Greg Rucka, Nicola Scott, and the team ratchet up the tension in Cheetah & Cheshire Rob the Justice League #4, proving that a high-stakes heist is always more thrilling when the meticulous plan goes spectacularly sideways. This issue is less about the quiet planning we’ve seen and all about the chaotic execution, packed with the intense character drama Rucka is famous for, especially when Cheetah and Wonder Woman are involved.
The whole plot hinges on the execution of the grand scheme to rob the Justice League Watchtower. With less than 24 hours until liftoff, the crew (Cheetah, Cheshire, Klarion, Hazard, Featherweight (Alya), and a temporarily roped-in Lian Harper) is making final preps.
The central disaster hits when the team finds out Wonder Woman is scheduled as the Officer of the Watch for the critical shift change. Cheetah, with her infamously bitter rivalry with the Amazon Princess, tries to keep this minor complication a secret, only for Hazard to instantly expose her.
The dynamic among the villains instantly becomes the focus, as Cheetah’s reaction is predictably explosive. Cheshire sums up the disastrous potential of putting those two rivals in the same room with a hilariously accurate metaphor: “You’re like a Teen Titans Slumber Party! Loud and emotional, and it always ends with somebody sobbing!” Because of this classic Cheetah blow-up, she’s “benched” from the direct intervention role.
This sudden pivot thrusts Lian Harper, Cheshire’s daughter, into the vital role of the team’s key player. She confidently volunteers, and despite Cheetah’s immediate protestation that Lian is not ready, the decision is solidified. Lian is in for Cheetah, demonstrating Rucka’s keen ability to explore the complex lives and relationships of these characters. It’s a fantastic showcase of growth and trust. (It even leads to a funny temporary title change: “Cheshire Robs the Justice League!”)
The heist kicks off with a series of escalating distractions, as Klarion, Hazard, and Featherweight hop across the globe, setting the stage for the Watchtower chaos. Featherweight’s task is particularly nerve-wracking: intercepting a US-operated satellite, a Starhawk-9. Her successful hit causes the satellite’s orbit to decay rapidly.
The Watchtower, meanwhile, is overwhelmed with coordinated crises: seismic events, reactor failures, a rolling blackout threat, and psychic manifestations. All these events are clearly the escalations planned to thin the Justice League’s ranks and occupy Wonder Woman’s watch. I loved seeing all the different Leaguers doing their thing during the multiple crisis calls, and even a little Blue Beetle cameo!
The final and most visceral stage is Lian Harper’s smooth infiltration of the Watchtower, confidently disguised using a card that identifies her as the hero Sideways, though not without suspicion from Red Tornado and Wonder Woman.
But, you knew it was coming: the issue ends on a huge confrontational cliffhanger as Cheetah, having completely ignored her benching, comes face-to-face with Wonder Woman. The drama is absolutely electric. Nicola Scott’s Wonder Woman is back, looking as great as ever!
The art here, by Nicola Scott, continues to maintain that high level of drama and detail throughout. The grand scale of the Watchtower and the zero-gravity scene with Featherweight just look great under her pen. The transition from the warm, gritty earth tones of the Moroccan desert to the cold, dramatic, high-tech blues and reds of the Watchtower’s alerts is expertly rendered by Annette Kwok’s gorgeous colors. Overall, the whole book looks gorgeous.
Rucka’s knack for character moments shines through the chaos, too. I loved the hilarious spat between Cheshire and Cheetah (Cheshire has serious guts to talk back like that!) and little bits of humor, like Klarion saying he’s not suited for “physical labor” while helping a mover with a box, and then later sticking his tongue out at Hazard when she tells him to shut up.
Cheetah & Cheshire Rob the Justice League #4 is a prime example of strong, character-focused storytelling that delivers on the heist promise with intelligence, tension, and a healthy dose of fun. You’ll be fully invested in whether this messy crew of villains can actually pull off the impossible. Put this book on your buy list now!
‘Cheetah & Cheshire Rob the Justice League’ #4 Review: The Best Laid Plans
Cheetah & Cheshire Rob the Justice League #4 is a prime example of strong, character-focused storytelling that delivers on the heist promise with intelligence, tension, and a healthy dose of fun. You’ll be fully invested in whether this messy crew of villains can actually pull off the impossible. Put this book on your buy list now!
