The New 52: Futures End #4 Review – Things Are Connecting

Writers: Brian Azzarello, Jeff Lemire, Dan Jurgens, Keith Giffen

Artist: Aaron Lopresti, Art Thibert

Recap

Futures End #3 was a pretty big disappointed in terms of storytelling and character development.  Frankenstein appears in northern Canada and saves an Inuit child from a polar bear attack.  He discovers that the polar bear was being controlled by one of S.H.A.D.E.’s robots.  In the skies above New York, Ronnie was still refusing to allow Jason to unmerge and still acting like an immature idiot.  While at Terrifitech, Mr. Terrific reviews video recordings of Batman Beyond breaking into his company.  Worried about his uSphere project, Mr. Terrific launches a private investigation to find out the identity of Batman Beyond.  Finally, in a New York city bar, Tim Drake is revealed to be alive.

Spoiler-Free Reaction

Finally, the dots are connecting!  We’re getting some payoffs for things that happened in issue #1 and also a connection of events with some small clues.

Plot Details and Spoilers and Deaths: Oh My!

Frankenstein arrives at S.H.A.D.E.’s microscopic headquarters — Shade City.  He’s ready to exact revenge for the polar bear incident in issue #3 when Father Time appears and tells him that it was all part of a plan to lure him to headquarters.  Even more angered by Father Time’s trickery, Frankenstein draws his gun.  Amethyst appears and quickly slices of Frankenstein’s hand.  Surprised that Amethyst has joined S.H.A.D.E., Frankenstein listens to what Father Time has to say.  S.H.A.D.E. needs Frankenstein to investigate Stormwatch’s destruction (issue #1).  Reluctant at first, Frankenstein is convinced to go when Father Time reveals Mermaid was killed on The Carrier.  The problem now is traveling across the galaxy in a timely manner.  This is solved with the arrival of The Atom who will transport Frankenstein and Amethyst through the Phantom Zone.

In New York, we find Tim Drake in his new life as Cal Corcoran, a bartender.  He jogs with his girlfriend Madison.  They trade a bit of banter as Madison tries to find out Cal’s background.  Their conversation is interrupted when Tim sees a large projection of Batman Beyond.  He thinks it’s another new sidekick that Bruce has brought in.  Meanwhile, unknown to Tim, Lois has been following him and is now seeking answers as to why Tim went into hiding.

At the docks, The Key and Plastique recruit Coil for a score.  Coil is reluctant until The Key tells him that this job will be the only one he’ll ever need.  The catch is that the job deals with breaking into Terrifitech.

In a New Jersey Community Center, Grifter has again left a mass of dead Daemonite-infested bodies.  This time, he’s following Justin’s, his assistant’s, instructions in collecting as much tech as he can from the scene.  A notable object Grifter picks up is a tablet — with a Terrifitech splash screen.  Leaving the premises, Grifter receives a mysterious call from King Faraday.  Refusing Faraday’s request for a meeting, Faraday appears behind him and shoots him in the back paralyzing him.  Faraday will now expose Grifter as a serial killer and plans to force Grifter into working for him.  In exchange, Faraday will reverse Grifter’s paralyzation.  We end on police sirens approaching the fallen Grifter.

Wrapping It Up

This issue has renewed my interest in Futures End.  I was getting worried in #3 that the writers were not connecting the events and were just spinning their wheels.  With The Atom, Frankenstein, and Amethyst traveling across the galaxy via the Phantom Zone, we’ll finally see some investigation into the remnants of Stormwatch.  It also seems that many present things are connected to Terrifitech — We have The Key, Plastique, and Coil planning a heist to end all heists.  And Grifter finding a tablet that has the Terrifitech logo prominently displayed on its screen.