POTIONS INC. #4, from Mad Cave Studios on September 21st, 2022, finds Ran and the twins in hot water when Goras escapes the astral plane and seeks out the other half of the Fordstone. Can the travelers from Primaterra muster enough magic to stop the mad wizard?
The Details
- Written by: Erik Burnham
- Art by: Stelladia
- Colors by: Ian Tags
- Letters by: Micah Myers
- Cover art by: Natasha Alterici
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: September 21, 2022
Is It Good?
POTIONS INC. #4 is a solid entry in the series that sets up a world-ending danger for our young adventurers. The pacing, character work, and story developments hit their mark, but the weak art tempers excitement heading into the finale.
The strength of Burnham’s script is the top-notch character work. All the players have a distinctive voice and style that makes them stand out from the crowd. If the dialog wasn’t accompanied by visuals, you’d still be able to tell who said what, and that’s the mark of great character development. Strong character work makes for great plot development because each character’s actions and reactions seem relatable and believable.
The down point in Burnham’s script is the ease and speed with which Ran’s ally, the police detective, accepts and becomes indoctrinated into a world with magic. She’s supportive to the point of being wise in the ways of magic, which comes too easy twhen she’s had only a day or two to accept magic’s existence. In a mini-series, not every character will get their time to fully develop, and Ran’s police friend is the one crack in an otherwise polished script.
The second down point is the art. The pencils/inks are loos, rough, unpolished, and in a few panels, unfinished. There are several spots where it was tough to tell what was going on in a panel because the art looks like a rough sketch. In fairness, the coloring is excellent, so the art is a mix of good and bad.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Find out how Goras escaped the astral plane in our POTIONS INC. #3 review.
We begin with Ran witnessing a dream that mixes the past when Goras tried to steal Earth’s magic and the future where his friends are in trouble. Suddenly, his police friend wakes Ran up to tell him the twins are gone with the Fordstone fragment.
Elsewhere, the twins, Astreus and Asteria, head to an open market to gather more potion ingredients. Back in Poncelina’s apartment, Goras greedily gulps down food while he waits for Poncelina’s tracking potion to finish brewing. When he downs the potion, he can sense the location of the Fordstone fragment.
Ran senses the twins with the help of magic and his dream while Goras heads to the open market where the twins are shopping. We conclude the issue with a realistic light show, a trap, and a family legacy.
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Final Thoughts
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POTIONS INC. #4 is a solid penultimate issue heading into the finale. The character work is excellent, the stakes rise considerably, and Ran’s status quo gets a shakeup. However, the weak art dampens the overall quality.
Related Information
How many types of potions are there?
There are as many positions as there are combinations of ingredients. In other words, there are a limitless number of potions.
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