*This review was read and written honestly and voluntarily. Possible spoilers ahead.

Family secrets, murder, and revenge. 

In the new graphic novel from CJ Standal and Juan Romera, readers will plunge into a fast-paced story of earth-shattering crime.

But this isn’t just a story of inheritance, it’s a story of how choices and the paths taken/.

About Rebirth of the Gangster: Act 4 – Inheritance

Rebirth of the Gangster Act 4: Inheritance is the fourth and final graphic novel in the neo-noir series of family secrets, murder, and revenge. This story, where six families are all seemingly disconnected, shows the impacts of societal issues, racism, classism, and redemption.

After the death of his father and grandfather, the main character Marcus gets pulled into Hunter’s plans to rob a bank. Tired of being manipulated by Hunter’s schemes, Marcus decides to make schemes of his own. But Hunter, who is trying to get revenge, has to decide if his criminal path is one he wants to stay on. That becomes even more complicated when his old high school friend, Lorena, is the detective working the case.

Kelly’s Honest Review

A graphic novel that steals your attention from start to finish.

Rebirth of the Gangster Act 4: Inheritance was a quick and enjoyable read. At first, it took me a moment to get into the fast-paced story and its various perspectives from each family. But as I read on, things got a whole lot clearer.

I also haven’t read the first three graphic novels in the series. But even without having the full story, I was able to enjoy this almost like a standalone.

The artwork was well done, and I was very impressed, especially with the human poses. And with so many working parts in this story, it was well brought together at the end. I even went back to read the beginning and really appreciated the subtle foreshadowing dropped in the first few pages. It was very nicely done.

Some female characters looked a bit masculine at times, but it wasn’t too distracting. I also felt like the characters’ names should’ve been used a bit more often. About halfway through, I was having trouble remembering who was who.

I love graphic novels and would read more for the artist and author again.

Book Cover Rating

This book cover was great at letting you know what the story is about without saying very much. And when looking at it after I read the book, I could see where all elements were pulled together.

The shattered text, the characters reflected in the diamonds, and the purple liquid on the floor—all very indicative of what to expect in this novel.

I like that the characters are in color on the front, and I almost wished they were in color in the book’s interior. 

Overall rating: B

Other Publishing Information

• Date Published: May 1, 2023
• C.J. Standal Productions (CJSP)
• ISBN: 9798986905006
• Genre: Graphic Novel, Crime Fiction
• Book 4 in the series

More from the CJ Standal and Juan Romera

CJ Standal is a writer and former teacher. Rebirth of the Gangster was CJ’s first comic book work, but he has also written B.A.E Wulf (Markosia Publishing) and Outside the Panels (CJSP).

Juan Romera has been creating great work as an artist for over a decade. His work has been featured in stellar comics such as Pensamiento Equivocado, Strange Nation, and more.