Manhunter Vol. 4: Unleashed

February 25, 2008 | Trades

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Manhunter Vol. 4: Unleashed
Marc Andreyko, Javier Pina, Fernando Blanco, Brad Walker
DC Comics
$17.99 US (Paperback)
*** 1/2 (out of five)

She’s kept the scum of the DC Universe from being sent to the chair before, but now Kate Spencer faces an even more daunting task: Keeping one of the greatest heroes in the world from death row.
Spencer, A.K.A. the L.A.-based vigilante Manhunter, is hand picked by Wonder Woman to lead her defence against charges that she murdered a federal officer — a man named Maxwell Lord.
Regular DC Comics readers know that Lord was actually a nefarious villain who murdered the hero, Blue Beetle, and took control of Superman, forcing the Man of Steel to nearly kill several of his Justice League brethren. In a shocking moment, Wonder Woman reasoned that killing Lord was the only way to stop him and so she snapped his neck.
Now Spencer must use all her legal guile to prove to a federal grand jury that Wonder Woman’s actions were justified and she shouldn’t face trial for murder, a case filled with delicious irony given that Manhunter has made the same decision herself a few times.
This fourth volume of Manhunter, enjoyably presented by the team of writer Marc Andreyko and artists Javier Pina, Fernando Blanco and Brad Walker, tends to be a bit heavier on the legal drama than the urban vigilante stuff, but it never seems too lopsided.
It also sets up the next story arc beginning in the long-awaited issue #31, which is hopefully coming sometime this year (although DC couldn’t tell me last week exactly when).

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