Justice is not the only option … sometimes mercy serves its own purpose.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artwork: Leo Rodrigues
Colors: Jorge Cortes
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
Taking over after the death of her mother Sela, Skye Mathers is the new Guardian of the Nexus. With the help of Shang, her mentor, she is learning the extent of her new powers, and trying to figure out the mystery of her connection to the book of Fairy Tales. Now with Merlin in control of the book of Fairy Tales, the Age of Camelot has been brought to the Grimm Universe. Skye must find a way to get her book back and put an end to the misuse of its power on our world.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Peyton Parker was once a normal public defender who worked out of Manhattan, a person who felt helpless she could not do more for her clients, but that was before Merlin used the stolen Book of Fables and with it awoke the Age of Camelot. With her newly granted powers, this lawyer now can right the wrongs she feels have gone unpunished, as a new crusader for justice – the Black Knight. However, the tome’s original owner does not approve of how this fledgling heroine is abusing her gifts and plans to reclaim her birthright, even if that means the Guardian of the Nexus must confront Peyton head on. And with this latest crusader now seeing two officers who gunned down an unarmed man as being guilty, she is determined to serve the equity of the law, no matter who gets in her way.
But as Skye and Sam arrive in New York, the Black Knight is already on her path to see the ones accountable are duly punished, and intends to follow through with her virtuous battle. Charging forward on her ebony steed, the gallant warrior confronts the condemned, but also any who may stand in her way – including those who serve and protect the innocent. Not caring to differentiate, Peyton blocks every gunshot and easily swats away annoying gnats dressed in blue, until she reaches the men who broke the rules. Intending to be judge, jury and executioner, her sentence has been passed, but she cannot carry it out when the Guardian interferes with her duty. Clashing swords may be the only language this woman understands, but is Skye skilled enough to warrant a stay, or will she only become another guilty party who will fall under the chopping block?
In Summary:
When we first saw the Black Knight in Grimm Fairy Tales Volume 2 #13, I always wondered how writer Joe Brusha would incorporate such a misunderstood character into the Zenescope universe. If you look back into Arthurian legends, this person is usually seen as someone who either leaps to conclusions or otherwise interferes with quests given to the Knights of the Round Table. And now that our female crusader has her first full issue, it appears she has opted to straddle the midline, all while being instructed by Merlin to further his own machinations. Although true she did help to save citizens from terrorists in the previous appearance, now her convictions are guided more toward punishing anyone who violates the law, even if it was unintentional and they are compliant for punishment. However with current tensions of racial inequality, this factor may not exacerbate the Black Knight’s actions, but it probably influenced her choices. To see someone take a morally grey approach is usual since most Zenescope titles have a clearly defined agenda as to which side a character will stand, but in this case, all thanks to the corrupt magician’s influence, it appears Parker has become indecisive much to her instructor’s chagrin. This is a welcomed addition since recently we have not had a character who has been in such a principled conundrum, and to see how she settles this dilemma will be an interesting move for Peyton and how she has to deal with the future consequences.
With such a morally ambiguous character, it may not have been difficult for illustrator Marcelo Mueller to extenuate his dynamic drawing style to suit this issue, but you can clearly see he had fun emphasizing each and every glorious panel. The monumental amount of detail included within each page is stunning, from ambitious depictions of the city to the eloquently expressive faces in which you cannot but feel every emotion, from pleading eyes to scowls of infuriation, but of course, the most commanding aspect of the issue are the action scenes. The transition for each panel moves the story forward seamlessly with cinematic quality, but of course the most attention-grabbing aspects are Mueller’s command of the female form, every woman in this issue is beautiful and yet, there is an underlying strength and determination which makes them demand respect, even as you stare in awestruck appreciation of their every movement, enviable abdominals and alluring smiles. And yet even with such phenomenal artwork, it becomes a bit gloomy due to Jorge Cortes’ oversaturation of darker tones to the entirety of the work. While his wondrous command of the digital palette does add a richness to the illustrations by accentuating every minute detail, at the same time, there is a palatable melancholy cast over all by the ebon film which clings to everything. Even as we try to wander away from the questionable morals of the Black Knight, this visible shroud caused by the colors amplifies the overall anger and hatred within the issue for everyone, making us wonder if in the end anyone has learned anything or whether all was a passing dream.
The Black Knight has always been a questionable character within literature, and now that he made an appearance within the Zenescope universe through Peyton Parker, one cannot but wonder if she will show the same cruelty as her male counterpart. This publisher has always been one of my favorites by allowing female characters to become equally represented as both heroes and villains, but to see such a morally ambiguous person welcomed into the fray raises questions as to how she will be portrayed. Will she be hesitant as in the end or will Merlin be able to manipulate her easily as he does Morgan? I sincerely hope she will not fall prey to this despicable tyrant and will prevail to become a new ally in fighting the forces of evil as opposed to her mirror opposite.
Grade: A-
Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: May 16, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
