Stingers #4 (of 5) (Zenescope – Brusha / Tedesco / Reis / Barriga)
Having been stung himself, Hawkins has visions of the alien race’s plan to colonize Earth and how it can be prevented. He and Risa must move fast before the outbreak spirals out of control. As the two enter the bar that Risa received an emergency call from, they find their worst nightmare is coming true. Now they must take out multiple hosts before they turn into something else…Something that they really don’t want to have to face!
Stingers, Zenescope’s sci-fi horror series continues to deliver. The overall story arc involves an invading insectoid hive-mind species that conquers from within. They start off small (think mosquitoes), they sting / bite a human host and bing-bang-boom, a short time and a metamorphosis later the invading baddie has a new body that continues to change and evolve until they are a walking insect warrior complete with built-in bio-weapons and armor.
Bad News for the human resistance.
Literally almost this entire issue is action scenes. And I don’t mean that in a bad way at all. This is an action series. If I buy a martial arts series, I want to see martial arts. If I buy a humor comic, I want to laugh. If I buy a series about the Hulk, I want to see the Hulk (ooops, sorry missed the mark Bruce Jones). And if I buy a series that is about hard ass cops fighting a seemingly unstoppable alien invasion, that’s what I want to see… and that is what I got!
Hawkins, the tarnished but forthright protagonist, shows both his strengths and weaknesses through the hallucinations he has about his past as he moves from fight to fight. As the series has moved forward and the problem and coming solution has been framed up, it is easy to see that the writing behind Stingers is solid and focused. While I have been doing issue to issue monthly. This would be excellent as a trade or as a screenplay (Hollywood anyone?).
The only dip in issue #4 was a change in artists that lead to a slightly less polished look. Pencils are by newcomer Wagner Reis (or at least newcomer to me) and weren’t actually bad at all. It’s just they are not at the high level of glossy detail that a fan has come to expect out of a Zenescope book.
This is out tomorrow! If you can’t find it at your local comic shop, ask the owner to get it!
I look forward to #5 and the possible TPB.
Issue Grade: A-
Looking back, I see that Wagner Reis did do the art for at least the first issue of this series. My take on it didn’t change, but did want to clarify and correct.