Rorschach as a whole has been an interesting series so far. While it’s draw is its tie-in to Watchmen, remove that, you have a pretty solid political thriller. With an attempted Presidential assassination having been stopped, a detective does what he can to uncover the why of it all and the individuals who were stopped, one being Rorschach. The other is the focus of Rorschach #4. Who was the person behind the domino mask? Rorschach #4 attempts to answer some of that.

Writer Tom King uses the issue to shed some light on Rorschach’s partner in crime. He uses the rather common framing of a police interrogation. Laura’s story is told from the perspective of a friend with whom she spent time in a circus.

Rorschach #4 sheds some light on the mysterious character though leaving a lot to open. It’s a very smart dive into characters and their motivations. But, more importantly, the issue is an examination of falling into a fantasy. How easy it is to be propped up and manipulated. How easy it is to be disconnected from reality. The issue is an examination in some ways of our modern times and how easy it is to commit horrific acts when in the enthrall of another.

There’s also a nice examination of conspiracies and how easy it is to fall into and believe, “fake news”. We get a new theory as to what happened to the heroes at the end of Watchmen and why. Mixed in with the television series, it’s all very interesting together.

King also throws in a lot to muddy up what we’ve been told before by what’s revealed. What’s really going on with Rorschach? Who was the person under the mask in the first issue? Is what we’ve been told true? Things are a bit up in the air right now.

Jorge Fornés‘ art continues to impress. Though the clothing and style still screams 70s, there’s so much here to take in. This is a psychological comic. There’s not tons of action. But Fornés keeps the visuals engaging and interesting. With Dave Stewart‘s colors and lettering by Clayton Cowles, Rorschach #4 is muted in some way. It’s not dour but a bit sad as we learn about an individual who was in love and led down a dark path by someone not attached to reality.

Rorschach #4 is an interesting comic. It’s a piece of a bigger puzzle that teases the bigger picture. It’s also a hell of a compact story taking place in an interrogation room. The team has put together what feels like a two-person play in comic form.

Story: Tom King Art: Jorge Fornés
Color: Dave Stewart Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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