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4 #22
“The Yancy Street Golem”
Review posted: 09 Oct 2005
Writer: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Artist: Valentine DeLandro and Batt
Letters: VC's Dave Sharpe
Colors: Avalon's Dan Kemp
Publisher: Marvel Comics
2.50 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Matt Yocum
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This title started out great. Renowned playwright Roberto
Aguirre-Sacasa nailed the tone of what a Marvel Knights book should be
— stories a little rough around the edges without straying into
adults-only (Marvel’s MAX line). And Steve McNiven’s art
educated a lot of readers who’d never seen his work in
CrossGen’s Meridian on why Marvel scooped him up after
CrossGen’s demise.
I’m not
certain from where Aguirre-Sacasa took his characterizations. These
are not the Ben Urich and Jessica Jones I know.
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Sadly, Marvel Knights 4 has tended to be simply tolerable
lately. In
an earlier ComicCritique.com review, reviewer Louis Vitela noted
that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa had a slant toward lessening the action.
This award-winning playwright may have felt less comfortable with the
action and more comfortable with character. Hence, the stories in the
early issues focused on intimate and dramatic character moments.
Aguirre-Sacasa may have seen the Thing as only a man of action and
hence decreased his appearances. If there’s one thing the
Fantastic Four movie highlighted (regardless of its flaws), it showed
the depth of character of the Thing, the torment of being turned into
a monstrosity, perhaps something Aguirre-Sacasa saw and acted upon.
This issue offers an adventure solely focused on Ben Grimm.
Investigative reporter Ben Urich and Jessica Jones inform Ben that
some thing has been harming the residents around Yancy Street. They
manage in getting Ben to do the leg work of finding and stopping this
creature. After finding the creature, a fight ensues. The name
Benjamin means “son of the right hand,” which is
appropriate given Ben’s penchant for a right cross. But
it’s Ben’s intellect and unique life as a
“thing” himself that saves the day.
I had no problem with Ben’s characterization. As for Ben
Urich and Jessica Jones, who see most of their press time in
Marvel’s Daredevil and The Pulse, I’m not
certain from where Aguirre-Sacasa took his characterizations. These
are not the Ben Urich and Jessica Jones I know. The two here are more
like sleazy paparazzi reporters, the kind who’d race after a
movie star in a car just to cause a crash and create a photo op. On
the whole, the stories are losing their edge.
In 4 there is a continued steady decline in art as well.
McNiven got things off on the proper foot, Jim Muniz proved a
less-qualified clone of McNiven’s style, and now we’re
left sloppy thirds. The art is passable, but nothing spectacular. At
the recent 2005 Baltimore Comic-Con I witnessed better
art among wandering artists with hopeful portfolios. Even the
coloring in 4 has declined as there was a unique coloring
scheme for the Thing’s rocky orange hide in earlier issues,
something that worked quite well and now is not to be found.
In the early arcs, with McNiven as artist and Aguirre-Sacasa
bringing us something new, 4 was a 4. Now, sadly, I give it
2.5 stars out of 5.
Comments about my comments? Feel free to email me at myocum@comiccritique.com.
—CCdC— Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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