Empyre #4 Review: Grapples With Issues Of Genocide And Distraction

The latest crossover from the house Akira Yoshida built grapples with issues of genocide and distraction in equal measures, using only two brief action pieces to punctuate its pontifications. Unfortunately, these deep ideas come with a cost that may not be worth paying. There are two noteworthy things that happen in Empyre #4. The second one, which happens on the last page, is an emotional beat that informs the decisions of the newly minted ruler of two pan-galactic civilizations. That's an interesting character moment that seems to add pathos to some moments that have occurred, as well as giving a little light for a disenfranchised community, so that's worth noting.

There's one other thing, though, that's less satisfying not only because it continues the truly exhausting trend of weaponizing heroes to fight other heroes, but also because it plays upon victimizing a trauma soaked character. Likewise, it does so without doing more to make the antagonist's pretty sketchy, Krikkit-esque motivations any more weighty.

The production values, of course, are very high. This is a premier level big publishing event, so Valerio Schiti, Marte Gracia, and Joe Caramagna imbue every panel with fantastic quality and visual clarity, be they a battle or a conversation. However, Empyre # 4's ratio of spectacle to story is off-balance, which makes this a less than gripping read. Likewise, the core ideas here are only "jerks come from space to blow up the Earth because it's in the way," which was barely enough of a motivation for the Vogons, so with so much more at (publishing) stake, this should feel like it's something. It doesn't. As such … RATING: MEH.