Heat Seeker: Exposed #4 Review

 

Writer: Charles Ardai

Penciller: Ace Continuado

Inker: Juan Castro

Colorist: Asifur Rahman

Letterer: David Leach

Cover Artist: Carla Cohen, Yasmine, Ace Continuado, Cosplay, Bräo & Ang Hor Kheng

Publisher: Titan Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: December 3, 2025

 

When internet reporter Jacqueline McGee discovered the Yamato Vault, she learned about Dahlia Racers and all the people she had helped. Most of those people were forging better futures to make up for their past. But Jacqueline doesn't care. She wants to expose anyone who breaks the rules. And that includes Dahlia Racers, the illusionist who enables people to evade the authorities. But not all Dahlia's clients are criminals.

 

Sally Portenza thinks everyone is out to get her. She sees people who aren’t there. Jacqueline let slip that she knew about Sally. But before Dahlia can reach her client, Jacqueline gets there first. What does Jacqueline want with Sally? Or did Jacqueline mention Sally’s name to draw Dahlia there, in case her other efforts to kill or imprison Dahlia failed? Let’s slip on our disguises, leap into Heat Seeker: Exposed #4, and find out!

 

Story

Sally sees the world, and her imagination fills in the rest. Her aunt Miriam visits her, even though she died years ago. Hilary Clinton also visits her tropical island, even though she no longer seeks the presidency. Yet when Sally looks at Dahlia, she sees her mother. When Jacqueline arrives, Sally rejoices. Her aunt Miriam has arrived to protect her from her evil mother.

 

In Heat Seaker: Exposed #4, Jacqueline isn't interested in protecting anyone. She reveals that her righteous crusade is more about ratings than anything else. Jacqueline may not see her dead relatives. But like Sally, Jacqueline sees the world, and her imagination fills in the rest. People are stories, and it's her job to make them as exciting as possible.

 

Charles Ardai's fast-paced story is a desperate race for survival. Jacqueline has killed people to create the story she wants to tell the world. But along the way, she also forced Dahlia to kill someone. That unnecessary death weighs on Dahlia's soul.

 

Heat Seaker: Exposed #4 isn't just about Dahlia Racers. It's also about the people in her life, and the family Dahlia has built. Jacqueline McGee may have fans around the world, but she is alone. Dahlia isn’t perfect. But when she’s in trouble, her friends support her anyway they can.

 

Art

Ace Continuado and Juan Castro open behind Dahlia, suggesting that Jacqueline is far away. But a profile shot reveals the women's proximity as Jacqueline presses the gun against Dahlia's forehead. The artists point the camera up from the ground to suggest Sarah Claride is far above Evie and Rosalind. Sally's fortune allowed her to buy a Caribbean island. Yet as the women fight in Sally's cabin, the one-room home is as empty as her life. Likewise, Sarah's money allowed her to purchase a castle. Yet the large room Edie and Rosalind visit is devoid of anything except a computer and weapons.

 

Asifur Rahman lavishes bright and appealing colors on Heat Seeker: Exposed #4. Yet red, pink, orange, and yellow shine brightest as Dahlia and Jacqueline face off. The jungle foliage is tinged with orange and yellow, while red sprouts from wounds. Dahlia wears a red wig, forced to shave off her short blonde hair by Jacqueline's murderous pursuit. Yet Jacqueline's head is half-shorn, with one side covered in long red-pink hair. The style intimates how unbalanced her life has become, while the color suggests Jacqueline's desire to destroy the woman she envies.

 

David Leach fires black uppercase words into white dialogue balloons and colored boxes. Sound effects accompany fighting, gunfire, flying drones, and a moment of truth. Thanks to Titan Comics and Hard Case Crime for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Jacqueline may have stripped Dahlia of her anonymity. The belligerent blogger may have made Dahlia a fugitive. But Dahlia's life is about crafting illusions. She has trained her body to help her meet any challenge she faces. Amid the betrayals and double-crosses, Dahlia's ability to think around problems proves her most lethal weapon in Heat Seeker: Exposed #4.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Heat Seeker: Exposed #4.