The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #4
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/4.webp "The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #4")
| Writer | Chris Condon |
| Artist | Jacob Phillips |
| Cover Price | $3.99 |
The Brooklyn Bridge is as good a place as any for Ezra to take a clandestine meeting with Karl Meyer, the man who could help him bust this case wide open. But mechanical monsters lie in wait, and Ezra’s life is put right on the line. He knows too much now, and the only way to stay alive is to act fast. What he finds at the Clockworkers’ Union might mean he’s already too late!
CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top
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9.8
Comic Book Clique - Abel Loza
Jun 05, 2026The Peril of the Brutal Dark #4 finally introduces what the Brutal Dark and their intentions are: to destroy New York City through fascist robots. As intriguing as that already sounds, the flowing dialogue and sprawling art from Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips really make The Peril of the Brutal Dark one of the best titles on the market right now. The story, although set in 1940s pre-WWII America, seems timeless and is very topical, making it a hook that everyone can relate to. The art for the book continues to be used as a character and a storytelling device, making it almost impossible to put down. We are now on the homestretch of the book, and Ezra Cain now has to pick himself up after he was close to being blown to bits. This will be the exciting last chapter for The Peril of the Burtal Dark. Read Full Review
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9.5
Fanlight Zone - Ken M.
May 27, 2026The Brutal Dark have struck Cain’s plans with a devastating blow in this latest chapter. Condon delivers an excellent look at Cain’s desperate attempts to stop the group’s sinister plans. Phillips crafts a healthy dose of action and drama. A magnificent addition to any reader’s collection. Read Full Review
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9.5
Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield
May 29, 2026The craft here is brilliant, and this type of Detective story with a supernatural twist will likely work even better as a completed case in a few months. Read Full Review
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9.0
AIPT - Jonathan Waugh
May 27, 2026Peril of The Brutal Dark #4 ratchets up the mystery and suspense as we head towards the finale, but it also does some great world-building for Ezra Cain as well. Read Full Review
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8.9
Nerd Initiative - Megan Nichole
May 27, 2026The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #4 has me hooked and anxiously waiting to see what happens next for Ezra Cain! Read Full Review
USER REVIEWS Back to Top
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8.0
This series has been very consistent, in terms of quality, in my opinion. Really glad that it seems as though we're going to get more of the actual "Brutal Dark" in the next issue...unless Issue #5 stalls things for a final issue reveal. I don't know, we'll see, I suppose. In any case, this was good, fun stuff.
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6.0
I don’t think Sean’s art is dynamic enough for a super long action sequence like we get in this issue. I honestly think this series has my least favorite art out of any of the Vertigo 2026 series. It’s nice to look at but a little stiff I think, at least compared to the really creative and unique work of Stipan and Pugh’s super expressive art. Anyways, this series continues to suffer from having the least interesting protagonist ever. It’s interesting that Condon gets compared to Brubaker so often because Brubaker’s greatest strength by far is his ability to write incredibly compelling, lived-in, and real characters.
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