MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE: WITCH TRIAL #4, by Scout Comics on 12/20/23, puts Ortensia Thomas at the crossroads of Armageddon when she’s forced to decide her fate as the Angel of Death.
The Details
- Written by: Louis Southard
- Art by: Butch Mapa
- Colors by: Sean Peacock
- Letters by: Buddy Beaudoin
- Cover art by: Julianne Griepp
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: December 20, 2023
Is MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE: WITCH TRIAL #4 Good?
Let’s be honest. Who HASN’T been upset by the news that they’re fated to be the harbinger of death at least once in their lives? No? Really? Well, it’s no picnic. That’s for sure. See for yourself in MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE: WITCH TRIAL #4 by Louis Southard.
When last we left Ortensia Thomas, she learned the truth about Corson as a soul-taking demon who set his sights on her. Sarah unleashed magical fury to stop Corson and buy Ortensia enough time to escape, paying the price with her life. Now, Ortensia awakes in the care of the Plague Doctor, who turns out to be much older and more knowledgeable about Ortensia’s destiny than she suspected.
Southard’s latest entry in Ortensia’s origin story spans millennia and continents, so be prepared for heaps of backstory and exposition that fills in the blanks about Ortensia’s life. After this issue, you’ll have a greater understanding of the burden the magical monster hunter carries with her every day.
What’s great about MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE: WITCH TRIAL #4? Readers itching to know the big secret that makes Ortensia a moody monster hunter get all they could want in this issue. Southard lays out an interesting prophecy, clear motivations for Sarah, the Plague Doctor, and Corson, and an open question about Ortensia’s future that paves the way for a much larger conflict.
What’s not so great about MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE: WITCH TRIAL #4? After the banger of a magic battle in issue #3, the pace slows considerably here in a dialog-heavy issue, primarily focused on Ortensia yelling at everyone to leave her alone. Ortensia’s reaction may be on-brand for a seventeen-year-old girl lashing out, but it doesn’t necessarily make for compelling storytelling.
How’s the art? Butch Mapa gets a chance to flex some creative muscles during a flashback to ancient Egypt. The Egyptian sets and costumes look great, and the scenes in Ortensia’s present are visually solid.
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What’s MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE: WITCH TRIAL #4 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE: WITCH TRIAL #3 review to find out what happened to Sarah.
We begin with a flashback to ancient Egypt. A sorcerer named Djedi emerges from a communal trance, where he learns the end of all life will be brought by an undead girl named Ortensia.
In the present, Ortensia wakes up after the fight with Corson to find she’s far from home and in the care of the Plague Doctor. The Plague Doctor is Djedi, and he hurries Ortensia to prepare for an escape before Corson finds her again. He shows Ortensia a vision of her future as the Angel of Death, but Ortnesia rejects the vision and runs away.
We conclude the issue with old enemies debating, a new friend listening, and a fashion choice.
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Final Thoughts
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MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE: WITCH TRIAL #4 takes a break from the action to reveal the origin of Ortensia’s fate and the forces competing to control her. Southard’s dialog-heavy issue fills in many of the blank spots of Ortensia’s past to set the stage for a long and danger-filled future.
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