Review: The Strange Talent of Luther Strode #4

It’s Kick-Ass with guile and skill. It’s Superior but hornier. It’s Peter Parker going balls to the wall and kicking Flash Thompson's ass. It’s D-12 Fight Music and an anthem to kick the ass of every bully in the state. Moore’s art is amazing, Sobreiro’s colours are a crimson delight; and writer Justin Jordan assembles some brutal and bloody stringent scenes over 4 issues. It’s raw, unadulterated fun and fight.

It’s sexy and profane and seeing Luther, geek in awe, use a certain muscle-building doctrine set, to get buff and then some…really works.
He utilises his newfound strength, speed and other powers (I use that term roughly) to stir his school and city’s pot up but things get further shaken up a mystery man who finishes Luther’s jobs with a lot of rage and murder. I thought FIGHT CLUB AND SCHIZO at the end of issue 3 but the plot twist isn’t that key to me at this point, as I love the relationships with Luther, his bestie, his girl, his mom and his enemies as he trudges on through a path of definitive rage…or passive resting. He’s given a power set, and it’s a responsibility he tries to take on but something’s undermining him as he finds this rebirth. Jordan uses the typical teen angst brigade that Silverchair sings about and really meshes it well here in a mature version of Kick-Ass. Seeing Akira, Iron Giant, Goku and AllStar Superman posters in panels add a nice flavour and homage that Jordan pays in many scenes and the feel he gives into what’s Luther’s true purpose is one of immense mystery and keeps a thrill ride going, and seemingly one that’s getting better.

This creative team gets the spark right and the fuse is lit…I can’t wait for the ensuing bang, whether it be Luther’s parentage, his girl or his arch-rivals. It’s a doozy. After reading issue 4 and seeing the vague origin of Luther’s talent, it’s beneficial as it keeps you engaged while seeing a viable antagonist thrown in the mix, yet it’s kind of pandering to that plot key that just seems to be there for the sake of shock factor. It works yet something more could have been given. It’s not a good explanation but it isn’t that bad either. But at this point, I'm caring for it...a bit more as I'm looking for some substance now that I've eaten my fill of style on this book. There are some merciless killings that still could have been undone to kept the emotional drive factor in the story but it’s a cinematic treat how the end of the 4th issue plays out and sticks to the guns of Severed, Kick-Ass, Last of the Greats and The Cape, where certain cliffhangers really don’t bode well for the protagonist at all. It sets up nicely for what’s to come.