Furious is my favorite superhero title currently being published. This series has been great from the first issue and hasn’t stopped improving since then. We finally learn who the crazy red-head that’s stalking Furious is and while it’s been kind of obvious Bryan JL Glass has done a fine job of distracting the reader from figuring it out until now. Strangely enough this issue begins with the Beacon beating the shit out of the two kids that talked her up in the second issue and then supposedly killed the clerk of the store. A police detective arrives on the scene and gives the Beacon some information about the case she didn’t know and after beating on one of the kids she lets them go. They leave without pressing charges, but you can tell that one of them really fucking hates her now. The cop is likely to become a reoccurring character and a support line for Beacon and this is cool with me. I liked his character and the fact that he didn’t try to stop her because he knew he couldn’t.
I’m not going to spoil the set up for the scene because it’s a great bait and switch, but we eventually catch up with the crazy super powered red-head that looks a lot like the Beacon’s alter-ego. She’s lured a man into her motel room and proceeds to beat him to death with another dudes leg! It was one of the coolest and craziest scenes I’ve ever read.
After that the Beacon is offered a chance to talk to the TV personality that dubbed her Furious and let’s just say that things don’t work out according to either of theirs plan.
I’m getting to the point that I’m running out of new things to say about this series. It continues to surprise me with how good it is. I’ve yet to be bored or read an issue that was filler. I don’t know how long it can keep it up, but I’m rooting for it.
Glass has pegged the superhero genre and you’re either with it or you’re not. I can definitely see some people not liking this series because it incorporates too much of the real world and frankly too many emotions in the story. Those are the exact reasons I love it though. You have to be emotionally damage to put on a costume and fight crime and being emotionally damaged would leave you in an emotional state that could be easily broken. There’s one line that captured the Beacon’s emotions perfectly:
“How am I supposed to do this, when… I don’t even know what flavor this is?”
Either you get what I’m pointing out by that line of dialogue or you don’t, but it was the best line in the book for me.
Victor Santos is in a constant state of improving. The first three issues the dude has been on fire, but this fourth issue he’s hit his stride. There was more detail than usual and he’s really owning the characters now. The coloring remains an intricate part of the artwork and is possibly my favorite aspect of the art. It’s really incredible looking as it adds personality to the story and also Santos’ style.
There is one go-to look or close-up that Santos relies on that is really incredible. It’s the shots he does of the Beacon’s goggles. Something about this shot drives home her intensity, but then the damaged and used look give the character personality as well. It’s something I find myself paying attention to each time I see it and it never lets me down.
Furious continues to be a delight month in and month out. I’m looking forward to the next issue a lot and if you haven’t checked out this series you really should. It’s not just a great superhero comic book, but a great comic book in general.
Score: 5/5
Writer: Bryan JL Glass Artist: Victor Santos Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 4/30/14 Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital