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Justice League of America's Vibe #4 - Illusions and Disillusions

4

Vibe has another mission after his last 'failure.' Will he do the right thing if that means putting himself at risk with Amanda Waller and A.R.G.U.S.?

The Good

Let's start out with the obvious - Batman on the cover. Too often when he is used, it's a forced feeling. You can say that he does appear here for a reason. At first it did feel odd but it will end up making perfect sense.

Last issue we got to find out a little about Agent Gunn and there's a pretty big revelation here. In the first couple issues, he felt like a simple/generic government soldier. Sterling Gates is now giving him more of a purpose and is defining what his character is about. It's a great surprise to see another layer added to this series.

Vibe continues to be a puppet for A.R.G.U.S. We know this can't last forever and we've already seen him disobey orders last issue. With their target being Gypsy, we're finding out more of what Vibe is and isn't willing to do. This adds a feeling of the unknown to this series. We're only four issues in and the direction is already being questioned a bit. You also start wondering what A.R.G.U.S.' overall plan is with the breachers and you can't help but want to find out more.

Manuel Garcia and Fabiano Neves handle the art in this issue and while I'm not completely crazy about Vibe's costume, his look really is starting to grow on me. It's always cool when artists are able to show a masked character expressing their emotions despite their face being covered. There's also about three pages with no dialogue and you can follow the story just by the panels. It does make you really slow down and appreciate the art. I also really dig Brad Anderson's colors, especially when Vibe is using his powers.

The Bad

We're now four issues in and there's still a feeling of not knowing what direction this title will take. Vibe is being forced to hunt 'breachers' for A.R.G.U.S. but that can't continue forever. We're already seeing Vibe starting to think for himself. The problem is if he rebels too much, that affects his position on the Justice League of America, and we can assume they'll want him there a bit longer. Vibe is going to need a different sort of problem to deal with so the issues don't feel redundant.

Batman's 'appearance' was justified and handled nicely but after you read it, you'll know it really wasn't necessary.

The Verdict

Vibe's adventures continue and we're starting to see things aren't going exactly according to A.R.G.U.S.' plans. Throughout the story, Sterling Gates is also developing Agent Gunn's character instead of just focusing on Vibe. Manuel Garcia and Fabiano Neves' art along with Brad Anderson's colors really works here. There is some concern with the direction of the book. There's a slight feeling of redundancy with Vibe going on missions for A.R.G.U.S. At least now he's starting to have some doubts. I'd like to assume there is a big overall plan and direction for this title. Vibe is an underdog in the DC Universe. He's a rookie. It's great seeing a 'new' character develop and try to find their place among everyone else. With Sterling Gates now on board, we are seeing more development in the series and I will continue to root for Vibe and this comic.