Image Comics’s Violator has been a wild series so far. From a shockingly strong opening issue to two wild issues that took the Spawn villain to sea and land, the origin story for the baddie has been violent, profane, and over the top. But Violator #4 might be the best issue so far, thanks to a focus on one of history’s other great villains: Rasputin.
Written by Marc Andreyko with art by Gianerico Bonacorsi, the fourth issue finds Violator stumbling upon the first death of the Russian mystic. We know through legend that Rasputin died multiple times. Well, this comic posits, what if that’s because a demonic entity known as the Violator wore him as a skinsuit? Probably not the most scientifically sound premise, but it does lead to some delightfully dark comics.
What works so well about this issue is that the legend of Rasputin already has its own tragic arc and three-act structure. Laying The Violator into that through a character who is already known to have been into the dark arts and pleasure at all costs just makes perfect sense. Like with Rasputin’s skin itself, this is a perfect fit for a Violator story, and helps the book avoid some of the side-trips it’s gone on in previous issues.
Andreyko also doesn’t forget about the Spawn of it all, including teases and references to continuity from both the Violator book and Spawn history — which again, only helps to enrich the whole book into a ribald, extremely gruesome story, thanks to Bonacorsi’s exaggerated art.
This, if anything, sets the stage for how this could be an ongoing Violator series. It’s like Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, but instead of teaming up with history’s greatest innovators and heroes, Violator wears history’s greatest villains’ skin. That could probably go to some even darker places real quickly — Rasputin, at least, seems like a safe bet for mockery, given the distance from the tragic, true-life events. But if they wanted to go in that direction, and the comic continued to be as fun as this fourth issue? I’d be chanting “ra-ra-rasputin” along with Violator himself.
Violator #4 Rating:
Violator #4 Official Synopsis:
The Violator’s story continues as his hatred for humanity grows. His rage seethes as he brings destruction and misery to everyone unlucky enough to cross his path.
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