PROJECT RIESE #4, by Mad Cave Studios on 11/8/23, gets wilder and weirder when Sam and his fortune hunters encounter a race of alien cyborg zombies who only want to be left in peace.
The Details
- Written by: Zac Thompson
- Art by: Jeff McComsey
- Colors by: Paul Little
- Letters by: Justin Birch
- Cover art by: Jeff McComsey
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: November 8, 2023
Is PROJECT RIESE #4 Good?
“Wilder and Weirder” is right. We’re starting to notice a pattern in Zac Thompson’s writing that may or may not work for some readers – start with an intriguing idea, then devolve into chaos with increasing rapidity in each successive issue. You don’t have to partake in recreational chemicals to enjoy this story, but it helps.
When last we left Sam and his treasure-hunting friends, they fought off sentient cyborg dolphins with “lasers,” fell several levels of waterlogged caverns, and eventually found the mythical treasure train they sought, but an accidental ringing of a giant bell-shaped device through the cavern into pandemonium. Now, the gravity-defying null space snatched away the gold train, leaving Sam and his friends face to face with inhuman, cybernetically enhanced, alien-type people who are the genetically constructed offspring of an underground being known simply as Gott. The story gets weirder from there.
Look, we’re not saying Zac Thompson uses chemical help in dreaming up the increasingly bizarre plot developments in this mini-series, but we’re also NOT not saying Zac Thompson uses chemical help in dreaming up the increasingly bizarre plot developments. There’s a fine line between creativity and fevered hallucination, and this issue crosses that line more than once.
What’s great about PROJECT RIESE #4? Well, it’s certainly original, so bonus points for creativity.
What’s not so great about PROJECT RIESE #4? Admittedly, only a select few readers will enjoy a comic that reads like a rejected pitch for a late-night made-for-cable TV movie on the SyFy channel. This series has entered the “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” subgenre.
How’s the art? The art is fine. It doesn’t hold up to Big 2 levels of quality, but it gets the job done.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s PROJECT RIESE #4 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our PROJECT RIESE #3 review to find out how the team dealt with those pesky robo-dolphins.
We begin with Sam and his amazing treasure-hunting friends suddenly tumbling through the white void of null space. They land hard on the ground back in the cavern where they found the gold train, but the train is now gone. Tensions among the group run high, and squabbling commences. Suddenly, a group of cybernetically enhanced aliens emerge from an adjacent room to take everyone captive.
Later, the alien leader orders everyone released after explaining he only sought to protect his people from the Baron and his Nazis. The alien leader, Nobo, explains they were created during WWII by the Nazis in biological experiments using pieces of their “father,” a massive sentient being that used to reside in one of the upper levels of the caves inside a giant, egg-shaped structure. Nobo asks for Sam’s help to kill the Baron so the aliens may be left in peace.
We conclude the issue with miraculous weapons, deadly firefights, and betrayal.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
PROJECT RIESE #4 is a wild, weird, and increasingly psychedelic development in the treasure-hunting adventure. Reading more like a low-budget SyFy channel movie (complete with bad CGI), you may want to get your buzz on before diving in to maximize the possibility of being entertained.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.