For the first few months of its run, Malevolent felt like a high-concept engine that hadn’t quite found its gear. The premise—police officers partnering with a hybrid weapon to patrol a world where demonic possession is a systemic norm—is a fertile ground for both social commentary and visceral horror. Yet, through the first two issues, the execution felt slightly detached, as if the creators were still sketching the boundaries of their own apocalypse.
That changed with issue #3, where Justin Jordan’s script finally synchronized its disparate goals. The narrative began to breathe, giving the supporting cast depth while allowing the protagonist, Morgan, to emerge from the shadows of the plot. It was the moment the series transitioned from a promising idea to a truly entertaining read. However, coming off that high, issue #4 takes a daring, and potentially dangerous, detour: it pivots away from the present-day momentum to deliver a comprehensive origin story of the “Mal” invasion.
In the world of comic book pacing, the “origin issue” is often a gamble. When introduced too early, it can stall the plot; when introduced too late, it can feel like an afterthought. By placing this reveal in issue #4, Jordan and the creative team are attempting to ground the horror in human failure. The result is a chapter that, while not without its flaws, successfully transforms the Mals from mere monsters into symbols of human hubris.
The Architecture of Hubris
The narrative of Malevolent #4 focuses on the researchers responsible for tearing the veil between worlds. Rather than relying on a supernatural accident or a cosmic fluke, the story frames the invasion as a consequence of scientific arrogance. The vibe is reminiscent of films like Sunshine or 13 Ghosts—a heady mixture of glowing portals, demonic savagery, and a sterile sci-fi aesthetic that makes the eventual gore feel all the more intrusive.
The strength of this issue lies not in the “how” of the invasion, but in the “who.” The two researchers are presented as fully realized individuals: one driven by a reckless, gung-ho desire for discovery, and the other serving as the ignored voice of reason. Their dynamic serves as a microcosm for the broader themes of the series—the feckless use of technology and the desperate, often annoying, scramble for existential meaning.
By centering the origin on these two figures, the series solves a problem that plagued the first three issues: a lack of emotional stakes. While the police officers in the present day still feel somewhat tethered to stereotypical tropes, the researchers in the past are given enough texture to make their inevitable downfall feel tragic. It suggests that the world of Malevolent isn’t just a place where awful things happen, but a place where humans actively invited the darkness in.
A Shift in Visual Grammar
One of the most significant changes in this issue is the artistic direction. While John Bivens remains a powerhouse on the covers, Felipe Sobreiro takes over the interior art duties. This shift is more than just a change in personnel; it is a strategic aesthetic pivot that mirrors the story’s shift in time and tone.
Sobreiro employs a more playful, singularly stylized approach that captures the chaotic energy of a world in the process of being swallowed. If the previous issues felt collected and coalesced, issue #4 feels like an “early draft” of an apocalypse. This stylistic instability is a perfect fit for an origin story, reflecting a world where the rules of reality haven’t yet settled.
The art excels particularly in its depiction of “Mal-human immersion.” The amalgamation of flesh and demon is rendered with a focus on human suffering rather than just “cool” monster design. Sobreiro manages to maintain the series’ core aesthetic—creatures that are indefinably terrible—while adding a layer of techno-organic horror that clarifies how these entities began to exert their influence over the population.
| Series Phase | Primary Focus | Narrative Tone | Visual Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issues #1–2 | World Introduction | Underwhelming/Experimental | Establishing Norms |
| Issue #3 | Character Synergy | Balanced/Entertaining | Full Power of the Mals |
| Issue #4 | Lore & Origin | Emotional/Chaotic | Stylized/Immersive |
The Risk of the Retrospective
Despite the successes, the decision to retreat into the past is not without its costs. There is a lingering sense that the creators are riding the high of issue #3 to take a break from the harder work of developing the present-day cast. By spending an entire issue on the researchers, the series loses another opportunity to flesh out the police officers or further evolve Morgan’s internal conflict.
the issue concludes with a reveal regarding Morgan that lacks the intended punch. For readers who have been tracking the breadcrumbs since the debut, the outcome is largely predictable. Because the reveal doesn’t fundamentally alter our perception of her character, it feels more like a confirmation of an existing theory than a genuine plot twist.
However, these gripes are secondary to the overall achievement. Malevolent #4 provides the moral core the series was missing. By framing the conflict as a battle between our “better angels” and our “baser desires,” the book moves beyond a simple monster procedural and becomes a thought-provoking study of a broken world.
The series is now in a precarious position: it has established a strong foundation and a compelling backstory, but it must now return to the present day without losing the momentum it worked so hard to build. If Justin Jordan can translate the emotional weight of the origin story back into the current dynamics of the police force, Malevolent could easily become one of the standout horror titles at Image Comics.
Readers can look forward to Malevolent #5, which is expected to reintegrate these new lore elements into the primary plotline, potentially escalating the tension between Morgan and her handlers. Official updates and release dates for future issues are available via Image Comics.
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