The Urchin Unleashed: Contagion #4 Reviewed
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
The Wrecking Crew have run across the Urchin at Penn Station and are trying to put the creature down. It takes Wrecker, Thunderball, and Bulldozer before the Thing, Punisher, Elektra, Moon Knight, Jessica Jones, Pei, Iron Fist, White Tiger, Black Tarantula, and the League of International Magic Practitioners (headed by Senor Magico) arrive. Magico has a protection spell on the team, but it’s a lot to hold. Before long, White Tiger, Elektra, and Black Tarantula are taken too. The rest fall back while Moon Knight and Punisher hold off the Urchin. Time is running short: the League’s protection spell around New York is fading, the Avengers have stopped responding, and the FF will be killed by the contagion soon. The heroes of New York need a miracle, and Moon Knight may be the one to deliver it.
Contagion #4 finds the situation growing more desperate by the second for the heroes of New York City. The Urchin and his contagion have infected many heroes, and its power grows with each new victim.
The comic does a good job of communicating that desperation with numerous setbacks and the subsequent reaction of our heroes.
It also takes a creative route to make it so Moon Knight may be the one who has to save the world for everyone.
Again, despite the large cast of characters, Contagion #4 still feels focused and forward-moving. While much of the plot is relegated to the beginning and ending of the comic, the story still feels like it’s constantly moving forward instead of stalling out and waiting for the final installment to resolve everything.
Damian Couceiro provides another stellar issue visually too. The big smackdown at the beginning looks good, and he does a great job of handling the vast cast of characters and making sure everyone gets a moment in the spotlight. Veronica Gandini gives the book a damn good palette too, and it infuses the book with a distinct visual personality.
Contagion #4 is another great installment for this weekly miniseries. A zombie-esque nightmare could be a tiresome thing these days, but Ed Brisson and company make sure this one feels fresh. This one earns another recommendation. Check it out.
Contagion #4 comes to us from writer Ed Brisson, artist Damian Couceiro, color artist Veronica Gandini, letterer VC’s Cory Petit, cover artist Juan José Ryp with Jesus Aburtov, and variant cover artist Ryan Browne.
Final Score: 8/10
