Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: David Walker
Artist: Sanford Greene
Colourist: Lee Loughridge
Editor: Kathleen Wisneski
Release Date: OUT NOW!
Price: $3.99

In Power Man and Iron Fist #4 forget the power of True Love’s Kiss. In Power Man and Iron Fist #4, the force of Ture Love’s Nagging does the trick. After their former office manager, Jennie Royce dons the stolen Supersoul Stone and is corrupted into an angry super-strong lizard-thing with tentacles, Luke Cage and Danny Rand don’t know how to stop her.

Jennie’s background story in Power Man and Iron Fist #4 reveals she’s emotionally damaged. After being mind-controlled to murder her abusive husband and going to prison she bonds with Luke’s old foe Mariah Dillard/Black Mariah. But after Jennie threatens to kill her enemies Mariah baulks.

The key for, in Power Man and Iron Fist #4, to beating Jennie is giving the Supersoul Stone “a strength greater than the strength it gives,” but nobody can figure out the riddle. Luckily they don’t have to, since Mariah steps in and starts lecturing her. “I ain’t gonna stand by and let my friend become a monster,” Mariah says.

The story in Power Man and Iron Fist #4 walks a thin line between comedy and emotional conflict and satisfies in both regards. Sanford Greene’s loose artwork style reminds the reader not to take the story too seriously.

Power Man and Iron Fist #4 strongly epitomises an aspect of the Marvel universe, slightly off-center and sometimes silly, but never dumb or condescending. By the end, Luke agrees to team-up with Iron Fist again, and everybody but Luke’s wife should be happy about that.

 

Reviewer: Joe Lovece
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker