to and this issue makes me even more ecstatic to read it. Now, there will be much more space to tell larger stories, and this miniseries is laying the blueprint for a wonderful ride. With G. Willow Wilson staying at the helm, we are definitely going to get some great stories. Until then, let’s wait and see how our Marvelous superheroines deal with a horde of zombies.

The Verdict: 9.5/10

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