Issue(s): Justice #4
Cover Date: Dec 94
Title: Four Balance: "Tag, you're it"
Credits:
Fabian Nicieza - Writer
E. Craig Brasfield - Penciler
Frank Turner - Inker
Rob Tokar & Tom Brevoort - Editor

Review/plot:
It turns out that the main plot of this miniseries was wrapped up last issue and this is just a kind of coda.

Anderson Gaulthing has been arraigned (off panel) and his lawyers have provided information on the final kid who was experimented on by Adrenamix. His name is David Bank and he lives in New Orleans. The information says that David's powers allow him to "do anything". Unlike the other kids, David is living at home, and his father is aware of his powers and is trying to help him train, seemingly so that he can cash in. Justice goes to New Orleans and observes the father and son for a few days. He also gets info from Kelly Hitchuck at Childwatch, and then he confronts the father.

David's grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, had powers and used them to kill Nazis, but later felt guilt about it. So he abused his son Irving, beating him so that Irving would never develop the family powers. But Irving wanted David's powers to develop, so he brought him to Adrenamix. Justice convinces the father to not push his son so hard. But a few days later, he sends David his old Marvel Boy costume (David will never be seen again, though).

Also in this issue, Justice reconciles a bit with his mom. They visit his dad's mausoleum spot with Firestar.

It's really incredible how boring this is, and it doesn't even seem to be making an attempt to be interesting. Nicieza is decent with plot driven stories and he did ok with characterization for the New Warriors where there was opportunity for group interaction and where the artists were able to help out by drawing the kids having fun and stuff. This is theoretically a character-driven story, but it's just bland, providing by-the-numbers "closure" for Justice without any interesting character insights. I also think Nicieza's admirable penchant for socially conscious topics has reached self-parody levels (picking "Holocaust survivor" and "abusive father" out of a hat). And coupling that with a family where the first born son inherits extremely powerful superpowers even though we've never heard about them before (and never will again) seems irresponsible. But mostly it's just a really dull read.

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

The fact that Justice served his time for killing his abusive father in New Warriors #19-20 gives him credibility with Irving and David.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A