ANTARCTICA #4, Image Comics on 10/18/23, pulls back the curtain on Dr. Curtis’s plan for her parallel Earth.
The Details
- Written by: Simon Birks
- Art by: Willi Roberts
- Colors by: Willi Roberts
- Letters by: Lyndon White
- Cover art by: Willi Roberts (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: October 18, 2023
Is ANTARCTICA #4 Good?
We’ve mildly praised this series in the reviews for Simon Birk’s grounded, atmospheric sci-fi approach to a daughter’s grief. However, the consistent nagging point was the lack of information about how the Earths are linked, what the “other” Hannah wanted, and the direction of the story. While ANTARCTICA #4 isn’t perfect, Birks fills in some blanks to give the story badly needed context.
When last we left Hannah and her friends, they were desperately trying to escape Dr. Cutris’s seemingly murderous intentions while searching for a way back home. Now, encounters with assorted doppelgangers convince some enemies to become frenemies, letting slip some details of the grander plan.
As a bonus, this issue is possibly the fastest and most urgent issue in the mini-series to date. You get lots of action, people die, a ticking clock (of sorts) creates a mild sense of urgency, and the stakes once spelled out, are global. As penultimate issues go, Birks certainly kicks this one into high gear.
What’s great about ANTARCTICA #4? Birks’s pace and action make this issue a thrill ride. Once the realization of what’s at stake dawns on Hannah and her friends, the race is on to stop the doppelgangers before they end life as we know it.
What’s not so great about ANTARCTICA #4? For all the good this issue does to fill in some gaps and provide much-needed context, there are still plenty of gaps left unanswered that make the story feel incomplete. What does Hannah’s father have to do with any of this? How did Hannah and her friends “accidentally” reach the other Earth? How is Dr. Curtis’s plan logistically possible with 17 Billion people? With one issue left to go, the probability of rushing and mountains of exposition is high.
How’s the art? The art is great. Willi Roberts has one of the best styles for creating realistic figures that don’t look like referenced figures (yes, that’s a compliment). The cat-and-mouse games played by the opponents aboard the research station are entertainingly choreographed, and the coloring work is laser-precise.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s ANTARCTICA #4 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our ANTARCTICA #3 review to find out what happened when Hannah infiltrated the enemy base.
We begin with Matteo mourning Phillip after the latter was murdered by one of Dr. Curtis’s lieutenants. Matteo fires back in a rage, killing the lieutenant. Turnbridge helps Matteo up to quickly escape into the bowels of the base.
Meanwhile, Dr. Curtis questions Hannah about the number of allies she has sneaking around the base. Hannah brings up the topic of “their” father, sending Dr. Curtis into a rage. Hannah recalls the last words she said to her father before he left, giving Hannah a brief moment of empathy with Dr. Curtis.
We conclude the issue with an explanation of population movement, power creation, and a plan set in motion.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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ANTARCTICA #4 presents a fast-paced, riveting penultimate issue where the stakes and grand plan of Dr. Curtis finally come into focus. Birks’s pacing will hook you, and Roberts’s cinematic art is outstanding.
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