The opportunity is perfect to make a bad deed. To hurt someone somehow, everything about it says that you should, except for your mind. You’ll feel remorse if you do it, and it will be morally satisfied, but wondering what would have happened if you had. What if you had done that, your body would stop aching for it, you may feel remorse about it, but you know the curiosity would have been quenched and the hunger to know would almost offset that remorse. Monstress #4 plays with that as our main character continues to understand the darkness inside her.
The other side of the territory is revealed, this issue hits straight into it as the Warlord for the Arcanics She presents herself in front of the Queen of Wolves, and the revelation of the cease fire between them and the Cumaea. Meanwhile in the woods, a tiny Fox who follows Maika, make an attempt to settle for the night, as the horrible creature inside here wakes up and tries to feed on anything close. The monster inside Maika is fully awake, it wants out and it’s hungry…
Monstress #4 continues to take big strides in moving its story forward. Marjorie Liu shows an Aracnic side that in many ways is similar to the Cumaea, in the way they play politics and plan their strategies. It’s very much a cold war scenario happening between both sides and it seems that both the Cumaea and Arcanics are playing a very tense game of chess. Contrasted to that, there are enough answers to Maika past to make me ache or the next issue. Takeda shows a lighter side by contrasting it to the Fox girl who follows Maika and the cat. Everything surrounding her is darkness and evil, yet she remains faithful to her goddess and hopeful that she will survive. By having even cute moments between her and the cat, it breaks the constant tension that could tire a reader after three issues could reader, and makes one appreciate them even more. The more interesting thing about this issue is that now that the creature inside her is awake, and although the curtain of mystery has been lifted, their interaction together is handled well. The monster inside is aching to take over a reluctant Maika who isn’t afraid of it, but understand how dangerous it can become and that she might slowly be losing control.
Monstress #4 is an issue that is both revelatory and quick paced. It delivers in continuing the overall story surrounding Maika, and her personal goal and the mystery inside her. Sana Takeda delivers both in the gory and horrifying aspects, as well as the cute and fun (short lived) moments. I have said it since the first issue and will continue to do so, there’s no reason as to why Monstress shouldn’t be on your pull box already.
Score: 5/5
Monstress #4 Writer: Marjorie Liu Artist: Sana Takeda Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 3/16/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital