Vanish #4 by Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Sonia Oback, and John J. Hill is out on Wednesday, so I wanted to recap the past three issues and elevate the hype for this next issue that closes the first arc of this epic tale.
What’s a Vanish?
Vanish is the newest installment of the fantastic creative duo behind Venom, Absolute Carnage, and King in Black. This massive saga shocked the Marvel universe and the readers and renovated this character and its mythology. They have created an indie comic book tale in a universe where they can do anything they want. And based on what I’ve read, I’m thinking of a thing or two that wouldn’t have been allowed by Marvel Comics.
Let's read the description of the book:
Oliver Harrison was a mythical hero who slayed the greatest threat to his realm before even hitting puberty. But that was then.
As an adult, Oliver leads an average cookie-cutter suburban life—aside from the fact that he's mentally unstable, massively paranoid, smokes like a chimney, and gets blackout drunk every night to hide from his horrific nightmares. Will the arrival of a superhero team called the Prestige prove the madness isn't all in Oliver's head? And what about all the epic fantasy crap from his childhood?
Let's hear from the creators to understand what this book is about and what makes it different. On Comicbook.com, Donny mentioned:
"Sick and tired of all these 'young adult' stories about magic, and wizards, and destiny and love and bla bla bla? Well, good news! We are too! So we made VANISH to answer the one question we've all been asking; What if magic was....metal? This is a project that Ryan and I have been secretly building and working on quietly in the background for years now, and we cannot wait to unleash it on you. And the fun part for us is, well, pay attention closely....like the reveal of any great magic trick, you'll never see this one coming..."
Ryan said what follows:
"VANISH is the most exciting thing I've drawn. Doing an Image comic has always been my ultimate goal as a creator and we've pulled out all the stops to make this special. Donny's and my goal with this project is to create something that we could never do at Marvel and, well...We've succeeded at that I assure you."
And John added:
"Somehow Donny & Ryan have been able to meld 5 different genres into this vast VANISH world they've created and it works wonderfully. There's something in it for everyone… superheroics, fantasy elements, dark brooding aspects, beatdowns and gore. And most of all, it's FUN. Fans of Venom, God Country, Thor, and Crossover will eat it up. The entire creative team is working magic on every page."
Magic? Destiny? A child hero? Where have you heard that before? If you want to hear Donny’s and Ryan’s thoughts on THAT franchise, check this episode of Ryan’s podcast from 2020, as it is the foundation of how this book came to be.
So after that, let’s see what happened on the previous issues.
Previously on Vanish…
(This recap contains spoilers for Vanish #1-#3. Remember, you can read Vanish #1 for free here!)
Issue #1 introduced us to Oliver Harrison, the story's hero antihero protagonist. He attended Hogwarts an old school run by immortal perverts in the Mistlands of Everkeep, the Out-World of Magic. The headmaster, Dumbledore Orrin, trained the children at the school to fight a war using signet rings that turn into magic wands and cast dangerous spells. Then Voldemort Baron Vanish and his followers, the Death Eaters Hollow, appeared. But do not despair. This book is no Harry Potter PG-13 tale. It is gruesome, with consequences and real-world stakes. And lots of blood.
Baron Vanish attacked the school after he and the Hollow decimated Everkeep, killing many sorcerers, including Oliver’s parents. As the chosen one, Oliver broke two rules to save the world: he accessed an item in the Dark Arcana that allowed him to see the future. A future where Baron Vanish won. This vision led to rule break number two: bringing an object from the world of the citizenry, which they are forbidden to enter in the first place. A gun he used to shoot Baron Vanish in the head and kill him.
In addition to the world and the protagonist, Issue #1 introduces Elynor Ivy, Oliver’s friend from school and wife, and Balon Constance, aka Battle Rocket, a member of the Prestige, who Oliver beats.
Who are the Prestige? When Baron Vanish died, the Hollow escaped. They got away with murder until now. Oliver says they have rebranded as the Prestige and are posing as superheroes, but he will stop them.
Issue #2 slows down the action and introduces Deacon Dust, Oliver’s best friend and the third member of their little magic crew from school. It also briefly shows us the members of the Prestige, with an injured Battle Rocket warning them of Oliver’s return.
Issue #3 elevates the intensity to the clouds as Oliver fights brother and sister Aris Diosgate, Silkworm, and Haro Diosgate, Wormhole, members of the Prestige. Their fight is intense and explicit. Oliver manages to defeat them but ends the issue facing Battery, another member of the Prestige. An interesting aspect is that as Oliver defeats the Prestige, he absorbs their magic, and the feeling resembles taking drugs, so Oliver is slowly becoming a power addict.
Finally, we meet Halcyon, who appears to be the leader of the Prestige and gives mad Evil Superman, Omni-Man, and Homelander vibes. At the end of Issue #3, he visits Deacon.
According to my calculations, we have yet to see the final member of the Prestige, so it seems like Issue #4 will close this first arc by pitting Oliver against Battery, Halcyon, and the other member, with the help of Elynor and Deacon.
YOU WANTED MORE?
Remember, KLC Press announced a prequel set in the same universe called Vanish: the Golden War by Kenny Porter and Ryan Lee. If you need a refresher about this series with a new perspective, having read the main book, check this link!
See you on March 2023 for Vanish #5!