Comic Review: RWBY #4 Blake: Part One Intoxication

On her way home to the Faunus Island sanctuary of Menagerie, Blake Belladonna who is still recovering on a psychological level of the events of Vol.3’s ending begins to reminisce about her time in the White Fang and her relationship with the unofficial White Fang Leader Adam Taurus, one of the people who attacked Beacon Academy. which leaves her to wonder: was the attack on Beacon Blake’s fault?

Our Take

Much like the previous chapters of the comic run, this is a series of ret-conned storylines within RWBY. And In this case, the focus is towards the Faunus freedom-fighter Blake Belladonna whom between the events of Vol.3 and 4 was wracked with guilt over Adam’s brutal proverbial grip along with his “Radical” branch of the White Fang that played a major role in the “Fall of Beacon” disaster by Cinder, with Blake’s entire arc later being touched upon which is her learning to face her problems head-on instead of running away from them.

While the previous chapters of the two characters Ruby & Yang’s had somewhat bittersweet endings, It’s Blake’s backstory so far gives her a level of pathos as we see the events in her life that lead up to meeting of Adam and even developing a level of sympathy for him at one point along with his cause to battle unmitigated Faunus oppressors. Sadly, despite the romantic relationship they had, it later becomes “toxic” as they would later have opposing views on how to handle said Oppressors as the plot progressed throughout Volumes 3-6.

As usual, the comic team involved with this ongoing series Writer Marguerite Bennette, Artist Mirka Andolfo and Colorist Arif Prianto continue the consistency of having the retcon play an intrinsic role with Blake’s flashbacks, with a unique art style & color choices that stand out. If there are any complaints I have the most, it’s the countdown/timeline which documents Blake’s time with Adam but the annoying part was that they felt the need to end each sentence of these events with the words “Before you leave him” reminding the audience of what she ended up doing at the end of the Black Trailer when Blake broke away from her “toxic” relationship with Adam and thwarted an attempted terrorist attack on a Train,

My 2nd complaint would also have to be the fact that it also spoils a major twist that was revealed near the end of Vol.6 involving what Adam’s face looks like without his White Fang mask. If you haven’t watched the show before this, the reveal itself re-contextualizes Adam’s hatred for humanity, and in a tragic way, makes Adam come across as RWBY’s Mexican Joker analogy before that South Park episode even existed.

I look forward to the next chapter as it’s said to focus on Weiss Schnee, a character I didn’t start to like until Vol.4