The blight continues to spread across Solothus in By The Horns: Dark Earth #8 as the Augernaut repairs near completion and Yun Ma’s plan for the continent begins to take shape. Across the ocean in Awahakan, Shanora Zeland her companions stir up trouble while searching for a way to catch up to Elodie.

I’ve found I don’t read as many comics as I used to these days, and yet despite my waning interest (or lack of time, which ultimately leads me to prioritize other things), I am always excited to read the next offering from Markisan Naso, Jason Muhr and Steve Canon, the writer, artist/letterer and colourist of By The Horns: Dark Earth.

Whereas the last issue was effectively an illustrated journal, By The Horns: Dark Earth #8 reads as an anthology with how Naso spends a few pages on each of the story threads that have been running throughout the issue. Given that the comic focuses on four different sets of characters in four specific chunks of the book, you would think that there wouldn’t be a lot of story progression. You could be forgiven for thinking that – if you were unfamiliar with the creative team. Naso and Muhr are experts of their craft and can wrench your heart, make you care about a villain and expose hypocrisy in fewer pages than your average comic.

By The Horns: Dark Earth #7 was a message of support, and By The Horns: Dark Earth #8 is a comic about choice. It is a reminder that you might not be able to choose your circumstances, but you can almost always control how you react to them (I’m not taking credit for those words – that’s the ethos of Justin Scarred’s Quest for Positivity, and I felt it very apt to repeat here given the story we’re talking about). Naso explores within this book how your choices, and especially a dedication to vengeance, can lead you to places you don’t want to be.

Because the comic features four different threads, Muhr and Canon have the task of helping the reader easily differentiate between the locations. While there’s a location update on two of the story thread changes (though you don’t really need the name of the new location to discern that the setting has changed, such is the clarity of the art), the other is met by a very distinct single panel introduction.

By The Horns: Dark Earth #8 really advances the plot in the series, building from the emotional weight of the previous issue with several quick chunks of story. One of my favourite things about this series is the variety that the creative team offer from comic to comic, and they don’t disappoint here.

Story: Markisan Naso Art/Lettering: Jason Muhr Colors: Steve Canon
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review. Alex also purchased a physical copy of all comics referenced within the review.

Purchase: Scout Comics – Zeus Comics

In By The Horns: Dark Earth #7, stranded in the northern tundra of Ataraxy after narrowly escaping death, a weary Elodie and her team travel toward the Arctic Sleep to face the sorceress, Feng Po. But are they already too late to stop her from stealing all the magic on the continent?

It’s always a good day when a new By The Horns issue hits my inbox. What I wasn’t really expecting, or indeed prepared for, was an issue quite like this.

Naso and Muhr have structured the comic in such a way that it’s an illustrated journal from Evelyn’s perspective. It’s a book that highlight’s the companion’s journey through Evelyn’s, uh, point of view (I wanted to say “eye” but she’s a giant eyeball so that felt a bit too on the nose with an accidental pun), whilst also serving as a really good jumping on point for new readers to By The Horns as a full series; the brilliant part is that despite catching you up, it doesn’t actually spoil the previous events any more than it absolutely must. The issue also acts as a great refresher for those of us who have been reading since the beginning given the break between the sixth and seventh issues.

Writer Markisan Naso, artist Jason Muhr, and colorist Steve Canon deliver an absolutely flawless comic. While the only voice heard this issue is Evelyn’s, through her Naso delivers a powerful message of love and support for those going through dark times. We read how Evelyn, now in a better place, reflects back upon her past and admits the struggles she went through; indeed, there are times where you know she knows what she’s doing, but through Naso’s writing there’s a genuine sense of her being unable to do anything about it. She’s stuck. She doesn’t know what to do or how to get out. It’s here that we see the impact Elodie, Sajen and the unicorns Rigby and Zoso have had on Evelyn’s life, and the hope that they bring her. It’s a story that’ll resonate with those who have felt alone, or that there’s a weight bearing down on them. It’s a story about finding the light in the people who love you.

Because the story is told by way of a journal, Muhr has free reign to draw… whatever it is he wanted to draw, which allows him to draw some stunning vistas of a new continent, and this being a fantasy comic, there are so many wonderful things to look at in this book that it really deserves a third reading just to absorb Muhr’s artwork. As good as Muhr is, though, it’s Steve Canon’s colouring that makes the pages pop. Night skies are vibrant, the grasses are verdant and the violence bloody. The artwork matches the beauty of the story, if not the exact events being recounted. Frankly, it’s stunning.

By The Horns: Dark Earth #7 is one of the best comics I have read in a long time, and whether you’re reading this as a standalone story (which you can), or as part of the full series… either way you’re in for an absolutely amazing time.

Story: Markisan Naso Art/Lettering: Jason Muhr Colors: Steve Canon
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review. Alex also purchased a physical copy of all comics referenced within the review.

Check out the By The Horns Kickstarter for an exclusive hardcover of the first volume of By The Horns: Dark Earth.

Purchase: Scout Comics – Zeus Comics – TFAW

Elodie, Sajen, and Evelyn land on the continent of Yalastra and reunite with their unicorn friends Zoso and Rigby. While they hug and prepare to track down pure magic in the Modtlomb jungle, the blight continues to spread on Solothus. Haru, concerned about the possible resurrection of the Augernaut, makes a rogue decision to take the fight to Yun Ma in the Middle Fields, despite resistance from the people of Wayfarer.

I somehow missed reviewing the last issue of By The Horns: Dark Earth, and only honestly noticed this when I picked up the physical copy at my LCS a week or two after it had been released (I had a hectic month, and so didn’t make it down on release day – and usually don’t know what I’m picking up till I actually get the issues in hand), and so I ended up reading both the 5th and 6th issues in one sitting.

Which was glorious.

Writer Markisan Naso, artist Jason Muhr, and Colorist Steve Cannon haven’t missed a beat with this series. The sixth issue is a vibrantly beautiful issue that underscores the point that comics don’t need to eschew colours in order to tell a story that has darker undertones, and Cannon pulls out all the stops to help Muhr’s artwork pop all the louder across each and every page. I can’t understate just how colourful By The Horns #6 is; this is a comic that really stands out against others when you flick through the pages (whether that’s the preview pages, or the comic itself when you’re holding it in your hands at you LCS).

Naso’s story is a freight train this issue as it flows from scene to scene without leaving any room for filler; this issue sees the reuniting the original cast of characters, pulling together an antagonistic crew of folks who have very legitimate and believable reasons for wanting to stop Elodie from her quest to return magic to Solothus. There’s a lot more to the comic than this brief summary thing, and I don’t want to go too far into it because it’s worth experiencing somewhat blind, so suffice it to say that Markisan Naso’s writing has been consistently brilliant throughout the series and that he remains one of the few writers whose work I’ll buy without question.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you REALLY can’t go wrong with this series; it’s so much fun – and yet emotionally heavy at the same time. With the next issue coming out in March, the wait is going to be a long one.

Story: Markisan Naso Art/Lettering: Jason Muhr Colors: Steve Cannon
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.3 Overall: 9.2 Recommendation: Buy

Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review. Alex also purchased a physical copy of all comics referenced within the review.

Purchase: Scout Comics – Zeus Comics – TFAW

“Some of us believe this world must be cleansed of filthy magic.” The words that Owlslin Captain Shanora Zel spoke in the snow hills of Ataraxy still burn hot in her mind as she recovers from her brutal fight with Elodie and plots to avenge the Tiger Fang Enchantress, Feng Po.

What I thoroughly enjoyed about this issue is that it’s largely told from the perspective of one of the villains/antagonists from the previous series. The series writer Markisan Naso flexes his creative muscles and has you empathizing with Shanora Zel by the end of the issue – will you root for her as much as Elodie and the rest of the eclectic cast of characters we’ve been following since By The Horns #1? No, probably not, because we’ve nearly a dozen issues with those folks, but you definitely get an understanding of Shanora Zel, and you can’t help but understand where her mind is at. By The Horns: Dark Earth #4 serves almost as an interlude to the series because of its focus on Shanora Zel, emphasizing the length of our main characters’ journey across the ocean, but it’s also another layer to the story being woven by Naso and artist Jason Muhr, and one that’s bound to pay off in the next couple of issues.

This isn’t the most action packed issue of the series, instead the pages being dedicated to fleshing out the character of Shanora Zel, explaining certain choices that are made (this is a really vague way to avoid spoilers, because the reveal wasn’t entirely unsurprising but nonetheless fantastically done), with her story and motivation mirroring Elodie’s. I’m not going to call this a fill in issue, because it’s far from it, but it is a nice interlude to the main story. And it’s an interlude that actually drives the story forward.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you REALLY can’t go wrong with this series; it’s so much fun – and yet emotionally heavy at the same time.

Story: Markisan Naso Art/Lettering: Jason Muhr Colors: Steve Cannon
Story: 9.1 Art: 9.3 Overall: 9.2 Recommendation: Buy

Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review. Alex also purchased a physical copy of all comics/trades referenced within the review.

Purchase: Scout Comics – Zeus Comics

Elodie, Sajen and Evelyn set sail for the continent of Yalastra aboard Captain Alkeb’s ship, the Wavesplitter. But their journey to the unicorns’ homeland doesn’t go quite as smoothly as they hoped in By the Horns: Dark Earth #3.

I was somewhat surprised to see the third issue of By The Horns: Dark Earth release the week after the second issue, though it does make a pleasant surprise for when I can finally head to my LCS tomorrow (Wednesday) to pick up both physical copies after being housebound last week because of the ‘rona. After last week’s brain fog, it was actually quite lovely to get to read this comic and be able to take it all in within the first read or two (unlike the four or five it took me last week), and it shouldn’t need to be said at this point, but the book didn’t disappoint.

As I said with the two previous reviews; there’s going to be very minor spoilers for this issue after this paragraph, so the condensed version of the review is (once again): go buy this book, the two previous issue, add the rest to your pull list, and then buy the first volume in trade.

This issue takes place almost entirely on the water, and the vibe of the comic is distinctly different than the previous issue; there’s a lot more blue hues within the pages of this issue, which you would expect given that it’s a comic with pirates on the open ocean, but colourist Steve Cannon has an almost photorealistic quality to some of the more turbulent scenes. The comic is like a blend between Finding Nemo and Waterworld (before you judge me for that, I actually liked the movie but am specifically referring to the aesthetics of Costner’s film), with both a vibrancy and an emptiness that’s hard to quantify.

Markisan Naso and Jason Muhr prove once again why they’re a team to keep an eye on. The writer and artist respectively have yet to put out anything even close to an average comic book, with By The Horns: Dark Earth #3 showcasing what they can do when the story calls for what is essentially a water based chase scene – typically nothing too visually exciting will come from this without some form of obstacle, for a glorious three page sequence with some really fun layouts, Naso and Muhr buck the trend.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you REALLY can’t go wrong with this series; it’s so much fun – and yet emotionally heavy at the same time.

Story: Markisan Naso Art/Lettering: Jason Muhr Colors: Steve Cannon
Story: 9.2 Art: 9.4 Overall: 9.3 Recommendation: Buy

Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review. Alex also purchased a physical copy of all comics/trades referenced within the review.

Purchase: Scout Comics – Zeus Comics

Elodie, Sajen, and Evelyn return to the port city of Lycus, where they hope to book passage on a ship to Yalastra, a continent that may hold the key to stopping the dark blight ravaging their homeland. But first, they’ll have to deal with some dangerous locals, who are none too happy with Elodie.

I had been saving this book to read, despite having it in my meaty (digital) hands for awhile until closer to its release date, and then I caught Covid-19 and any hope of me reading it in time to get the review ready and published in time was out the window. My brain felt like it has had a fog placed over it the last few days – not unlike a mild concussion – and yet for the most part my symptoms haven’t been too bad. All that said, there’s a reason I bring this up, because reading a comic by Markisan Naso and Jason Muhr (writer and artist/letter respectively) is always going to be a highlight in my to read pile, and despite this one taking me a bit longer to get to, By The Horns: Dark Eath #2 was just what I was hoping it would be; slightly depressing, and yet entirely wonderful.

As I said with the last review; there’s going to be very minor spoilers for this issue after this paragraph, so the condensed version of the review is (once again): go buy this book, add the rest to your pull list, and then buy the first volume.

Elodie and the world saving gang of wonderful misfits arrive in Lycus, a settlement that feels both horribly familiar to any who have ever lived in towns, or cities, that have fallen on hard times. Muhr’s designs for the streets look like could be taken from almost any modern town, minus the obvious (the denizens of Lycus), which builds on the uncomfortable sense you get from reading the book. The bleakness of the visuals exacerbates Naso’s script; this story is set after the world was saved, and yet… was it really saved?

The second issue of By The Horns: Dark Earth hits in ways I wasn’t quite expecting – granted, I was hoping that we’d see more of the stakes at, uh, stake…. (I don’t know what I was trying to say with that sentence, but I left it there because it kinda makes me chuckle in my fogged haze so I figured it may make you chuckle to. Or it might not. Either way) …now that Elodie has to save the world again; although this time she’s arguably saving it from her own actions which adds an interesting level of complexity to the situation that she and the gang find themselves in. This time she’s not out for revenge, but for more altruistic reasons.

Markisan Naso and Jason Muhr continue to go from strength to strength as a creative force, and are one of the few teams I’ll pick up anything they put out (and I literally mean that – despite being given review copies, I own the floppies and trades of their previous works). By The Horns: Dark Earth #2 is awesome – a chapter that’s going to work beautifully in the collected edition, but one you shouldn’t wait to read. This series is fresh, exciting, and head and shoulders above anything else on the racks right now.

Story: Markisan Naso Art/Lettering: Jason Muhr Colors: Steve Cannon
Story: 9.4 Art: 9.4 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Buy

Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review. Alex also purchased a physical copy of all comics/trades referenced within the review.

Purchase: Scout Comics – Zeus Comics