Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Gavin Guidry
Colorist: Liz Kramer
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Publisher: Action Lab: Danger Zone

After over a month-long delay with the printers, Going to the Chapel #4 hits comic shops this week to the delight of many eager fans (lookout for Patton Oswalt’s celebratory tweet on NCBD!). Though at this point, they probably could have delayed it another week to line it up with Valentine’s Day — but as they say, love waits for no one … unless you hold it at gunpoint. Which is exactly what’s happening in Going to the Chapel #4. Last issue, we left Emily, Jesse, and Tom in an awkward love-triangle standoff. With her back against the wall, Emily must decide if she’ll stand by her good-hearted fiancé, or finally give her wedding the mercy killing it deserves.

You’d think after all the escalating tension that shit would immediately hit the fan when Emily reveals her doubts to Jesse, but in a surprisingly mature twist, they take a beat to actually talk about their feelings. Just as the Heart of Dresden went missing in the chaos of Issue #1, all the heist-related (Tom)foolery distracted Emily from confronting the conflict within her own heart.

A level-headed and sincere conversation isn’t something you’d expect in the middle of an action-filled crime comic, but it’s that sharp contrast that makes this moment stand out as the story’s emotional climax. And after some wise words from our favorite quit-your-bullshit grandma, we get right back to the action as the police storm the chapel.

Though the story ties itself up quite neatly in the end, there is one thing I got wrong in my earlier predictions: turns out Jesse really is an all-around nice guy (not TM) who is somehow surrounded by terrible people. He’s still devastated by the revelations of the last issue, but also respects Emily’s choice (whatever it may be) and wants her to be free to live her life. Forget the $250 million sapphire necklace, Jesse is the real gem — putting up with a crazy, spoiled, and probably racist family who SHOT him, and yet he still worries about hurting others. Overall, this grand finale was a bit of a rush to the finish, but it still delivered a satisfying ending, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure.

Check out the preview pages below!

Note: There is a spoiler alert after the first few pages.