Scarlett #4: Loving Her Was Red

Scarlett #4 picks up with Scarlett having completed her mission to infiltrate a mysterious compound as the Arashikage search for some mysterious treasure. This issue finally links up Scarlett and Jinx, as this entire endeavor has been to rescue Jinx and return her home. As with how these stories always go, there is more than meets the eye with what is actually going on, leading the pair into an awesome fight that continues to prove how fantastic Marco Ferrari’s art is, highlighting his skills in choreographing some of the best action and hand-to-hand combat in 2024.

One of the best parts about the Scarlett series thus far is how approachable it is to new fans. At its core, this book is simply about someone who is looking to rescue their friend. All further context and lore is really where Kelly Thompson’s skills as a writer come out to shine. Scarlett #4 finally catches the reader up on why Jinx is on this mission, what’s at stake, and how this series may tie into the Energon Universe as a whole.  The way Thompson is able to weave in the exposition and lore makes this issue a gratifying read, teasing bits and pieces about the future while also making this story feel complete. While this issue does end on a cliffhanger that may lend itself more so to longtime fans of the G.I Joe franchise, the issue as a whole does a great job of servicing itself, the fans, all while supporting the initiative as a whole.

Ferrari is one of those artists that has skills in both the emotional, conversational pages, while also knocking it out of the park with the action. Needless to say, this book looks beautiful. Ferrari definitely goes the extra mile when choreographing the action, showing a fun flowing narrative that almost feels akin to a hyper detailed storyboard. He leaves very little to the imagination, allowing the reader’s mind to seamlessly animate the sequences, making each issue feel like it’s being viewed on the screen. This approach feels so unlike anything else happening in the majority of comics today, using motion and movement where others idealize solitary single frames. The weird part is that Ferrari gets to do all of it, the last page is a beautiful full page spread, and it works so well. The comic book medium at large should look into Ferrari and his style and learn from it.

While colorists often get categorized in a “enhancing the penciler” category, this issue is not one of those cases. Lee Loughridge takes the amazing pencils from Ferrari and uses color to enhance the atmosphere, isolate tone, and create a sense of space in the settings. For example, the issue starts with a very monotone, blueish-gray background, as the characters are regrouping and formulating the next stage of their offensive. This is starkly different from the next setting, which sees Storm Shadow mowing through his enemies. Loughridge changes things up, giving the setting an orangish-red background, intensifying the action, and making the setting feel more urgent. When the issue transitions back to Jinx and Scarlett, the colors stay that orangish-red, showing that while these two finally have a chance to talk, it is fleeting and there is still that sense of urgency in the air. Loughridge enhances all of these pages, giving this book a feeling and tone that greatly builds upon the writing and pencils.