The end is near … and it won’t come quietly for Robyn or Marian.
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):
Preparations for the Restitution are nearly concluded and with its completion, the Cabal will be able to continue their struggle to protect the world from the Apocalypse. But at the cost for the sacrifice of children, is that amount too high to keep the Four Horsemen in check? They seem to think that it is an appropriate compensation, but Robyn and her friends will not give innocent lives to contain such evil. They will do what they must to keep the ritual from being finished and then deal with the consequences once the dust has settled. But will anyone be alive to meet those harbingers of doom or have they sealed the fate of the world as the victors have free reign of what may be left?
Marian has been mulling over the finalities of their choice, but the past four years since Robyn brought her to this strange new world have made an impression of this young witch. Avella may have been the catalyst for her to start her journey, but Robyn was the one who opened the door and showed her the infinite possibilities that lay beyond Myst. No one’s destiny is set in stone, and she should know that as well as anyone, including a certain Child of Darkness; the prophecy may have said that she was to lead the Horde, but who is to say that she couldn’t use it to take on the Cabal? Even as her teacher leaves, Marian knows that apologies will not be reparations enough for all the pain Avella caused as she was following Malec’s orders. But, everyone is connected by their actions, no matter how small or major they may have seemed at the time, it has an influence on the ones they share their lives with, and will last for as long as they are remembered.
But, as the two armies clash, those actions which may have seemed to be inconsequential as words shared in parting, can also be the small misstep which can shift someone’s road in life. Though they may have seemed to be true, those same phrases can also produce change, for good or bad. As enemy and ally fall around her, Marian knows that she has a future to look forward to, but they must first survive this day. But how can she have such a sweet memory if it is tainted by her own actions? They may have won this battle, but the cost was too close to her heart. The wound is deep and may never heal, but what doesn’t kill you just makes you stronger. However, what good is strength if you must first endure the anguish which opened the pathway? Perhaps ignorance of the past is better if it shields you from the torment of the future.
In Summary:
As the series comes to a close, Pat Shand supplies us with a karmic tear filled issue as he wraps up the loose threads which had been accumulating from the beginning. Although Marian has always been Robyn’s anchor, this time, she has become the bedrock to this issue as she reflects on what has brought her to this moment. It is strange to see such a character-focused story, but now we begin to realize that her role wasn’t just supportive, but also a prominent one in which she can take the lead if events push her far enough. She tries to bring cheer to the normally caustic Robyn, all the while trying to justify her own actions and making amends before the big battle. This finality is apropos for both of them since no one is considered to come back, but at the same time, if they do, they can start with a clear conscious.
But as she is pushed to her limits, we can see that Marian isn’t the weak one she always considered herself to be without her magic; perhaps she always had the strength, however never saw them within herself due to the crushing guilt of not being able to save Avella. Now with the run coming to an end, Shand can finally reveal that our sorceress is a force to be reckoned and perhaps the strongest of the pair, in both physical and mental faculties. You never know what you can do until you are tested – and sometimes that trial is one that we wish never came.
But the story would never be complete without Roberta Ingranata escorting us through Marian’s roller coaster of emotions when ends by arriving in a house of horrors. The introspective moods bring us a menagerie of panels ranging from anxiety, animosity, optimism, resolve, absolution and finally complete fervor. All are different sides of the normally quiet witch and yet, she keeps them suppressed so that she can dedicate complete attention to her friends. However, as the final resolution approaches, Ingranata is able to unleash all of her pent up feelings which are magnificently depicted on the pages; this not only enforces the action of the story but also magnifies the intensity of her seething outburst at the end. The narrative revolves around the artwork and vice versus – they do not detract from each other, but only serve to strengthen each other like a good book should. Take away the words and you are left with the pictures which can stand alone, telling its own tale, independent from Shand’s work. This is the talent of a true story teller.
The end is almost here and if Shand and Ingranata were able to leave us a weeping shamble of tears after the story is done, they have done a great job! We only have one more issue until the regular series is over and they are not letting up on the pressure which has been building for the past four years. Everything is falling into place and we cannot wait to see how it will its inevitable conclusion. This is how a great tale is spun and we hate to see it come to a close, but as all good things are worth waiting for, so too are the great ones over too soon.
Grade: A++
Rating: 16+
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: February 3rd, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
