Johanna's Noble Causes: Distant Relatives #4 Review

Noble Causes: Distant Relatives #4

(Due out 12/3)



















Noble Causes: Distant Relatives #4 (of 4)
Story: Jay Faerber
Art: Andres Ponce
Cover: Ian Richardson
Image Comics, 32 black-and-white pages, $2.95
http://www.jayfaerber.com

The miniseries concludes with yelling, fighting, and a surprising amount 
of resolution. Most of the characters get a happy ending of one sort or 
another, even if it's not the one the reader or the character expected. 
It's not surprising to see all the loose ends tied up, since the future 
of the book seemed in doubt. The switch to black-and-white suggested 
lower sales than needed to continue. 

However, the author's note shows how jumping to such conclusions can be 
fallacious. That text piece has some good insight into how non-creative 
factors, like sales, affect creative decisions, but most importantly, it 
promises a new ongoing series next year. Hopefully, that new start will 
draw the book the attention it deserves. 

The backup story this issue (art by Ethen Beavers in an Oeming-like 
style) is about Gretchen, a hooker who dresses up as superheroine Zephyr 
for Krennick. It takes the series full circle. The appeal of the 
original issues was the glamorous superhero life seen through the eyes 
of a normal girl, brought into the family because of love. This piece is 
the flip side, a girl involved because of commerce and fear. The last 
panel is enigmatic and thought-provoking, an interesting choice for the 
end of the series (for now). 

Well, not quite. There are three more traditional superhero group pinups 
that conclude the book that look like they'll be solid entries in the 
artists' portfolios.

-- 
Johanna Draper Carlson             
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