Writer: Charles Ardai
Penciller: Ace Continuado
Inker: Juan Castro
Colorist: Asifur Rahman
Letterer: David Leach
Cover Artist: Ivan Tao, Irvin Rodriguez, Ace Continuado & Photo
Publisher: Titan Comics
Price: 3.99
Release Date: March 19, 2025
Arturo Durenbrad wanted Rosaline Priess captured and Evie Parker dead. In return for a CGC copy of The Incredible Hulk #1, Dahlia Racers agreed to help them disappear. A dramatic makeover from Dahlia and a brawl in an Austrian brothel left Durenbrad dead and Parker injured.
Durenbrad’s mercenaries captured Rosaline Priess and Dahlia's assistant, Cesar. Can Parker and Dahlia rescue the captives before Livonia Cutler detonates the apoptosis bomb inside Rosaline Priess? Let’s pull on our fire-retardant clothing, burn into Heat Seeker: Combustion #4, and find out!
Story
Dr Livonia Cutler outfitted her traditional log cabin in Mittenwald, Germany, with a high-tech lab. She also built a secret elevator and a disguised airplane hangar in the basement. When Dr Cutler disappears beneath the ground floor with Cesar and Rosaline, Dahlia and Parker find a way down. As one plane roars away, Cesar and another plane await them.
Heat Seeker: Combustion #4 boasts a high-flying pursuit as Dahlia and Parker try to rescue Rosaline and prevent Cutler from destroying London. While the ladies handle things in the air, Cesar seeks Dr Priess on the ground. Rosaline’s father may have used his daughter as a guinea pig, but he has learned about the bloodbath in Innsbruck, Austria. Cesar drives off to find him, hoping he doesn’t have to journey back to Venice to find a way of defusing Cutler's apoptosis bomb.
Charles Ardai makes your head spin by reversing your understanding of key story points. While Dahlia Racers shines brightly as an action hero, Evie Parker is the rising star in Heat Seeker: Combustion #4. Her fiercely protective nature, ability to keep up with Dahlia, pop culture dialogue, and disregard for death suggest that she could headline a future series from Hard Case Crime.
Art
Ace Continuado and Juan Castro demonstrate a flair for production design worthy of the late Ken Adam. The artist and inker’s portrayal of Dahlia Racers and Evie Parker evokes the James Bond introductory films of Maurice Binder. Like Charles Ardai, Ace and Juan do a number on your mind as Parker masquerades as Dahlia, who resembles Arturo Durenbrad. But we know where we stand after Dahlia pulls off her mask, slips on her red wig, and changes into a cleavage-revealing black catsuit.
Asifur Rahman lavishes a palette of bright, appealing colors on Heat Seeker: Combustion #4. Background colors heighten the airborne action, while Dr Livonia’s apoptosis bomb makes an interesting link with Dahlia Racers. Rahman paints the ground action even more vividly. Dr Bessemer Priess proves he is a villain by clutching a gray cell phone as he drives (A major No no) against streaks of yellow, orange, and red while a red semi-truck pursues a gold Volkswagon (Goldbug?) on a blue, yellow, orange, and red road.
As Charles Ardai leaves readers breathless with his mind-bending, fast-paced rescue plot, David Leach fires small, black uppercase words into white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. Sound effects help us hear beeping phones, honking horns, and a scream that evokes Man-Thing. Thanks to Titan Comics and Hard Case Crime for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
While Dahlia and Parker emulate James Bond, Rosaline's father demonstrates an affinity for the third Doctor Who, and Dr Livonia Cutler goes Green in Heat Seeker: Combustion #4.
Rating 9.2/10
For more covers and a look inside see my preview of Heat Seeker: Combustion #4.
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