Review: Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #4

Heroes and villains collide in Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #4. Earth stands on the brink as cosmic forces face off in this latest issue from Marvel Comics. ComiConverse contributor Mitch Nissen takes a look.

Review: Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #4

Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk draws to a close with issue #4 from Marvel Comics. The writing duo of Chris Sims and Chad Bowers have destroyed and rebuilt Darkhawk from the ground up. They’ve taken him from one end of the universe to the other, paired him colorful mechanoids, given him loads fraternity hazing, and had him stare God in the face. All to the beauteous visuals of Gang Hyuk Lim.

If there is any word to describe this series it is nothing short of epic.

The Synopsis

Darkhawk and Nova (Richard Rider) race across the cosmos to intercept the Fraternity of Raptors before they reach Earth. Nova arrives to see Darkhawk lay waste to the Raptors’ ship. An all-out battle rages on the wing of the downed ship, Darkhawk, Nova, and Death’s Head versus a host of raptors and Richard’s brother, Robbie, the Dark Starhawk.

The Breakdown

There has been a lot of action in the last three issues of Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk. The action in those books pales in comparison with issue #4. Within the dynamism Bowers and Sims still plant plenty of character beats and emotion, lending weight to the spectacle. The writers pack this tiny issue full of content.

The writing duo manage to keep the stakes high and the drama palpable, elements that can be lost from time to time in comic book clashes. Richard’s reunion with his brother completes a plot thread left dangling for eight years, since the climax of The Thanos Imperative. The pieces are arranged in which Richard has to choose between his friendship with Darkhawk or bringing his brother to justice. For long time fans of Richard Rider and Abnett and Lanning’s Nova series, this is a huge moment for the characters. And Sims and Bowers deliver.

In the mix is Darkhawk’s showdown with the leader of the Raptors, Gyre. Add into that Death’s Head, his shoulder used as a perch for Razor (a fun nod to the original Death’s Head series). The Freelance Peacekeeping Agent overflows with his unique personality, everything with the mechanoid being a joy to read. And if that weren’t enough Starhawk’s true persona begins asserting itself, hinting at the Guardian of the Galaxy he’ll eventually become. It almost felt as if the next lines to come out of his mouth were going to be “I am the one who knows” but the writers tease us by cutting it short.

The only thing the writers miss is a continuity detail, something this duo has typically been spot on about in this series. Death’s Head and Nova met each other in last year’s Nova series. Here they act as if meeting each other for the first time. A little flaw in an otherwise flawless book.

The Art

Gang Hyuk Lim doesn’t miss a beat in this final issue. Each panel is lush with energy and detail. The action is widescreen in scope, dynamic and sweeping. Lim’s opening pages capture a tone and chaotic level not unlike the opening space battles of many a Star Wars film.

Where Lim truly excels in this issue is in the colors. The panels are bathed in the neon glows of pinks and blues, all set against the wrecked silver hull of a space ship and the gorgeous black star fields of the cosmos. The yellows and golds on Nova and Starhawk pop right off the page.

Gang Hyuk Lim delivers big in this explosive finale.

Peculiarly though, the issue draws to a close with the status quo returning to what it was when the series began. That is unless Robbie didn’t lose the power of Starhawk which appears vaguely ambiguous. After this whole fantastic series nothing has changed.

Be that as it may, the closing pages of the book would leave something to be desired had this been the end of Chris Powell’s journey. But the final page boldly announces that the story will continue in October’s Infinity Countdown: Sleepwalker. It looks like this story is far from over.

Sleepwalker, did you say? Sold.

Fans of Marvel's fringe heroes rejoice!

So if you haven’t yet, grab these issues of Darkhawk and ready yourself for even more amazing and mindbending storytelling coming our way.

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Mitch Nissen is a Contributor to ComiConverse. Follow him on Twitter: @NinjaMitche