-
Grim #4
- Writer:
- Stephanie Phillips
- Artist:
- Flaviano
- Letterer:
- Tom Napolitano
- Cover Artist:
- Flaviano
- Publisher:
- BOOM Studios
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-08-24
- Colorist:
- Rico Renzi
The neverending cycle of birth and death keeps the world of the living and the afterlife balanced, which has purportedly been disturbed since the reaper Jessica Harrow crossed over and interacted with the living. As Harrow desperately tries to learn about her past, the physical manifestation of End hunts her down, wreaking havoc until it has eliminated the cause of the disturbance. Jessica and her friends, reapers Eddie and Marcel, band together to find the one entity that possibly has all the answers and solutions to their problems: Death. Grim #4 from BOOM! Studios, written by Stephanie Phillips with artwork from Flaviano and Rico Renzi and lettering by Tom Napolitano, takes the story to the city of sin, vice, and lights.
Picking up pace from the previous issue, Grim #4 opens with hectic scenes of The End chasing after Jessica Harrow and her friends while Harrow holds Death's very own scythe in her hand. As the ferocious brute is almost upon them, they jump from Death's castle and almost touch the River Styx when the scythe activates by itself and opens a portal to Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Jessica's boss, Adira, colludes with The End to keep her status quo intact in the Afterlife while framing Jessica for the murder and mayhem, marking her as a traitor. Back in the land of the living, a party-goer experiences a near-death experience, which allows the Grim Reaper to interact with the excommunicated reapers.
Like a runaway train moving at breakneck speed, Grim #4 lets the action take the reins of the story, which literally jumps headfirst from one dangerous situation to another. While the mystery of Jessica's death serves as the protagonist's primary motivation, for the reader, it is the thrill of the inevitable David vs. Goliath fight and the smell of a deadly adventure that lures them into the title. Writer Stephanie Phillips crosses the narrative streams, but unlike the story so far, this issue is much less expository in nature and focuses more on the now. Except in Adira's case, the dialogue repeats the acts onscreen, making the script redundant. Even the story, as it progresses, feels clichéd sometimes, like a book read years ago. However, the character dynamics between the reapers are something that is fun to read, especially with their personalities bouncing off each other.
The highlight throughout the series has been the ethereal artwork of Flaviano and Rico Renzi. Grim #4 takes that hauntingly beautiful look and applies that on a bigger, badder scale, leaving behind just awe-inspiring artwork for all to enjoy. From a dark tower of death surrounded by endless seas of the damned to the colorful nightlife of Las Vegas, the panels exude great artisanship. The artists aptly capture real-life structures, like the Bellagio in all its golden glory, while adding their own touches to create an immersive atmosphere. As storybook realism meets the otherwordly touch of vibrant colors, all depicted in clawing shadows in the background, the aesthetics elevate the book significantly.
Grim #4 is a rollercoaster ride of emotions and drama in a story primarily focusing on the frenetic movement of the narrative and the thrill it brings. With such gorgeous artwork gracing the book, Phillips' work becomes simpler, letting her tell the story at her own pace and manner. Truth be told, it is the script's energy that Flaviano and Renzi feed off of, resulting in a cycle of artistic synergy that allows the book to go beyond. As predictable as the plot is, Grim #4's ending leans in the other direction, bringing new troubles for the fugitive reapers.