BLEEDING HEARTS #4: One More Time.

One more time, Poke keeps saying to himself as he promises to leave the living he has befriended and never betray his horde or his best friend, Mush, for that matter. While Poke keeps on disappearing, Mush has begun to notice, and it may not be long until Poke must choose between the weird new feelings inside of him or his best friend.

Creative Team: Deniz Camp, Stipan Morian, Matt Hollingsworth, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Story:

This issue has brought the two separate worlds and stories that Deniz has been building together into a big clash. Camp makes us sympathize and feel so much for Poke as he struggles with a battle within himself. Does he betray his family and his culture that he has been a part of since outbreak day, or does he give in to the humanity buried deep within? The entire issue shows both sides of this inner conflict in such a beautiful way. Spending time with Mush, you cannot help but want to be his friend as well, which is a testament to Camp’s wonderful storytelling.

There are also stories inside this issue where you see the ugly side of humanity once more. It creates inner turmoil and creates conflict for the audience. There is still a child-like wonder with Rabbit, who has so much curiosity and experiences joy. Rabbit brings out the best of who we are deep down.

The Art and Letters:

Stipan and Hollingsworth continue to bring the art to a whole new level that aids in the world-building that is being built. There are certain pages where the color work in the background makes the shadowy figures in the foreground of the panels. The shading on the zombies’ faces continues to push the narrative forward, and the way we see them in various perspectives is my favorite part of this run. Even with Hassan’s lettering showcasing how torn Poke is, the way they manage to capture it across his lifeless and decaying face tells so much. There are moments as well in the background that will cause you to pause in an almost “did I see that” sort of way. The art team deserves to be proud of what they continue to do with this run, as it is some of the best work in comics right now.

Final Thoughts:

Bleeding Hearts #4 continues to push the envelope of what incredible storytelling can be when you marry beautiful artwork with a haunting inner conflict. This run speaks so loudly beyond a story of a zombie outbreak and continues to be one of my favorites out there currently.

Overall Grade: 10/10

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