Short Lived Comic Series #10 - First Comics' Meta-4

I picked up this series for several reasons - first, I came to know Stefan Petrucha as a comic book writer when her wrote the Nancy Drew graphic novels for Papercutz and had the pleasure of meeting him when we were both on a panel at New York Comic Con; so, I know he writes some great stories.  Second, I loved quite a few of the comic books that First Comics published back in the day, so I figured if First put it out, there was a good chance it would be good.  Finally, the art on the covers is absolutely fantastic.  With all three of these things going for it, I just couldn't pass it up.

What I didn't realize, though, was that the book was published right as First Comics was getting ready to end its publishing era, and so the series only lasted three issues.  Thus, just as I was getting into the story, getting to know the character - BOOM - that's the end (and although the letter column at the end of the third issue said the series would be back with a mini-series, that never happened, since First Comics closed its doors not too long after that third issue was released).  So, Meta-4 (not to be confused with the Meta-4 comic published by Image Comics in 2010) was yet another short-lived comic that never got to truly come into its own...

It turns out that Meta-4 is somewhat similar to Comico's Elementals (which featured a team of four individuals - two men and two women - who harnessed the powers of the four elements) published back in 1984 and Continuity's Urth-4 (which also featured a team of four individuals - three men and one woman, who harnessed the powers of the four elements) published back in 1989. See a theme here? So, I was curious to see how Petrucha would take this concept in a different direction - - or whether it would simply be another rehash of an already existing idea, since Meta-4 saw publication in 1991, after the two previous comic series about earth elementals.  Perhaps he got his idea from the other two comics, I'm not sure - but I am sure that his story took this concept in an entirely different direction!

Emily Cayce, Allis Krafe, Craig Fallow, and Dirk Penderwhistle (gotta love the names!) are the four individuals who are gifted with the powers of the elements.  Emily, Allis, and Craig are college students, while Dirk is a drug addict and criminal. The powers they discovery they have are alien in nature, and, of course, the government wants to know (i.e., control!) them.  The series opens with all four young adults waking from a coma they have been in for the past three years, to discover that they are being watched by scientists and the government.  Each of them has experienced some weird dreams, but it turns out those dreams were precursors to the powers that they possess!  Emily (water) is able to control the "fluid forces" that exist within crystal; Allis (fire) is able to use energy of any sort; Craig (earth) is able to assume the form of any terrain that he is near; and Dirk (air) is able to manipulate electrical and mechanical paths.

The three-issue series not only provides readers with the origin of the group's powers, it also gives readers a really good lock into the psyche of each of the characters (including the government men and the scientists studying the team).  These characters are more than just typical, cardboard cutout stereotypes.  They are unique, interesting, and quite frankly, fun to read.  And lest you think the series is all cerebral - there are plenty of action sequences as the four elementals learn more about themselves and their newfound powers and fight to escape their captivity by the government. Petrucha inserts plenty of subplots that would have led to a number of great stories (had the series continued), and the third issue ends with a cliffhanger worthy of any nighttime soap of the '80s!  Sadly, because First went defunct, the promised follow-up mini-series never happened, so readers have never been able to learn just what became of the Meta-4...

Gibson's art reminds me a bit of Mark Wheatley and Marc Hempel's art from First Comics' Mars series.  It is not refined (such as George Perez or Jerry Ordway), but it has its own style that fits the story.  In some instances, the faces and expressions are exaggerated almost to the point of caricature, but surprisingly enough, it works.  The story is offbeat, and so the characters and art should be as well.  Petrucha's writing and Gibson's art mesh nicely to give readers the constantly off-kilter feel that the four main characters are likely experiencing as they wake up from their coma (so that the readers have the same feelings as the characters).  Nicely done!

Wish there had been more - perhaps one day Petrucha and Gibson will team-up again and complete the tale?

RATING:  8 strangers dressed up in french-fry outfits out of 10 for a quirky, unique, and definitely one-of-a-kind comic series that was well worth the read!