Elric: The Balance Lost #4
Elric created by Michael Moorcock
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Francesco Biagini
Colors by Stephen Downer
Lettering by Travis Lanham
Covers by Francesco Mattina, Erik Jones
BOOM! Studios
Release Date: October 12, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

This is it! This issue begins to bring it all together. Elric: The Balance Lost #4 is obviously the precursor to a major occurrence. This team of folks is laying some seriously awesome groundwork for a great story. As we all know, I’m a big Elric fan, but it’s a really good series.

We start off in Tanelorn, the city that is both everywhere and sometimes nowhere. A quick visit to the Grey Lords leaves the reader knowing something is wrong. Jumping to Machinoix, we see Elric and the Horn of Fate trying to avoid the chaos that approaches. Next is New Orleans and Eric Beck fending off the warriors of Law. Then comes Corum in the stronghold of the Pukawatchi helping to defend against a siege. Lastly, we have Hawkmoon trapped in Narleen with a demonic cult.

After reading though a couple of cycles of the battles they all find themselves in, and the resulting losses they incur, we see a merging of the worlds. The convergence of the worlds is an obvious effect of one of their actions but right as we start getting excited…the comic turns back to the Grey Lords and we get those horrible three words: to be continued. I feel like Charlie Brown after Lucy yanks the football away as I go to kick it…Aaaaarrgghhh!

As always, Chris Roberson does an epic job with the story. He keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Unfortunately, I felt the art was a little lacking in this issue. Not that Francesco Biagini did a horrible job, just that it seemed rushed and not as detailed as it has in issues past. Still, I loved it. If you haven’t read this series yet and you like fantasy comics, this one is for you. I give it a terrific two thumbs up, BOOM! Studios is definitely rocking this one.