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    The Ray #4

    The Ray » The Ray #4 - Part Four released by DC Comics on May 1, 2012.

    thanosrules's The Ray #4 - Part Four review

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    Towards The Light

    Recommended!

    This issue really shocked me. In fact, I am not entirely sure how I feel. One thing is for certain, this mini-series did come to an end, and it did so with considerable grace. For as many directions as this story could have taken, it took one that I was not expecting. From the tone of last page of Issue #3, I was certain things were going to play out in a much darker fashion - and though the issue started out down that path, it took a drastic turn towards the light.

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    Story: 4.5 / 5.0

    The best part of this issue and the series as a whole is that it knew exactly what it was. It was a nice, compact story about some cheesy kid that got incredible powers. We are allowed to take the journey with him, learn the intricacies of his abilities and watch him transform from awkward lifeguard into a super human being. I loved that the narration and storytelling within the series was conversational. It was as if Lucien knew his audience, realizing that we would be laughing at him as much as we would be laughing with him. More importantly, the creative team took this into account when they developed his character - so instead of hating his character for being overly flawed, we loved him for his powers and flaws alike.

    One of the most interesting aspects to his character revealed in this issue, was the fact that though he is comprised entirely of light (or so it seemed) he actually could bleed and have actual physical ailments of a normal human being. As I read he discuss his aches and pains, I wouldn't have even imagined him having lungs to puncture or ribs to break. I guess it makes sense, it is not like his complete physical makeup was discussed at any length. In any case, it gave this very super-powered hero a significant vulnerability - one that I did not see coming, yet ultimately humanized him, making for a much deeper character.

    One other thing that stood out in this issue was his much improved ability to wield light for both defense and offence. The new "constructs" he was able to make during battle were much more ferocious and made me think of that Resident Evil movie where one of the characters was chopped into tiny cubes by a fancy laser.

    Cover Art: 4.5 / 5.0

    I liked the cover, as I have with all the others. This time it didn't have that old timey horror movie feel like the previous issues portrayed. Nevertheless, it was very nicely done and more or less fit the theme of the mini-series. It, like so many other books, really didn't have much to do with the interior content, but at least it was visually appealing.

    Art: 4.5 / 5.0

    The art was great. At one point I was going to make a harsh comment about how poorly Chanit's legs were drawn. Initially, it looked like she was drawn without shoes or any defined toes... then I realized she had been drawn with torn and tattered pantyhose. Once I took a much closer look, I was very pleasantly surprised to see how much detail there actually was - very impressive indeed. Once again, the facial expressions were captured perfectly. The art for this entire mini-series was definitely a high point.

    Overall: 4.5 / 5.0

    Congratulations to the entire creative team for the wonderful work on this mini-series.

    I think this character has A LOT of potential. I hope the ending is an indication that we will see him again in a team book. It would be great to see his powers go up against some Lanterns! Or better yet, he would be a great energy source for Superman. :)

    Other reviews for The Ray #4 - Part Four

      I think he cheated 0

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      A happy ending to a very bright comic 0

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