Review: Red Mother #4

Publisher: Boom! Studios
Writer: Jeremy Haun
Artist: Danny Luckert
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Released: March 18^th, 2020
Rating:

Red Mother is arguably one of the more disturbing and chilling series I’ve been reading of late. And that’s saying something. Daisy’s tale is both alarming and intriguing, in just the right proportions. It’s also difficult to predict what will happen next, a fact that has surely increase the tension.

As if the events of her recent past weren’t enough, it seems like there’s a new mystery on the horizon. One that comes in the form of a charming executive that wants to employ her. Perhaps, if that was the end of the surprises, Daisy could handle it all. But it isn’t.

Red Mother #4 is one of the more alarming issues of the series, a fact that surprised me. The plot is starting to move forward in leaps and bounds. Yet there are so many questions left to be answered.

The Plot

Red Mother #4 started out in a way that I didn’t expect. By that, I mean that it was almost a casual and normal day, for Daisy. You know, if you discount that first scene painted in red. Yet there’s something almost foreshadowing in the normalness of it all.

That is where Jeremy Haun’s writing shines. He’s managed to make the normal feel terrifying, and it’s all because you don’t know what’s going to happen next. A feeling that is rapidly rewarded, thanks to the events that unfold in this issue.

I can tell you with complete honestly that I do not know what’s going to happen next. Nor do I (yet) see the connection between this new executive and the mystery of what happened to Daisy. I actually kind of love that about this series. It’s refreshing to give up the reigns and just follow along and be surprised (or terrified).

Speaking of, I feel like the horror elements went up a few notches in this issue. Perhaps that’s just me though. I don’t exactly watch horror movies (weird, I know). That being said, the progression, while sudden, also feels natural. Perhaps because it has also felt so inevitable.

The Art

Red Mother #4 features a variety of scenes, expressions, and settings. It makes for a visually stunning piece, though some scenes are surely going to be more memorable than others. Even in the calmer scenes, Daisy’s character design seems to stand out. A constant reminder of her past and the future we presume is lurking ever closer.

Danny Luckert is the lead artist for this project, providing everything minus the lettering, which was done by Ed Dukeshire. Together they’ve created a horror story worth following, full of the iconic elements that have made it so memorable.

Naturally, that means the more alarming scenes will be more memorable. Nevertheless, it’s all simply setting the scene for something so much bigger. And the artwork perfectly supports the story being told.

In Conclusion

Red Mother #4 is one of those issues that really threw me. It wasn’t at all what I expected, and yet it was still brilliant. I find myself coming up with more questions with each issue, all of which I’m eagerly looking forward to finding the answers for.