SUICIDE JOCKEYS #4, available from Source Point Press on December 1st, 2021, ticks down the timer as Denver’s play to break Lannard out of prison for the sake of fixing the time engine puts the team in a standoff against the authorities.
The Details
- Written By: Rylend Grant
- Art By: Davi Leon Dias
- Colors By: Iwan Joko Triyono
- Letters By: HdE
- Cover Art By: Davi Leon Dias
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: December 1, 2021
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Was It Good?
Since the beginning, Suicide Jockeys has had some ups and downs, arguably more of the former than the latter. SUICIDE JOCKEYS #4 may be the strongest and best entry so far for its successfully executed sense of urgency and dramatic tension.
One of the key down points we noted in the previous issue is just how unlikable the main character can be. Dallas is a jerk on multiple levels, and it’s difficult to get behind a character that’s difficult to like. Nothing about Dallas’s personality changes in this issue, but focus moves away from Dallas to the task at hand — saving the timeline. The shift in focus away from Dallas’s unlikable behavior and personality flaws keeps the readers eye on a ticking clock and turns this issue into a nail biter that goes right down to the wire.
To be clear, this isn’t the last issue in the arc, so there’s still plenty of story to tell, but Grant successfully uses an old Hollywood trick to get readers invested into the story. The final moments end on a cliffhanger with a little timey wimey assistance that adds a strong feeling of curiosity to see what happens next.
The art is generally good in this issue. The story is composed of almost all character moments, so heavy emphasis is placed on the facial expressions and dramatic gestures. That said, the coloring is a little off on the faces in several spots. Shading contours look excessive, sometimes giving the impression that characters have soot on their faces. It’s sounds like a small detail but it’s hard not to notice when so much of the issue is spent on characters speaking, yelling, and glaring at each other.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
If you’re wondering how Dallas managed to get Lannard for the team, first read out SUICIDE JOCKEYS #3 review.
We begin with the team lamenting Dallas’s reckless move of breaking Lannard out of prison and bringing her to their base. Outside, an assortment of government military forces are gathered to get Lannard back. Dallas argues, unsuccessfully, that getting Lannard was the only way to ensure the time engine gets fixed so they can rescue Naomi and restore the timeline.
Later, Suneel makes a more diplomatic case for Dallas’s plan. The team eventually goes along with Lannard’s help but decides to lock Dallas up during the trip as they don’t trust him not to endanger the mission with more reckless moves. However, the Congnizant start having visions that the mission will fail and make things worse if Dallas is left behind.
We conclude the issue with Suneel forced to make a choice of his own, some timey wimey shenanigans reminiscent of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and Mama entering the breach.
Final Thoughts
SUICIDE JOCKEYS #4 uses a classic Hollywood trick to turn out a nail biter of an issue with the future of the timeline and the world at stake. Shifting focus away from a wholly unlikable main character was a smart play, and it keeps all attention on the quickly escalating events. The art is generally good but some coloring oddities interfere with a character heavy issue.
Score: 8/10
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