What would happen if Superman became a malicious, genocidal supervillain? This is the premise of BOOM! studios' series, Irredeemable (though the name and likeness of Superman isn't actually used of course).
In case you don't know Mark Waid is the writer of Kingdom Come, one of the greatest graphic novels of all time. Needless to say that, months ago when I first heard he was writing this ongoing story, I became really excited. Unfortunately, as the issues have progressed, I've found myself less and less excited about reading the next issue.
Normally at this point I'd give you a summary of the unique aspects of this issues' plot, but unfortunately part of the problem with this series is that every issue has had pretty much the same plot. The Plutonian (the evil Superman-esque character) continues horrifically murdering people en masse and in grotesque ways. At the same time his former superhero teammates continue fruitlessly attempting to find out something useful about him or to find some way of defeating him. The only way I could give you any more information would to say specifically who the Plutonian kills and how.
I'll admit that seeing an issue of a Superman analogue running around as an unchallenged villain was interesting, but there's now been four issues of that, and I gotta say that anyone who can read four straight issues of people getting blown apart, ripped apart, et cetera, and find it really enjoyable, worries me a little bit.
Now, that's not to say that Irredeemable #4 has nothing good going for it. The artwork is absolutely top notch, comparable to the artwork from Marvel or DC. In fact there's a one page spread of the Plutonian floating over the ocean with rain and thunder around him that I wouldn't mind having as a poster, if he were a character I actually liked. There's also still some intriguing plot points hanging there: Where's the Plutonian really from? Is there any way he can be hurt? Where did he get his powers? Of course, the problem is that those intriguing aspects started in the first issue, and have had absolutely no progression yet at all. Eventually the intrigue starts to fade.
Irredeemable #4 is just another issue in a series that seems to be going nowhere and appears to relish in portraying innocent masses murdered en masse. It has excellent artwork and a story that has potential, but this issue doesn't reach that potential at all.
What did you think of this book?
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