Uncanny Inhumans #4

By Charles Soule, Steve McNiven, Jay Leisten, and Sunny Gho.

There shouldn’t be any doubt that the Inhumans are getting a push from the Marvel brass these days. They have two books out, which is the most they’ve ever had, and they also have big names working on these titles. Some speculate they are setting the Inhumans up to be a replacement for the X-Men, but that’s a battle for another thread. Issue #4 wraps up the first story arc on Uncanny Inhumans. If you were on the fence about this book in any way, by the end of this arc, you should know where you stand.

Charles Soule has done as good a job as can be expected on this title, but after this first arc, you really have to question if you even care about these characters. Ahura gets some characterization this issue and there are some good moments with him. Soule lets us get a glimpse of his powers here and he looks like he will be a force to be reckoned with. Kang, as always, is great this issue. He is a formidable and threatening villain every time he appears, and Soule writes him intelligently. One of the frustrations with this series, through no fault of Soule, is that Black Bolt is probably the most popular Inhuman and he is unable to speak. We as readers have to rely on facial expressions and body language to see what he’s saying. It would be nice if he were able to talk, and we may get that with the next arc. Soule’s conclusion to this arc is satisfying. It feels as if things have come full circle so far. As important as this arc was, the next one will be under a similar microscope as well.

The pencils are handled by Steve McNiven with colors by Sunny Gho. McNiven is just awesome this issue. We’re treated to many different panel set-ups and just clean and wonderful art. The look on Ahura’s face as he reunites with Medusa is priceless. The page where Ahura is shown what his life with Kang would be like from the Histoikon is great too. Ahura is in the center as the page gets divided into the worst things Kang puts Ahura through. For as good as the pencils were, Sunny Gho’s colors were just as excellent. His colors leap off the page at you and really take the art to another level. Everything about the art this issue is great. McNiven and Gho put out the best art of the week.

Uncanny Inhumans has been interesting enough; Charles Soule is a good writer that should keep your interest piqued, especially for at least another arc. The art on this book is just superb. You won’t find better art on a series this week.