"DCeased: Hope at World's End #4" Comic Review

As the Anti-Life Equation ravages the world, a few heroes (or would-be heroes) are struggling to pick up the pieces. That includes two folks looking for salvation in Qurac and a young man who just lost his father.

DCeased: Hope at World's End has been building an overall story, filling in gaps within the main DCeased book. What is most interesting is how writer Tom Taylor is doing this with seemingly disparate chapters before tying them all together. This chapter is a perfect example of that. While you're paying attention to one breathtaking moment, another from the past is coming up to rear its head.

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While the story of Wink and The Aerie is interesting enough, I will admit that I'm not familiar with these characters, so I wasn't as invested in their tale. What really stands out in DCeased: Hope at World's End #4 is Damian's decision to don the cape and cowl left for him by his father. He has these huge shoes to fill and he's not finished grieving, but the world needs a Batman.

This comes in a heartfelt conversation between Damian and Superman, perhaps the two people that knew Bruce Wayne the best, albeit from very different perspectives. The Last Son of Krypton has been through this grieving process before. He knows what Damian is going through. The guy is also a pretty great father, so he is the perfect person to have this chat. It's a moment of peace in a sea of chaos. Letterer Saida Temofonte brilliantly guides us through this conversation.

The horror is always lurking nearby, even with these somber exchanges popping up. Artist Marco Failla reminds us of this in a startling fashion as death descends on these heroes. This is where things come around again with loose ends getting tied up. It's amazing how quickly it can shift. While the infected are terrifying on their own, the reaction to their appearance makes it all the more so. Seeing Wink and The Aerie realize what's coming for them and there's little to no hope of escaping it. That can be seen on their faces.

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This horde appears as the sun goes down, like these heroes have seen their last normal day...or whatever passes for normal in a world where men can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Colorist Rex Lokus shows the bright light of the day in the early pages of DCeased: Hope at World's End #4, giving way to the darkness by the end.

Just as with the main DCeased book, I'm clamoring for more from this world yet terrified at the possibilities. It's a healthy blend of heart and horror and that makes for a powerful one-two punch.