By Dustin Cabeal

I keep thinking that I’m going to drop this title for review and just read it, but then it’ll entice me just enough that I want to review it. It’s not that it’s the best of the DC’s Young Animal line, but it’s quite possibly one of the best.

Loma is now stuck in her human body, and she’s trying to get used to everything still. She’s full of emotions that don’t seem to belong to her, and so this issue deals with her learning how to deal with them and making strange apologies to everyone her host body hurt previously. Which was great.

Then the ending hit. We’re still circling the drain of the lake that took Megan’s life, and this little bit of story is what keeps me hanging on. I want so desperately to see the full story there, but more so what Loma aka Shade, will do once she knows. And we’re getting close.

While I enjoy the character that Cecil Castellucci has developed over the course of four issues, I’m almost certain that she’s going to tear the character a part in the next issue. I’m both saddened and excited about this because it could make for some great stories, but also take away chances for other stories. It’s a great predicament to be in as a reader. Do I want this to change or stay the same and which is better? Change is always better, and the series is about madness.

I can’t wait.

The artwork is near perfect. There’s still several places in which details drop, proportions are awkward and a scene that was supposed to make Megan’s parents look like children but at first glance, it just looks like fucked up artwork. The coloring continues to be strange, but beautiful and the perfect fit for the series. And that last page… oh, that last page. Goosebumps.

I hope you didn’t give up on this series. Sure, it’s not as flashy as Doom Patrol, but it is a gem in the DC line of books. If it continues at this pace, it might just end up being one of their best period. For now, this is an issue worth reading if only to see the destruction in the next issue.

Score: 4/5

Shade: The Changing Girl #4
Writer: Cecil Castellucci
Artist: Marley Zarcone
Colorist: Kelly Fitzpatrick
Publisher: DC’s Young Animal