PRAIRIE GODS #4, by Mad Cave Studios on 1/8/25, returns to Broadacres when a persistent treasure hunter with a lot of cash and a lot of soldiers won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
Credits:
- Writer: Shane Connery Volk
- Artist: Shane Connery Volk
- Colorist: Shane Connery Volk
- Letterer: Becca Carey
- Cover Artist: Shane Connery Volk
- Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
- Release Date: January 8, 2025
- Comic Rating: Mature (language)
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of PRAIRIE GODS #4:
Plot Analysis:
Prairie Gods #4 begins with a brief prologue in 1877. A pair of miners narrowly escape a mine explosion. The all-too-familiar and seemingly immortal Sheriff of the series just so happens to be present when the miners emerge, and he’s eager to hear their story.
In the present, wealthy and unscrupulous treasure hunter Aldrich Blake enters the Silver Saloon on a snowy night in Broadacres. He approaches the saloon owner, Anna, with a proposition. Treasure hunters have visited the mines Anna’s father owned over many years, convinced a massive treasure waits. Many have died in the search, but all have failed. Blake came close to finding the treasure, guided by Anna’s father, but now he’s returned with more money and muscle to finish the search.
All Anna has to do is guide him to his target in exchange for a large case full of cash.
Despite her initial refusal, Anna meets Blake the next evening at the entrance of the mine. The slow walk through off-limits areas puts the team on edge, especially when they hear noises that don’t sound natural. When they reach the spot Blake sought, Anna shows the team the collapsed tunnel and urges everyone to turn back. Blake, however, knows better, and he proves it by firing his gun at the stone blockage, resulting in a metallic sound that shouldn’t come from stone.
Blake rushes to the source of the metallic sound and finds a door. Anna screams for him to leave it be, but Blake’s greed can’t be stopped. The issue ends with truth stranger than fiction, the next report in a long series of reports, and a vow to solve a very problem.
First Impressions:
It’s hard not to love an intentionally mysterious story with a spooky twist that’s satisfying and has an ending you won’t see coming. Prairie Gods #4 continues to impress as Shane Connery Volk dreams up weird Twilight Zone-ish one-shots around the mysterious town of Broadacres for a thoroughly entertaining issue.
Artwork and Presentation:
Connery Volk pulls double duty as writer and artist for an issue that seamlessly marries art and scrip. As a result, the issue’s creepy atmosphere elevates the tale’s effectiveness tenfold. Connery Volk’s use of texture, lighting, and shadow amp up the creepiness by leaps and bound
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
The success or failure of tales like Prairie Gods #4 lies in the strength of the twist ending. A weak twist just won’t do. Thankfully, Shane Connery Volk gives readers a surprise ending that’s wholly unexpected. As a bonus, the ending provides a little connective tissue to the previous issues, but we can’t say anything more without spoiling it.
The Negatives:
As the smallest of nitpicks, the downside is the way Shane Connery Volk uses bright lights during the scenes where the characters wield flashlights. In a few panels, the harsh contrast made it mildly difficult to make out what was happening. That said, this is a minor quibble that doesn’t detract from the story significantly.
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
According to the solicit information, Prairie Gods #5 will be the last issue in the series. If true, we sincerely hope Shane Connery Volk finds a way to unpack the mystery behind the town’s mysterious Sheriff before exiting. Better still, we hope Mad Cave can convince Connery Volk to come back for a second volume.
Final Thoughts:
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PRAIRIE GODS #4 delivers a thoroughly entertaining one-and-done story about a greedy treasure hunter who gets more than he bargained for when he pays for a special tour of the town mines. Shane Connery Volk’s Twilight Zone-inspired story and atmospheric art are just the ticket for readers looking for something creepy.
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