How much worse can it get if you need to rely on Cindy to rescue you?
Creative Staff:
Writer: Pat Shand
Artwork: Roberta Ingranata
What They Say:
One year ago, Robyn Locksley was brought to Myst, a realm of swords and sorcery, to save the city of Nottingham from a great evil. Lives were lost and hearts were broken, but the war is finally over. Joined by Marian Quin – a witch, has, up until now, only known the ways of Myst – Robyn returns to New York, ready to begin a new chapter in her life … This is the story of Robyn Hood.
Content (please note that portions of a review may contain spoilers):
As Marian and Sam’s plan to rescue Avella goes horribly awry, Robyn learns that her challenge to avenge Dupre’s murder is on equally shaky terms as she ends up been rescued by the Dark One’s favourite assassin, Cindy. Each team limps away to lick their wounds, but now our flaxen-haired heroine must contend with a blonde psychopath who would like nothing more than to beat her senseless, but now she wants to talk? This is all due to a prophecy that the Child of Darkness would lead the Horde to victory. Malec’s one-time enforcer must now do what she detests the most: swallow her pride and make peace with … Robyn – the prophesied one.
After the death of the Dark One, the Horde has not had a strong leader, even with his acknowledgement that Cindy would be his successor. She has no other choice than to allow her once enemy to use this motley band of misfits as she sees fit, even if it means going against potential allies. However, before Cindy can even deem to this choice, she must explain to Robyn’s team the reasoning behind her assistance and the ramifications of the Realm War; however, due to Malec’s misguided intentions, no one aside from a chosen few even remembers that this event even happened. So, how can someone who would like nothing better than to slaughter everyone in the room explain why she is helping them if her main defence is now a nonexistent occurrence? Trust is not as easy as one would hope or something that Cindy wants, not when fear works so much better.
In Summary:
Just when I thought that the last issue was intense, Pat Shand is able to turn this story into an emotional roller coaster for everyone involved – including Cindy! Who would have guessed that she had any shred of human emotion left after all the killing she has done in the name of the Dark One? The way Shand is able to weave her loyalty into a warped tapestry of caring for someone else is amazing. True that she was twisted to begin with, but Malec did show her the nurturing kindness of a mentor. Although this issue does revolve around the revelation of Robyn’s destiny as the Child of Darkness, it is equally balanced by this change and the loss of Marian’s powers. Such poignant cues make this story much more moving than one solely anchored in the violence prevalent in most current comics and projects this above them by evoking the reader to care for characters which have evolved from simple two-dimensional people into ones who we can truly care for and about.
And if the narrative wasn’t powerful enough, artist Roberta Ingranata conjures her own magic by invoking what was in Shand’s story and fleshing it out into something which skillfully draws upon the raw feelings hidden underneath all the action of trying to survive the Cabal’s best intentions. From the heart-wrenching pain of Marion having her familiar ripped away, to the tears Cindy tries to hide with her snarky remark and of course, the most painfully stirring crisis of the entire issue – Robyn consoling Marian. This bedside scene is probably my favourite page of all the entire series – and that’s saying a lot! It condenses their whole relationship into a few touching panels and yet it says a lot about them: a heartbreaking scene of loss and understand for the sacrifices they made for each other while endangering themselves for those same goals. And the last line “I love you, my Marian.” A tearjerker, and I won’t mind saying that I used more than a few tissues just for that one page.
Another fantastic issue that adds onto the foundation that Shand and Ingranata have been building from the beginning of this series. But now that Robyn’s destiny has been revealed, how will she and the others react to the offer that Cindy has given them? Will she be able to embrace what has been laid before her, or do as is typical for our emotionally challenged heroine – rebel against the establishment and do what needs to be done, no matter the cost. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Grade: A++
Rating: 16+
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: January 6th, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
