Space Ace #4
Arcana (as of this issue; 2009, no month listed)
WRITER: Robert Kirkman
ARTIST: Maria Cristina Fracisco
COLORING: Arcana Studio
COVER ART: Paul Borges & Arcana Studio
LETTERER: Shawn Depasquale
EDITOR: Sean O’Reilly
Kim and Dexter find the space station, with one of the survivors explaining about the “matter divider” (beats the full Zandorian name I guess) being implanted by a space entity that just likes messing with people to spread chaos. The weapon is more powerful that the Zandorians know. Borf and Gorf meet with the general of the Zandorian forces and after passing a test meets with the general. Gorf kills the general as his forces take over the headquarters while heroes arrive at Zandoria.
What they got right: The story doesn’t miss a beat between publishers, but I don’t know how many issues Kirkman wrote before Arcana stopped publishing. We get to see that our villains are strong but also rather smart, and given the focus is on them this issue that’s probably a good thing to make them interesting.
What they got wrong: I can see the Zandorian military having more muscular bodies than the scientists but why are they all blue now? Borf and Gorf look so much alike that you can only tell them apart by their clothes, which is difficult in close up shot. I have to look for signs of Gorf’s shoulder pads or Borf’s cape. I’m also not sure why Gorf needed Borf on this one. So far he seems to have the whole plan going well enough and Borf is kind of clueless as a result. The addition of this “entity” putting suggestions in people’s heads seems a bit unnecessary. Just have the scientists not realize how powerful their weapon is. There’s certainly history of that in our world.
What I think overall: I’m still enjoying the story and I’m glad they had a chance to finish it.