“The killing fields”

As I stated before this book has become a monthly guilty pleasure of mine. Greg Rucka (who I never doubted for a moment) and Carmen Carnero turn out their best issue yet. Mathias and Tessa are on the run when a horde of demons start attacking them on the plantation trails.

Tessa has a flashback to her days before Mathias where we learn that decent of great stature. It just so happened she was always looking for the approval of her stern mother and she chides to herself that even though she is living her purpose for the greater good, she’d still fall short in her mothers eyes.

What makes this issue great is the relationship between Mathias and Tessa. It is such a brother/ sister dynamic with a strong sibling rivalry aspect. They are out of their depth and up to their eyeballs in evil demon swarms, yet they never lose their sense of whimsy. There’s a beautiful sequence where Mathias is in grave danger and it’s like they are playing the ultimate game of “William Tell”  and Tessa expertly streaks a lone arrow right across the long field and into the demons skull. Immediately after Marius quickly acknowledges his ally he’s rushing back off into the fray. (Little touches like this make the book even more enjoyable)

The book isn’t all battle however. Once the fight is over Tessa takes Marius to quiet quarters so they can lick their wounds. Tessa says to Marius not to move, to which he replies “I could not move even if I wished to Tessa.”  She retorts that he better not let the maidens know that fact, for they might get ideas. Marius reply of ” You think they mean us ill?” was quite comical. He is written as a very handsome but sexually clueless man. Again the subtle character moments really make this story more enjoyable than all of the large action sequences.

One can’t rest forever though. As Tessa heads down to the tavern downstairs to decompress from the trials of the day, she wishes to enjoy a simple mug of ale when she is propositioned by an assassin. This turns into a great sequence that I do not wish to spoil here. Trust me, it’s good.

Overall: Three issues in, and it’s only getting better. I like the fact that you do not need to be previously familiar with Dragon Age or it’s universe to find enjoyment out of these characters. It is crafted in a very accessible way. The books tend to be very quick reads but that does not diminish their potency. I am also liking the evolution of Carmen Carnero’s art here. She seems to really be hitting her stride. She has a very interesting style that seems to subtly evolve with each and every issue and for the better. Scribe extraordinaire Greg Rucka makes this a fantasy romp with a lot of balance. I am thoroughly enjoying this book as a casual viewer and hope it progresses to a more permanent format. I don’t need to see a cleric to break this spell that’s been cast on me as a reader. Fantastic job and + 5 dexterity for this one.

Story: Greg Rucka Art: Carmen Carnero
Story: 8 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review