Written by Cecil Castellucci
Illustrated by Adriana Melo
Published by DC Comics
I loved Tom King’s take on The Fourth World characters in his recently completed Mister Miracle series.
When this book was initially announced I was a tad saddened that King wasn’t writing it.
When I heard that they had tapped writer Cecil Castellucci to write the book, however, I was pleased beyond belief. She is one of the best and underrated writers in comics and is a perfect person to write this.
I couldn’t wait to pop this book open.
The issue starts off with the Furies receiving a pep talk from Granny Goodness. They are told that they are the most elite fighting force on Apokolips.
It’s a nice beginning as it shows that they are very powerful and are second to none. Granny gets them all pumped up!
And from there, the issue really takes off!
We flashback to a few years before. We get to see the Furies in action! And they are absolutely brutal. We then go back to present day and get to see them train. We get to see Big Barda versus Mad Harriet and Aurelie versus Lashina and Stompa versus Bernadeth. It’s a cool and exhilarating few panels and evokes the work of Jack Kirby quite well.
And then, something amazing happens. We get to see how the men on Apokoplis view Granny Goodness and her team of Furies.
It’s amazing. Castellucci has made them all full of toxic male features and it’s beautifully handled.
Watching Darkseid and gang dismissing the Furies is actually powerful. Castellucci nails this scene perfectly. She has made the Furies relatable and vital in a way that what have not been before.
Castellucci also shows the harassment on Apokoplis and relates that to modern times. It makes the entire book relevant in a way that most comics aren’t. They eventually have to go up against the Forever People as well in this issue. By the end of it, a mystery is introduced and I was on board with this completely.
The art by Adriana Melo is perfect for this book. The two creators just knock it out of the park here. I wasn’t sure how this would go, but I enjoyed it very much. If the rest of the series is as strong as this first issue, it will both satisfy and succeed far beyond my original reservations.
RATING: A
