Dunes meets his wife’s killer and gets more than he bargained for in Clear #4 by writer Scott Snyder, artist Francis Manapul, and letterer Andworld Design. This is a fast-paced issue, and it definitely gives readers a clue on what’s been going on in this book if they think about it.

Dunes fights himself, who tells him a joke as they fight that only Sam would know. Collins shows up, and the second, Dunes shoots him and escapes. Sam sits with his friend as he dies, but he runs when the cops get there. He realizes the only way the other Dunes could know that joke and goes to the people who made the black veil that contained it for him, only to find out that Kendra had come there first. He makes his way to the bridge where it all started, where the cops find him and makes a fateful decision.

There gets a moment in every mystery when the writer seemingly gives up the ghost, and this issue definitely feels that way. The second, Dunes knows more about Sam then they should, something that Sam finds out that only three people know. It looks like Snyder has dropped major clues to what’s been going on in this book, but that doesn’t mean he did. One of the best parts about a good mystery is that there’s always the chance that what looks obvious is a red herring, and Snyder is very good at mysteries. So even with what looks like a done deal, there’s always a chance this story is going to go in another, unforeseen direction.

Throughout the issue, there are little Synder-isms that make the whole story that much better. The moment of Collins’s death is one of them, as Snyder uses it for a nice little bit of world-building and throws some science at the reader, something he always loves to do. Later, he has a character talk about San Francisco’s Mission Dolores because Snyder loves to talk about historic buildings and architecture.

Manapul’s art is top-notch, but that’s to be expected. The fight scenes look fantastic, and his coloring of the second Dunes’ striking yellow eyes looks lovely. There’s a full-page spread of Sam on a motorcycle that looks great, as well. Manapul has always been a great artist, but Clear is looking to be one of his best works ever.

Clear #4 seems to bring the whole mystery into focus, but Snyder is such a good writer that there’s always a chance this is a red herring. His personal style shines throughout the book. Manapul is hitting the next level with his art in this book; it looks incredible. All in all, another oustanding issue.

Grade: A-