FEARLESS #4, out this Wednesday from Marvel Comics, brings an end to this adventurous series of miniaturized plots. But it isn’t afraid to go out on a bang. Fans will be overwhelmed by emotions while reading this issue.
***SPOILER WARNING***
Fearless has been a series getting a lot of ink, which is impressive given that it’s a miniseries. The whole point of it was to give female creators and characters a chance to shine all in one concise and adventurous series. And it’s safe to say that it more than succeeded there.
Each issue in the series has been broken up into several different stories, the first one being a long-running plot arc (that carries through to each issue) the other two being short but exciting stories. And obviously, they all revolved around female leads.
Fearless #4 contained within it four parts, though the last two are the shortest of the series thus far. You can find ‘Campfire Song Part 4’, ‘Atmospheria,’ ‘Golden Girls’, and ‘Two Gals Eating Ice Cream’ in this issue. Consider yourself warned, the latter few plots are shockingly intense and will make you feel things.
‘Campfire Song Part 4’ is the first tale in this issue, and it also concludes the longest-running plot in the series. It’s difficult to read this plot and not feel inspired by the end. Campfire Song felt like a tale of acceptance, not just of others, but of yourself and any changes you might face. But it’s also about so much more than that. It’s no wonder this plot became the anchor of the series.
Featuring Captain Marvel, Storm, the Invisible Woman, and Ms. Marvel, it’s safe to say that this story has a lot of heavy hitters in it. These are all strong and dynamic women – women who aren’t afraid to speak their minds or have a little fun during their time off. And there’s a lesson to learn from that. And okay, it also had a little bit of fun at Tony Stark’s expense, but he can afford it, right?
Seanan McGuire was the brains behind this inspiring tale, while Claire Roe provided the lines, and Rachelle Rosenberg the colors. And honestly? These three are a dream team. It’d be amazing if we could see them work together sometime in the future.
Next up is ‘Atmospheria.’ Feel free to say that name ten times fast. But seriously, Tini Howard wrote a shockingly intense plot here. It’s one of those tales that starts interesting, piquing your curiosity but isn’t afraid to hit you over the head with an important message.
Namora’s tale had several twists and turns, which is surprising given the length of it. Yet every turn was meant to bring us back to one point. It was the driving force behind this issue, and it’s clear that the author felt it’s something we need to talk about more.
The beautiful seascapes and interesting aliens all came from the minds of Rosi Kampe (pencils & inks) and Muntsa Vicente (colors). And the last panel of this story is perhaps the most memorable, being both adorable and full of meaning.
The last two stories of the issue came from the same creative team, and consist of only a few pages put together. ‘Golden Girls’ and ‘Two Gals Eating Ice Cream’ are pure nostalgia, while also addressing the elephant in the room: women’s history in comic books. It’s something that is so frequently written out of our minds and history, so seeing the reminder here is appreciated.
Trina Robbins’ two stories are beautifully written, fitting in with both the time period and overall theme of the series. It tackles conversations that many fans have forgotten, and it does so in a way that reminds us of the humanity behind the creators.
Marguerite Sauvage was the artist, and there is so much to love here. She perfectly portrayed the wardrobes and fashion styles of each creator during her time period, all with this light and bubbly feeling to the colors. The lighter tone is misleading, as these reminders won’t hesitate to hit you in the feels.
Fearless #4 had plenty of factors to tie it all together. For one thing, every story focused on a fearless and dynamic woman in the Marvel Universe. This issue also seemed to be focused on making some important points, whether it is a tale about trusting yourself, respecting the environment, or remembering the past.
And of course, there’s the letterer, Cardinal Rae, who stayed consistent throughout. That helped to tie things together visually.
In a way, it’s a bit sad to see Fearless come to a conclusion. It was a powerful and moving series. The emotions it was able to elicit prove that the series managed to succeed in its goal. And of course, we’ve got to love the fact that they were able to bring so many awesome characters and creators together for one massive project. And hopefully, this project also succeeded in putting a few new names on your automatic ‘to be read’ list.
