Reviewer: Mathan “This is really irking me†Erhardt
Story title: 4Play
Written by: David Tischman
Penciled and Inked by: Timothy Green
Lettered by: Phil Balsman
Colored by: Avalon Studios
Editor: Joan Hilty
Publisher: DC Focus/DC Comics
So, four high school buds found some battle armor and split it amongst themselves. Trent took the boots, for flying, Ford has the impenetrable chest plate, Mike has the power gauntlets that shoot plasma blasts, and Pete’s got the helmet with all sorts of powers. Basically, it’s like if four people shared the Iron Man suit.
The issue begins with Trent flying above Philly. Unfortunately for him, Burke, a covert ops type guy who has another version of the armor all to himself, is following him. Since Burke has the whole armor to himself, he takes Trent down easily. But when Trent gets a chance to escape he takes it, thus saving his life.
We then find Ford, the ex con who was clean and sober, with a killer hangover. Ford listens to his boss leaving a message telling him that he’s fired. He’s in a pretty bad way.
Then we got to Pete finding Trent who passed out in an alley after making his escape.
Meanwhile, Mike goes to get his power gauntlets tuned up by the local electronic wiz. But the wiz is suspicious of Mike and makes a phone call after Mike leaves. But Mike is suspicious of the wiz and catches him making the call. Mike then bashes the wiz’s head in.
Trent awakens in Pete’s mom’s house. Then he begins to put the pieces together. Then he realizes that his ex wife is in danger. Flash to Burke who is using the helmet’s database to find out everything he can about Trent.
Trent tries to convince Janey to get out of town, with out really explaining everything, which doesn’t bode well for his planned reconciliation. Eventually he convinces her. Then he finds a pair of wine glasses one with her lipstick and one without. That really doesn’t bode well for his planned reconciliation.
Trent comes up with at plan to get Pete, Ford, Mike and himself all in the same house, and it requires lying. When they arrive they are at each other’s throats, but they clear everything up just in time for the house to explode. To be continued.
Tischman is telling one of my favorite stories out now. All of the different characters feel so real. Mike is really scary. Trent is pretty likeable, Ford is pitiful, and Pete has his heart in the right place. Plus you add the subplot about Mike and Trent’s ex-wife, and the cop on the trail of the suit, and you have a deeply layered book. The scene between Trent and his ex broke my heart, but the scene with Pete standing up to his mom made me smile. I’m really going to miss this book.
Let me put it bluntly; Timothy Green is a talented artist, and if you don’t think so, you’re an idiot. His facial expressions are so dead on. The fear on the shop owners face on pages 9 & 10 is real, as is Trent’s look of fear on page 11, when he realizes that his wife is in danger. The battle between Burke and Trent, no matter how one-sided, made me feel sore. And the headshots on page 12 are pretty funny. Like I said, Green is a talent. I can’t wait to see what he gives us next month.
