After reluctantly returning to her hometown, Theresa’s life has become much stranger since Minor Arcana #3. It appears she can go to a strange hotel when reading tarot cards for others, with doors to places where folks wait for her to give her clues and information. It’s pretty freaky, especially for someone like Theresa, who never believed her mom’s tarot shop was legit in the slightest. Now, Theresa is coming to grips with her newfound power, but can she use it for good? Does she even want to?
Minor Arcana returns this week with issue #4. The last issue ended in a way that could have almost been the ending, but it seems the strange hotel needs Theresa more. That, and writer and artist Jeff Lemire needs Theresa to continue to evolve and grow amongst the robust characters around her.
Case in point, Minor Arcana #4 opens with Theresa taking her mother to the doctor. Her mother has cancer, the reason Theresa is back in town at all, and she’s not taking it seriously enough. We’re talking about drinking bottles of wine and smoking cigarettes against doctors’ orders. Lemire continues to do a good job showing how Theresa and her mom are like oil and water, with Theresa lashing out, unable to control her rage.
Oh, what a coincidence you arrived just as we did!
Credit: BOOM! Studios
Midway through the issue, things get magical again. This time, Theresa’s getting a little help from an old friend, the same one she snapped at in the first issue. This allows Lemire to explore Theresa’s powers and take us back to the hotel for another mysterious room adventure.
You won’t see the adventure coming, with intriguing ties to childhood elements many will connect with. Like any good mystery, it’s not apparent what it all means, but it leads to some interesting discoveries for Theresa’s friend.
The further exploration of the hotel is intriguing, with dark and ominous elements at work. Is it even safe for Theresa to continue to go there? There’s a sense of danger that’s apparent, yet it does seem to help her help others.
Lemire’s watercolors continue to add a quirky and odd feel to the story, which suits the magical elements. Theresa always looks a bit strung out, clearly with a lot of work she needs to do on herself. Character development isn’t just in dialogue but through Lemire’s strong facial expressions. Few creators work in watercolor, and it’s works like this that make me pine for more.
My only gripe with this issue is how it hurries itself to get from one point to another, likely combating page count. It’s not earned, for instance, how Theresa and her friend almost immediately get inside a locked-in key building. Or, for that matter, how Theresa’s friend shows up so perfectly on time for the story.
Minor Arcana #4 continues to enchant with its mix of personal drama and magical mystery, bolstered by Lemire’s distinct artistic style. While the pacing stumbles slightly, the emotional stakes and intriguing world-building make this a compelling addition to the series.
You must be logged in to post a comment.