Art by: Lucas Meyer
Colors by: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letters by: Wes Abbott
Cover art by: Ivan Reis (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: January 9, 2024
Titans: Beast World #4 enacts Amanda Waller's plan to put down Garro for good. Does she succeed? Maybe.
Is Titans: Beast World #4 Good?
One of the nagging questions about this crossover that didn't appear to have an answer was Amanda Waller's plan for stopping Garro if all of Earth's heroes couldn't. In Titans: Beast World #4, Tom Taylor gives readers the answer, and it's a killer... literally.
When last we left the Titans and Earth's heroes, the Garro spores spread to a large swath of Earth's population, but a new wrinkle showed up in the research - the Garro spores instinctively leave one host if they can attach to a stronger host, which means Earth's heroes and villains are on the top of every spore's menu. Amid the chaos, Amanda Waller broke into Stryker's Island to retrieve a supposedly reformed Lex Luthor for some unknown purpose.
Now, we see it all. Luthor has access to Justice League teleporter tech. Waller sends Peacemaker to kidnap Chester Runk, aka Chunk, and teleports Chunk into the center of Garro. With his last gasp, Chunk instinctively opens up his internal black hole and sucks in a large chunk of Garro, killing him. As the issue points out, Waller is on-brand for putting a bomb in someone's brain.
What does this all mean? It means Waller quickly figured out a plan to save Earth, one that the heroes would never go for because it meant sacrificing the lives of Garro and Chunk. Is Chunk really dead? Probably. Is Gar really dead? Probably not. If Garro is shut down, do all of Earth's inhabitants return to normal? TBD.
What's great about Titans: Beast World #4? I'll give credit to Taylor for cooking up a plan to stop Garro with the ruthless execution that could only come from Amanda Waller. The plan works, and it instantly sets up an escalated grudge between Waller and the heroes.
What's not so great about Titans: Beast World #4? Taylor still has not convinced anyone how Waller pulled off this plan in the first place when so many details are dependent on other characters she doesn't control. Did Waller know about Xand'r's plan to unleash the NecroStar? Did Waller know Beast Boy would dream up a plan to morph into a Starro? Did Waller know Chunk was still alive and not transformed by a spore? Why didn't Waller secure Chunk ahead of time? What would Waller do if Chunk was already dead?
It would be different if there were one or two minor plot points that didn't get a full explanation, but we have the entire setup for this crossover based on assumptions, coincidences, and convenient plot developments. In short, this crossover is shaping up to fall into the "it's fun as long as you don't think about it" category.
How's the art? Lucas Meyer's art style looks great in this issue. The big bang moment hits as hard as it should to create a dramatic punch. Meyer's action choreography and figure work are on point, and Romulo Fajardo Jr.'s colors are outstanding.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Pieces:
Titans: Beast World #4 answers one of the bigger questions about this crossover - how will Amanda Waller stop Garro? And the result is a big bang moment. Taylor is doing a fine job is keeping readers engaged in the moment, even if the setup relies too heavily on assumptions and coincidences, and Robert Carey's art is excellent. This crossover works, but only if you don't think about it.
7.8/10
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