Readers of Brightest Day have had a lot to endure over the first two months since the maxi-series began: multiple threads, cliffhanger after cliffhanger, and of course the slow pacing of the story. If you thought issue 4 would remedy any of this, then you may be disappointed.
It starts off where issue 3 left off, with the Hawks about to enter a portal to go after Hath-Set. This is the best part of the entire issue with the Hawks discussing if they should accept their fate or try and change it which makes for a great read. But when they finally decide and enter the portal we are left with yet another cliffhanger as they enter the new world.
The story switches to Deadman, our lone wielder of the white ring, as he is transported into the room of Dove. Which leads to some questions: So what what was the point of the Anti-Monitor in the previous issue? and with Dove and Hawk appearing in Birds of Prey, where does this part sit in regards to continuity of the two books? (These questions will be hopefully be answered in later issues but back to the story.)
This scene also marks the start to what may be a growing trend where the main story will cross with the other titles bearing the "brightest day" banner. This may or may not work but in the case of Hawk and Dove, it does. The meeting of the wielders of the white light could give us some answers to the workings of the white ring and the dialog between Hawk and Dove is always fun to read.
Last week, Geoff Johns spoke about the introduction of the new Aqualad and the readers finally get to see him as his spotlight is the extent of Aquaman's story. It also shows the appearance of a new enemy to the former king of Atlantis which makes his story by far the most complex of all the revived heroes. A new layer seemingly appears with every issue which the opposite can be said about Aquaman sightings which have been few and far in between.
When Brightest Day started, the Firestorm dynamic was probably my most anticipated storyline because of the events of Blackest Night. Of course the cover of issue 4 shows a Black Lantern Firestorm but their story gets 3 pages of Gehenna confronting Ronnie about her death, leaving more mysteries. (feels like issue 2 all over again.) Four issues in, nothing has happened to either character. When will the writers realize the potential here?
And the story concludes as we revisit Hawk, Dove and Deadman visiting Donald Hall's, the original Dove, grave and Hawk ordering Deadman to revive his brother. Another cliffhanger for the readers to endure for another two weeks.
Overall the story had a great start with the aforementioned Hawks but then it seemed to go nowhere fast. Deadman going to Hawk and Dove gives another storyline in an already crowded story and the absence of Aquaman and Martian Manhunter (arguably the best story of the bunch) just leaves me scratching my head. Firestorm is not even worth mentioning.
Issue in and out, the art can only be praised as each artist captures the tone of the characters perfectly. The highlight occurs while the Hawks first enter the portal and relive every one of their deaths in a two page spread that just wows.
But the art can't save the story and this issue is the weakest so far. I know everything we read leads to something bigger and once it is all over the overall story will make more sense but these snippets and cliffhangers can only test our patience for so long.
Here's to hoping issue 5 can pick up the slack.
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