“If Destruction Be Our Lot #4” Review – Drugs, Dips, Digging a Hole

The Run Down

If you’ve been reading this series and thought the last few issues packed a punch, you haven’t seen anything yet. Just when you think you know what’s going on, especially after Abe’s adventure outside the walls, I can promise you that you don’t. That now being said, let’s go through this wild ride together as I review “If Destruction Be Our Lot #4”!

Writers: Matthew Rosenberg, Mark Elijah Rosenberg
Artist: Andy MacDonald
Colorist: Francesco Segala
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

The Writing

First off, I feel like it may be best to start this with a bit of trigger warning as this issue deals with something I didn’t expect: addiction. In their pursuit of capturing everything about the human experience, the Rosenberg brothers remind us that that includes the darkness. For quite a number of people, addiction can be a hard thing to shake. For some, like Abe here it’s drugs.

The way the brothers capture the look and feel of addiction feels raw and emotional while making you question a lot about what’s going on. This mirrors what a lot of people with the problem go through, getting lost in the sauce while using drugs as a distraction. For some, they really start to question what’s real or what’s going on. That’s the exact pair of shoes readers get placed in here, making us begin to question if everything we’ve seen is real or simply what we’re wanting to see in desperation of feeling alone.

The Art

The art here from Andy MacDonald is, quite frankly, the best it’s been for this entire run. I don’t know how he managed to do it, but he managed to channel the desperation and loneliness through his penciling and shading. There were several moments throughout where I could truly feel what Abe was experiencing, particularly when he was ready to give up. Finally, the level of detail he includes in each panel really builds this world out and makes it feel alive.

As for the colors from Segala, they continue to make this world feel grounded and muted in the best way possible. While MacDonald pushes the desperation in a futuristic world, Segala’s colors work to make everything feel dirty and grounded. This coupled with the bubbles of Otsmane-Elhaou truly give this series so much character while continuing to enhance the writing of the Rosenbergs.

Final Thoughts

Just when I thought this series couldn’t get any better, the Rosenberg brothers found a way to make it hit home. They’re continuing to craft a series that feels all too human, sometimes in our worst ways. Or maybe those are the ways we need to talk more about right now.

If you or anyone you know is suffering from addiction or is in a crisis, call or text the crisis hotline at 988 or seek local medical attention. Times may be desperate or bad, but you’re never alone.

Be sure to read more from me here and check out my socials

Comments

Have you been reading “If Destruction Be Our Lot”? Let’s discuss in the comments below!