REVIEW: Kneel Before Zod #4

Kneel Before Zod #4, “Exodus”, changes the direction of the story once again, but not before we see General Zod unleash his full fury against the Khunds. The slate gets wiped clean and the future is uncertain for the Kryptonian warmonger as tragedy overtakes him.

The standard cover by Jason Shawn Alexander is a visceral depiction of Zod’s grief and rage as he destroys an Eradicator drone with heat vision. Positioning the viewer behind the drone let’s us witness the magnitude of power unleashed and makes his emotions feel relatable. Zod is bent on destruction this issue, and this image is but a taste of what to expect inside.

The variant by Mark Spears has Zod motioning those around him to kneel. Hovering just enough to be taller than the crowd, Zod’s superiority complex is on full display. There’s something ceremonious about the entire scene; almost like the alien kneeling is being inducted into Zod’s ranks. Although surrounded by alien creatures, there’s an eerie realism to Spears’s art that makes it compelling to view. 

Lucio Parrillo’s variant is all about attitude. Another realistic art style depicts Lor-Zod riding a type of surf board away from the smoke of destruction behind him. Although not in this issue, the cover completes Parrillo’s somewhat connecting covers from his variants on issues #1 and #2.  

Artist Dan McDaid and Colorist David Baron continue their stellar work on the interiors of this series.  The emotional turmoil guiding Zod’s actions are visibly present in every panel, even when he’s not in them.  There’s a strange mixture of heart and destruction that really works for this story. You can’t help but feel sympathy and compassion for Zod even during his murder spree. The sci-fi visuals remain an absolute treat through sear scale and color palette.  Whether intentional or not, I can’t help but feel there’s several Easter egg scenes that call back to various pop culture classics. It’s definitely one of the more unique looking books currently on the shelves.

Joe Casey, lettered by Troy Peteri, really put Zod through his paces in ‘Kneel Before Zod’ #4.  Heartache, betrayal, and revenge are on full display as we begin with the shocking confirmation of last issue’s cliffhanger. Seemingly bent on vengeance, Zod prepares both the bottled city of Kandor and the planet New Kandor for, what is to believed, his extended departure. Later, Zod discovers who sent The Khunds to attempt their invasion, and while the identity doesn’t really come as a shock to the reader, the pang of betrayal is still felt through Zod. The story then figuratively and literally explodes into a whole new direction as Zod unabashedly destroys the fleeing Khund warcraft. Casey has shown he’s a master of shock and awe with every issue thus far and there’s no telling what’s in store for Zod’s future.  

(7.5/10) I find the art fantastic and am repeatingly reminded of other classic sci-fi imagery while flipping through the issue. I am genuinely upset over the beginning of this book, but my biggest concern is the seemingly sense of constant redirection each instalment takes. I find myself continuing to read the series out of morbid curiosity than through an actual investment to the plot. I do trust Joe Casey to eventually get to the heart of things, I just wish it would’ve happened already.