The story:
This issue deals with the truthful telling of the tale of Maeve the innocent. It begins with perhaps a final rejection
of the weary Lord Covenant by sailors for little more than looking different. As if seeking to hide for his pain,
this hellspawn lets himself vanish beneath the waves, however it appears God has taken notice of this spawn. Sometime
later an unknown evil takes the lives of simple villiage men, men who weren’t warriors, or a threat to anyone.
Men who were remembered by their sons, daughters, and wives, and not the least of which, a young women who hears
gods voice on the wind, Maeve. Led by a desire to halt this evil, and God’s voice, the young woman gathers other
new orphans about her and sets out for a savior to help her find justice. In her travels she is seen as insane,
and prophet alike, taking an army of other children under her. When she finds her savior Lord Covenant asks her
to go, but her words and promise of relief from his curse sway him. Lord Covenant’s final words of, "An army?
What Army?", then the showing of this ragged group of children only better sets the stage for this bleak task
before him, to eradicate this new evil.
My Opinion:
The depth of the story and increasing quality of the artwork make me quiet happy with this issue. It seems that
as things have progressed the writer has become more comfortable with where the story is going, and now seems to
be giving more detail to a long-lived character and the events around him.
I greatly enjoy the story and the way the characters react to it. Often the writer makes his point in subtle
way, such as the hopelessness Lord Covenant feels about his existence, this is shown in the stone-like way he sat
on a sinking ship, and even in the way he lay there in the prison Maeve found him in. Also other characters such
as Maeve and her fellows seem to show themselves as if the reader has just walked in on their life. Little details
like telling how Tom Cowper had married Maeve’s aunt, not only shows forethought but also an attention to detail
that can only serve to enhance the story. I know that many things like these seem trite but a story, even a mainly
action story, needs a good full-bodied tale to give the action a point, this idea is often missed. I am glad to
see that the writer tries, with success, to include a sense of relevance to a action comic.
The artwork is superb! The way every picture and frame enhances the mood and story deserves credit. Like the
way Maeve cried over her lifeless fathers face, it is not just well drawn but fits its position perfectly. Also
with most comics today nearly everyone is drawn perfect, and the way in the artwork the artist draws many to look
simple "ordinary" is refreshing. This talent for granting realism to the world drawn is even seen is
the lovely Maeve. Though Maeve is drawn beautiful, she is given a certain child-like quality and has not found
her appearance sacrificed for greater sex appeal, as is often done. Indeed cloths are plain, as is true the real
dark ages.
The attention to realism in this comic is the best I’ve seen yet. From dialog to garments, it looks like this
time was researched thoroughly. Most comics that go this far with detail loose that "fantasy" aspect
that drew people to it in the first place, but I look forward to the next issue. I really want to see how this
hellspawn teaches a army of children to fight true evil. It promises to be interesting.
- Brad -
