Review - Halcyon & Tenderfoot #4

Tenderfoot was an impatient youth whose impatience managed to get his father killed. His father just so happened to be a hero in Brink City and his death proved to be a catalyst for a young Tenderfoot. How does it all play out from there? Halcyon & Tenderfoot #4 from Art Heroes concludes the first volume.

Concluding the series is writer Daniel Clifford, illustrated by Lee Robinson and cover colors by FiverArts.

Tenderfoot and Jenny Wren are squaring off against Telescopic Woman and Dr. Birdbrain, with the prize target being Halogen Man. Tenderfoot is faced with a truly dramatic decision when facing Halogen Man, with everyone hoping he makes the right choice. Mix in some robots disguised as holograms, fighting and a city with its eyes on the outcome of Tenderfoot's decisions and you've got a thrilling conclusion.

For a volume-concluding issue, Clifford manages to infuse Halcyon & Tenderfoot #4 with some pretty heady subject matter. Tenderfoot feels responsible for the death of his father and is forced to grow up a lot more quickly than he probably should have. It's true that Tenderfoot was indirectly responsible for the death of Halcyon and how he handles the adult decision of what to do with Halogen Man shows his maturity from a sidekick into a hero.

Robinson's art maintains the cartoonish look that the previous issues have presented. While it is cartoonish, that's not to say it's not good. It's black and white and rather simplistic, but Robinson does a great job showcasing the action sequences, most of which pit Tenderfoot against a certain enemy. The panels that thrust Tenderfoot into a maze of mirrors is pretty well presented and helps convey the fractured decision-making Tenderfoot is experiencing when faced with Halogen Man.

The first volume concludes and the duo of Clifford and Robinson do a great job finishing things up. Tenderfoot shows his growth as a character, ready to take the mantle as hero if necessary. He comes to an understanding with Jenny Wren, who may end up being quite the handful for Tenderfoot to deal with. Overall, the series concludes with some interesting topics broached, the most prominent being what children do in their absence of their parents.

Halcyon & Tenderfoot #4 is available to the public this month at Dundee Comic Expo and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art during the Art Heroes/Jim Shaw Exhibition Launch. Get your preorder on here.