I’ve been following Matt Miner’s Liberation saga since the beginning, which is what makes, reading “Critical Hit” #4 a total joy. This is a culmination of everything that has been laid out thematically in his work thus far, it begs the question how far is too far, and pushes against the real scum of the world.
WRITTEN BY: Matt Miner
ART BY: Jonathan Brandon Sawyer
PUBLISHER: Black Mask Studios
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: February 11, 2015
Moreover, the pacing of this entire series has been remarkable. Everything is contained in one moment of error, and the hell Sarah and Jeanette go through when they mess with the wrong pieces of shit. It’s remarkable how well Matt Miner writes a detestable asshole. The hunters in this book will make your blood boil because they’re so deftly written.
Whether or not the causes that motivate Sarah and Jeanette resonate with your own ideology won’t matter, because the situation they find themselves in is dire and emotional. Miner’s script makes you urge for some sort of resolution where no one will get hurt, but sadly that couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead we’re treated to a pulse-pounding finale that is brilliantly paced.
Jonathan Brandon Sawyer’s work is absolutely stunning. His attention to detail is remarkable, and in this final issue he pulls out all the stops. From the opening two page spread that expertly communicates all these small moments of preparation to the huge panels of roller derby, your jaw will likely be on the floor. Despite his technical achievements the emotional core to his work is what resonates most. The anguish of the final pages is communicated with brutal honesty in his panels.
“Critical Hit” proves that Matt Miner can tell tightly woven story with an emotional core that can teach you about being a good person. More than that, it proves that we all make mistakes in times of crisis but those mistakes don’t have to define us. He’s taken a small idea that began in “Liberator” and built it into a robust world with deeply interesting characters who aren’t very different than you or I. But, he imbues them with one key difference: they stand up for what they believe in.
Miner creates a superhero out of the regular every day person. He shows that having a belief is more than enough of something to put your life on the line for, and that you can be a better more proactive person than you ever thought. That’s what makes you super, not a power, but an ideology. That’s a theme that will be with me for a long time to come.