BLOWTORCH #4 – Review

BLOWTORCH #4, from Second Sight Publishing on March 16th, 2022, throws Richard’s road trip for a loop when his car gets stolen by thugs working for a very dangerous drug gang.

The Details

• Written By: Alex De-Gruchy, Alfred Paige
• Art By: J.C. Grande
• Letters By: Saida Temofonte
• Cover Art By: Ray Racho
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: March 16, 2022

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Was It Good?

BLOWTORCH #4 is the bare-knuckled, rough and tumble, gritty, bloody crime thriller your macho heart desires. If that description doesn’t tell you what this is all about and whether or not you’ll like it, I don’t know what to tell you.

We’re picking up in the middle of this arc, so you’re encouraged to go back and get the earlier issues if this sounds like your cup of tea.

Richard, our protagonist, is a lethal ex-military mercenary who wears a full-face mask to cover his horrific scars when he’s out in public. We catch up with Richard on the way home from his uncle’s familiar when he runs across some unsavory characters who don’t know they’ve just messed with the wrong hombre.

The premise sounds simple because it is. Hero minds his own business, arrogant thugs think they have an easy mark, and super violent shenanigans follow. It’s as simple as can be, but De-Gruchy and Paige lay it out with clean efficiency and savage brutality. This issue is remarkable in how well it encapsulates everything you need to know about the main character and the villains placed in his path without the need for ponderous exposition or backstory.

For a B&W comic, the art is above-average. The linework is solid. The character designs are memorable. And, the action is energetic. that said, B&W relies on the quality of shading and light source execution with grey tones. Thankfully, the grey tones are done exceptionally well here. The lines could be tighter and cleaner, but the light source shading is impressive.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

We begin with Richard on a long road trip home after attending his uncle’s funeral. The drive will take multiple days, so he’s chosen to stick to night driving to avoid attracting attention. When he stops at a lonely gas station, that’s when the trouble begins.

Two thugs hanging out in the parking lot see Richard’s vehicle and decide to steal it. When they speed away, Richard questions the cashier who seems to know where they live. Richard tracks his vehicle to a nearby farm where a gang runs a meth lab.

We conclude the issue with flying bullets, cracked skulls, torture, and a cliffhanger.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.

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