Art by: Sean Damien Hill, Anthony Fowler Jr.
Colors by: Michael Atiyeh
Letters by: Sean Damien Hill
Cover art by: Edwin Galmon
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: October 17, 2023
Cyborg #4 finds Victor Stone, aka Cyborg, learning to accept who he is while Silas A.I. bots storm the city.
Is Cyborg #4 Good?
There must be something in the water at DC offices this week because I find myself making this same assessment over and over again - This story is dumb. In Cyborg #4, Morgan Hampton is desperately trying to manufacture an overwhelming threat for Cyborg in the most convoluted way possible when the entire conflict could be resolved with one simple step - delete the data.
When last we left Cyborg, he defeated robotic enforcers and stole Marcus Wilcox's illegally recorded people data before Markus escaped. Markus took the opportunity to upload his profile into a beefed-up robot that could enact his will.
Now, Robot Markus sends robot soldiers to attack Cyborg, the police station where Markus is sitting after he was arrested, and STAR Labs to retrieve the illegally obtained user data. Before the fighting starts, the divisive online personality Estelle Green gives Cyborg a pep talk and a suggestion to use his arm-morphing abilities to create other weapons besides laser cannons. And then they fight.
Watch our Cyborg #4 Video Review
The prevalent problem with this issue is needless complication. Hampton forces Cyborg to contend with big problems created by complicated setups that ultimately have simple solutions. If the entire crux of Markus's plan is to force humanity to evolve by putting human profiles into robotic bodies, destroy the data. If Solace has a warehouse full of robots that could be used for nefarious purposes, shut down the warehouse and disassemble/destroy the robots. When big problems are manufactured with solutions that are as simple as turning off a light switch, the script has lost its way.
What's great about Cyborg #4? If you've been waiting for Cyborg-smashing action, this issue is the highlight of the series as Cyborg lets loose on dozens of robots. Further, it's been done before (and better), but it's nice to see Cyborg come to terms with himself. Now, let's move past that trope.
What's not so great about Cyborg #4? For all the issues mentioned above and more, this plot is deeply flawed. Either Hampton doesn't understand how digital technology and A.I. work, or he invented a different version of technology that doesn't conform to any known standard. A.I. is not alive, and you can simply stop it by turning off its processor (conceivably resurrecting the A.I. by turning on its processor). If the plot is flawed and doesn't make sense, everything Cyborg does feels like a waste of time.
How's the art? The art is okay but not up to typical DC comics standards. The hatching is applied inconsistently, anatomy proportions are inconsistent, and the backgrounds are weak.
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:
Cyborg #4 continues the downside of the series with a deeply flawed plot, inconsistent/weak art, and reliance on an overused trope for Cyborg's character.
4.5/10
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