Bishop: War College #4 (of 5)

The Comicbook Dispatch

Engaging characters and fraught battles on Earth 63 pair with a threat to the mutants of our world in Bishop War College #4. Everything hangs in the balance in this fast-paced yet substantial penultimate issue of the series.

ComicBook.com

Bishop: War College has hit its stride with issue #4, an issue that pulls several intriguing threads together into a compelling final mix. The series has introduced a bevy of inventive ideas, but to this point none of them have really felt like they've scratched the surface of the promise they hold. Issue #4 changes that on several fronts, as writer J. Holtham explores the societal dynamics of Earth 63 and how the world addresses the X-Gene while also moving multiple characters forward. At this point both Earth 63 and our Earth are offering compelling stories, and the various emails and text chain intermissions only build out those stories further. Both Earths blend well with one another, a credit to the team of Sean Damien Hill, Alberto Foche, Espen Grundetjern, Victor Nava, and Travis Latham, though I do find myself more taken with the style and look of Earth 63. Bishop: War College feels like it's nearing its peak right as we move into the final book, and hopefully that means the finale will be even better.

Comic Watch

Somebody read my criticism of Bishop War College. What a fun issue. It finally developed the things it set up while getting us back into that good balance of action and world exploration. The pressure is on Bishop to get to Temp0 and get home. But she has other priorities. Meanwhile, Bishop’s students finally make some headway against Fenris, but is it too late? The story picks up and delivers an action-packed issue where Bishop is, illustrating a new section of the multiverse while Armor, Surge, and the rest of his students are trying to stop Fenris. What criticism I had from the last issue disappears as the dual stories progress and utilizes the momentum to deliver swift action sequences. Not only do Surge and Armor quickly mobilize everyone and take charge. Exactly what we should be seeing from them. It would have been nice to see a more nuanced discussion between the two Bishops about their different stories since our Bishop is a hardened warrior from a dystopian future, and this other Bishop is rocking the adorable professor vibe. Can we get more from this Bishop to see how his life has shaped him? From what we got, it was still fun to see. Where in the multiverse Bishop and Tempo go next is anybody’s guess. The small bit of insight we get into Tempo and what she’s dealing with are excellently executed. The art continues to be relatively the same depending on the earth where the story takes place. It’s cool to have two artists drawing different worlds, giving each side a unique feel. But it does make it nearly impossible not to compare the two. Sean Damien Hill’s art delivers perspectives and empty backgrounds that serve a purpose. Alberto Foche’s designs are simpler and could benefit from some more details and a bit more shading. His character designs are also not quite as sharp as Hill’s This is a much more exciting issue than the previous one and manages to move the story. Moira has a backup plan that puts Krakoa’s mutants in serious danger. Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite half-demon mutant, Illiyana, knows something is up. Will Illyana get the others and help Bishop’s college stop Fenris and Moira’s plan? Despite a lull in the last issue, the story picks up again, and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Major Spoilers

Bishop: War College #4 seemed to serve as a bridge toward the upcoming climax and conclusion, making it better suited for a trade paperback format. While the overall story is intriguing, with its compelling ideas and themes, this particular issue did not stand well on its own for me.