Force Works #4

Oct 1994 · Marvel · 1.50 USD; 2.05 CAD

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★ 1st appearance — Fisher Todd

About this Issue

Force Works #4 holds firm historical footing as the first appearance of both Ember and Black Brigade, two adversaries rooted in the ethnically divided fictional Balkan nation of Slorenia — characters who would remain woven into the team's ongoing geopolitical storylines through issue #12 and beyond. The issue also marks the debut of Amanda Chaney and Fisher Todd, the civilian support staff who gave Force Works its behind-the-scenes infrastructure, helping distinguish the book's ensemble cast from a standard superhero lineup. Written during a mid-1990s Marvel moment when writers were reaching beyond cosmic threats toward grounded, conflict-zone settings, the Slorenia arc offered something relatively rare for the era: a superhero team entangled in something resembling an actual civil war, with no clean resolution. The backup "Familiarization" strip, in which P.L.A.T.O. and the support staff brief new employees on every team member's history, also functions as a compact in-universe primer on the Force Works roster, making the issue a useful on-ramp for readers joining mid-run.

In "Ignition," Force Works are sent to the Baltic nation of Slorenia after a crisis alert, only to have their Hex-Ship brought down and face a terrifying new enemy—Ember. Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, with art by Tom Tenney and inks by Rey Garcia, this issue delivers high-stakes action and mystery in a grounded, pulse-pounding story. The cover, penciled by Thomas Tenney and inked by Rey Garcia, captures the moment of impact with striking intensity.

Contains 2 stories

Ignition

17 pp · Superhero

Vetuk (cameo, death)

In "Ignition," Force Works are called to Slorenia when a crisis alert lights up their comms—only to have their Hex-Ship brought down mid-flight and face off against the fiery, enigmatic super being known as Ember.

Familiarization

5 pp · Superhero

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History

The series was created by writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, who launched Force Works from the dissolution of the West Coast Avengers in 1994, with Tom Tenney as the primary penciler and Rey Garcia on inks. Issue #4 — part one of the two-part "Ignition" arc — continues the creative team's formula of pairing a main overseas-mission story with a shorter backup strip; for this issue the backup, titled "Familiarization," was penciled by Tod Smith and inked by Kevin Yates, a different artistic team from the lead. Editor Nelson Yomtov oversaw the issue under editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco, consistent with the Marvel editorial structure of the period.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Ember (Pavel Chenklo), the mystic immortal champion of the Dudak ethnic minority of Slorenia, created by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and Tom Tenney.
First appearance (cameo) of Black Brigade, the government-sponsored armored enforcer of Slorenia, whose powered suit was built by the mutant Locomotive Breath — both Ember and Black Brigade would return in Force Works #11.
First appearances of Amanda Chaney (Force Works' public relations officer) and Fisher Todd (the team's technical manager), establishing the civilian support staff at the headquarters known as The Works.
Main story titled "Ignition" (Part 1 of 2), written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, penciled by Tom Tenney, inked by Rey Garcia — Force Works intervenes in a civil war in the Baltic nation of Slorenia.
Backup story titled "Familiarization," also scripted by Abnett and Lanning, penciled by Tod Smith and inked by Kevin Yates, in which P.L.A.T.O. and the support staff review the history of each Force Works member; includes flashback cameos by Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and Wonder Man.
Captain America and Recorder RE-404 receive cameo appearances in the main story.
The issue was published with a direct edition and a newsstand edition; the issue was edited by Nelson Yomtov with Michael Marts as assistant editor, under editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco.
Issues #4 and #5 of Force Works together form the complete Slorenia/Ignition arc, and both issues are collected in the 2016 trade paperback Avengers/Iron Man: Force Works, which compiles Force Works #1–15.