Written by: Joanne Starer
Artwork by: Natacha BustosColors by: Tamra BonvillainLetters by: Ariana MaherCover artwork by: Terry Dodson, Rachel DodsonCover worth: $3.99Release date: December 5, 2023
Hearth & Ice: Welcome To Smallville #4 ventures deeper into slice-of-life territory with Drag Present brunches, random romances, and cannibalism.Is Hearth & Ice: Welcome To Smallville #4 Good?
Sure, you learn that description accurately, but when the phrase that jumps out at you probably the most is “random romances,” we could have to have a one-on-one chat about getting you some counseling. Hearth & Ice: Welcome To Smallville #4 continues Joanne Starer’s more and more weird downward spiral into one thing. I simply do not know what.
When final we left Hearth and Ice, Jimmy Olsen changed into an enormous turtle monster, however Honey was capable of glamour Jimmy sufficient to alter again. In the meantime, Gina ate Beefeater.
[pause for understandable confusion]
Now, Hearth and Ice are at odds over the mess Hearth made, so Martha Kent individually invitations them to brunch at Smallville’s native Drag Membership to get them in a room collectively to work out their distinction. Elsewhere, Lobo reveals as much as get in on the Reforming Villains actuality present, Rocky begins getting obsessive over Ice, and Honey locks lips with Roxy.
When you’re questioning what occurred to all of the villains, Hearth “relocated” them to a cave on the outskirts of Smallville, guarded by Krypto the Superdog.
In comparison with the earlier three points, this one feels probably the most random and least linked to the rest occurring. The center of the story stays the character deadlock between Hearth and Ice over the circumstances of their banishment and the place the friendship goes when they look like headed in numerous instructions.
When you’re all in on this collection for the Junior Excessive degree of maturity and drama Starer is growing between Hearth and Ice, you may get extra of the identical. Sadly, that emotional coronary heart is the one advantage of this comedian.
What’s nice about Hearth & Ice: Welcome To Smallville #4? The emotional drama between Hearth and Ice is relatable and candy, regardless of their uncharacteristic lack of maturity and inconsistent personalities each show in comparison with any earlier incarnations. Starer definitely has a knack for YA drama.
What’s not so nice about Hearth & Ice: Welcome To Smallville #4? All the things else surrounding the YA drama falls aside like a home of playing cards in a gentle breeze. Lobo’s look is not sensible and has no pertinence to what we’ll laughably name a plot. The immature nature of virtually each character displays a author who did not do any analysis earlier than placing pen to paper.
In all, the story goes nowhere as a result of YA slice-of-life is not purported to be going wherever, however I want Starer did not make a multitude of the characters within the course of.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Writer & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics evaluation web site devoted to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Items:
Hearth & Ice: Welcome To Smallville #4 loosely tries to mix wacky superhero antics in a YA slice-of-drama, and it would not fairly work. Starer’s grasp on the juvenile drama between Hearth and Ice feels considerably genuine in the event that they have been anybody else, however the random developments and wildly misplaced character work quantity to nothing however noise.
4/10