Invictus: Outrage #4 - G-Man Comics

INVICTUS: OUTRAGE No. 4, November 2024

For those bibliophiles unfamiliar with the events leading up to Jim Burrows’ script for Issue Four of “Invictus: Outrage”, the Editor-in-Emeritus quickly puts them in the picture with a comprehensive summary on this comic’s inside front page. This succinct ‘scoop’ proves absolutely essential to any reader ‘not in the know’, as once the action starts - courtesy of the Minions deciding they can do without murderous member Brut rather than have the central protagonist wrongfully imprisoned - the audience are thrown head-first into a rolling sea of numerous characters, political intrigues and fast-paced fist-cuffs.

Arguably the most beguiling of these head-spinning shenanigans is all the double-dealing taking place between the hyper-influential Midnight Blue and her killer cronies, who quite surprisingly appear to have some sense of moral obligation despite brazenly brutalising to death any “out of control” super-powered vigilantes they deem corrupt. This genuinely adds some enthralling depth to the former model’s personality, as well as an extra element of complexity to the world which the mogul is so desperately trying to disagreeably manipulate in her favour; “Some idiot framed Outrage! And MB News has to cover it! I have to! That idiot needs to be caught. Eliminated.”

Furthermore, this twenty-page periodical’s policing procedure sub-plot will almost certainly throw many in the audience a complete curve-ball, once it’s been revealed just how well played the likes of Falcon’s Federal investigators have been by the storyline’s central villains. Indeed, this surprising switcheroo is marvellously penned by the American author, and should cause much gnashing of teeth in some quarters at the sheer injustice of Agent Jardin’s initially-compelling case being completely dismissed ‘out of hand’.

Energetically pencilling all of these sense-shattering scenarios is Gilbert Monsanto, who truly seems to step up his game when it comes to sketching the obligatory slug-fests in this publication. Of particular note has to be the cruelly clinical demise of the Enforcer, whose neck is cold-heartedly snapped like a chicken wing by the behemoth Brut, and Outrage’s subsequent battle against the purple-hued monster towards the comic’s conclusion. In addition, the Pasay City-born freelance illustrator’s colour work is top notch, and helps add an almost ethereal sheen to Moneypenny’s computer-generated physical form.

The regular cover art to "INVICTUS: OUTRAGE" #4 by Gilbert Monsanta