DISNEY VILLAINS: MALEFICENT #4, from Dynamite Comics on 8/16/23, brings a squad of armed soldiers to Maleficent’s domain, seeking revenge for Prince Reynaud.
The Details
- Written by: Soo Lee
- Art by: Soo Lee
- Colors by: Soo Lee
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Jae Lee, June Chung
- Comic Rating: All Ages
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: August 16, 2023
Is It Good?
DISNEY VILLAINS: MALEFICENT #4 takes a step back and points in the right direction after issue #3’s bizarre issue that spent almost the entire comic showing a bird flying over the forest. Issue #4 makes the same bizarre move (lingering shots that go on for multiple pages), but there’s at least a little bit of story to tell you something is happening, so that’s an improvement.
When last we left Maleficient, she sent her bird familiar to scout the forest. The bird flew and flew and flew and flew and escaped the clutches of a hungry wildcat and flew some more. Now, Maleficent sends the bird out again to spy on a group of approaching soldiers sent by the King to arrest Maleficent to avenge Prince Reynaud.
Again, there’s definitely a little more meat on the bone in DISNEY VILLAINS: MALEFICENT #4 compared to issue #3, but a lot of page space is taken up (wasted?) with long lingering progressions of panels showing Maleficent walking or her bird flying. You’ve been warned.
What’s great about this comic? Bluntly, Soo Lee’s ethereal art is gorgeous. Despite the criticism about lingering progressions of panels, this comic is a stunning presentation of fantasy art. The panel constructions and transitions move with the fluidity of a majestic film.
What’s not so great about this comic? Well, the cat’s out of the bag on that one. A 22-page comic that only has about five pages worth of story is a no-no. It’s unclear if Soo Lee just didn’t have an idea big enough to flesh out the number of issues, or Soo Lee simply made an odd creative choice, but the net result is that you’re paying the full cover price for an art portfolio and the next chapter in a very short story.
How’s the art? Portfolio or not, Soo Lee’s art is gorgeous. Nearly every panel is a wall-worthy work of art, so if you just want the comic for the pretty pictures, you’ll be satisfied.
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]
Check out our DISNEY VILLAINS: MALEFICENT #3 review to find out what a flying bird looks like.
We begin with Maleficent thinking, pondering, and considering how quiet it’s been lately. She sends out her familiar to scout the surrounding forest to search for interlopers. The bird flies, soars, and flies some more until it spots a squad of soldiers headed toward Maleficent’s castle.
The soldiers have come to arrest Maleficent on the King’s order in retaliation for Prince Reynaud. When the soldiers approach the treeline of the Dark Woods, they’re met by a score of goblins and dark creatures. The soldiers make quick work of the beasties, but Maleficent arrives to address the soldiers personally.
We conclude the issue with a retreat, an advance, and a new kind of prison.
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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DISNEY VILLAINS: MALEFICENT #4 improves on issue #3 by telling the equivalent of a short story peppered throughout multiple pages of people walking, horses running, and birds flying. The art is sumptuous, but you’re paying for the equivalent of an art portfolio with a little story in the middle.
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