I jumped into volume four a few hours after reading through the third volume. I quickly slapped together a review on the third and mentioned how it was a nice surprise after taking a few weeks away from the story. In the first two volumes I wasn't all that impressed, and I mentioned how it was somewhat slow and relying a bit too much on specific emotions without much direction. Though that has seemingly changed within the previous volume, where suddenly the comic jumped to life and things picked up a bit. Still a little lost in its direction, but finally taking a bit of a stand to establish itself and go somewhere. The art was a great surprise after reading through so many different comics as of late, and I had forgotten how fun the panels can be sometimes in which Psylocke is engaged in a fight, creative poses all around and little details that create quite messy, in a good way, pages to read through. My interest did get revived with the previous volume, with how Psylocke was finally introduced to someone that seemed like they might end up being a villain from this point forward. I mentioned in the previous review that the cliffhanger ending left me with many questions and little curiosities, and that was something I quite enjoyed. Butterflies left behind at the scene of a gruesome crime of messaging, a note from the unknown, and strange foes that have obsessions with death. All of which trying to capture Psylocke's attention.
I mentioned at the end of the last volume's review that I was considering that possibility of whether this strange foe was actually someone that could be a villain. Considering the possibility that they just had darker ways of trying to get Psylocke's attention and that perhaps due to this own disabilities was likely more interested in mutants and trying to understand them, while attempting to improve humanity through some method. Likely the drugs that elites had been attempting to create that gives them temporary mutant powers; though these attempts had failed and ended up killing people. In this volume we see how Psylocke infiltrates his home, a huge mansion that is riddled with animals. They're all mutated somehow, whether through technology or being mutants that had been genetically produced. It was an interesting concept, that the man obsessed with death was actually also obsessed with the various ways of creating and manipulating it. It made me think of the theory I had, considering the possibility that he didn't have such negative intentions and was more a madman that aimed to control nature in some capacity. Though as Psylocke roams through his home, it's clear that he has a large number of rather unethical and strange creations sitting around. I really liked this part of the volume though, it jumped into the concept of mutants a bit more, showed how they can be manufactured in a sense.
With Psylocke navigating through the mansion, discovering all kinds of strange collections and displays of various animals and mutants, it becomes clear that she's not just being watched, but also toyed with. And this ends up being a fatal mistake in her venture into the mansion: her communications blocked with the outside world, but these small butterflies that roam through the rooms have been releasing a hallucinogen that has been playing with her vision, making her assume things and people are around her that aren't. This was kind of interesting, but it did make me question how much of what she saw was actually real. Whether the displays were something he had or not. Either way it was a nice touch to see someone that had a strange interest in mutants of all sorts, considering himself more a scientist and a collector more than anything else. Displaying a clear interest in Psylocke for some unknown reason, and in the end figuring out the easiest way to catch her: the butterflies and their drugs released into the air that she breathes, leading to her collapsing in the mansion, completely alone. This is where the volume ends, so it's not exactly a massively eventful story this time around, though I did take quite a liking to the story still. Especially with the art style which felt more suspenseful and horror oriented. Clearly taking advantage of Psylocke's generally sensitive emotions regarding the treatment of mutants.
It yet again ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. I wouldn't say it was a strong and frustrating as the previous one, and this one again left me with more questions as to what was happening and for which reasons. It does seem like this individual has an interest in manipulating mutants and trying to break their general code, though is also aware of their stronger abilities compared to the average human. Considering them to actually be a more elite, more evolved version of humanity. Less interested in the concept of destroying mutants like others within this universe are, and more interested in reverse engineering them and wanting to contribute to their development, perhaps even beyond mutants and strange laboratory experiments and into the creation of mutants for the natural world. I look forward to the next volume where this should be addressed a bit more, but the kidnapping side of the story certainly doesn't match the theory I had before in which this person might not be evil or have bad intent. Even more curious as to what his role in everything else is, and why he even needs Psylocke in the first place.
A nice change of pacing given the previous volumes, this story is definitely picking up and finding its footing still, but it's definitely doing a great job of it so far. Though unfortunately I'm now all caught up and have to yet again wait for the next volume and find something else to fill the gap for the upcoming weeks!