Superman has arrived, but he still can’t help against Leviathan. Who can actually stop them at this point? Spoilers for Event Leviathan #4 follow.
Halfway through Event Leviathan and it feels like there is only so much farther that the mystery can take us. However, with this newest issue of the series, that assumption is easily proven false. There’s so much more going on than we already thought was happening, which this issue does an interesting job of exploring. The series never lets you settle in, nor does it let you think you have the right answer. It’s a true mystery thriller in the best way possible.
Every time that it feels like this series is going to give you an answer, more questions are raised. This is how you build an interesting mystery. Even at this point of the series where it really feels like no more secrets can be revealed, it turns out Lois is working with another team of detectives. Like, what? Shocking. A revelation like this could feel ham-fisted and forced, but that doesn’t feel the case here. In a DC Universe continually divided into multiple factions, it makes sense that another would be introduced. Plus, the team differs enough to make the eventual confrontation even more interesting.
Then there’s the turmoil within the original team of detectives. They’re no closer to discovering who Leviathan is than when they began. This makes for an interesting challenge to the integrity of the team due to their mistrust of each other. Batman even says as much. Because of this uneasiness between the characters, this causes the audience to feel uneasy and untrusting as well. It makes you take nothing happening on the page at face value, forcing you to look at subtext. It’s really well done.
Alex Maleev’s art is the true star of the series though and this issue doesn’t change that. He manages to combine noir stylings with a painted style in a way that often feels surreal. This is perfect because just as surrealism forces you to look into subtext, the art is telling you the same. It’s still excellent sequential art, but it’s asking its audience to do more than just looking at the page. It adds an extra feeling of uneasiness that helps expand on the story in a way that is perfect for what is being told.
Maleev’s coloring adds to these feelings of uneasiness and mystery as well. As mentioned, his art channels noir stylings, which works for the dark, shadowy colors that permeate a good portion of the issue. However, he also uses a lot of shades of blue, which makes you feel cold as you’re reading it. His coloring adds as much to how you read this issue as the linework does.
CHECK OUT: Event Leviathan #3 Review: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back