Always remember to invite Robyn … unless you want her to crash the party!
Creative Staff:
Writer: Chuck Dixon
Artwork: Julius Abrera
Colors: Robby Bevard
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
After a daring and dangerous escape from a sadistic super-max prison, Robyn is finally back home where she belongs. But as she re-acclimates to her “normal” life in New York City, a new evil has been released and Marian Quin needs Robyn’s help to send it back from where it came… But this battle is about to get more personal than either of these friends could have imagined, and nothing will ever be the same!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
With the confusion about Sam’s condition now cleared up, Detective Williams is driving Robyn and Marian back home, until Villaraigosa’s skinwalker assassins make their move. Forcing the helpless trio off the road, this team of sadistic killers circle in to finish off any who may stand in their way, with no pause to who else they may need to eliminate. But with intended victim Mose now unconscious, the archer and witch have no other choice than to defend themselves, not allowing this helpless man to fall prey to these vultures. While they may be using primitive wooden clubs and obsidian bladed weapons, their ferocity is just as lethal as with modern devices, and Locksley has no choice than to use deadly force to retaliate. When the last falls, the girls now have no choice than to leave the policeman to clean up the mess, since they have more pressing matters to deal with – like the plans of Robyn’s boyfriend.
As they prepare for battle, the friends see Gerry is preparing his own festivities on a news interview, knowing this man has other plans for the city. However as they race off to the billionaire’s headquarters and the site of the party, their progress is soon stopped by a massive traffic jam, with too many self-important celebrities wanting to make a name by appearing at this event. Not wanting such a minor inconvenience to impede them from stopping this madman, Robyn makes the usual choice to go off-road, but they are once again hindered by more gridlock, leaving no other choice than to proceed the rest of the way on foot. Now able to see the full extent of the attendees, Locksley calls Detective Williams to warn him of the disaster, asking for help to surround the building and handle any upcoming fallout. But with no way to know the full extent of his influence, are they panicking for no reason, or does Villaraigosa have something sinister planned for this night?
In Summary:
Although this issue may be a transition to the series’ conclusion, writer Chuck Dixon does not make it something which only links prior events to the end, instead, he creates a narrative which encompasses the reader within ever more sensational features which enforce the intensity of what is to come. To view everything which he carefully detailed from the beginning: nauseating murders, grandiose displays of Villaraigosa’s wealth and Sam’s kidnapping and eventual possession by otherworldly demon, they all now begin to take shape instead of appearing to be random incidents. And while I would have liked to see more details of how everything conclusively links together, this absence of crucial information will probably be revealed as we proceed to the finale. But unlike previous post marriage Robyn Hood series, this one has quickly become my favorite all due to one sincere factor – the addition of Marian. We always knew she was important to the archer’s life, a missing component which anchored Locksley to a clarified sanity, instead of presenting her as a lone wolf who only helped if it was beneficial in aiding innocents. However, none of those circumstances were ever as insightful when concerning her partner’s relationships, unlike the sister-like friendship she has with the Myst witch.
Even if they may be sideways cracks between friends as to their own relationships, jokes poking fun of Robyn’s lack of any romantic partners or statements as to her crazy driving, those comments show the closeness between the two women. If anyone else tried to make such remarks, they at least would be met with a snubbing scowl or depending on her current mood, a straight jab to the gut. And yet even within such dire circumstances, these two can joke around, rekindling the time they had lost, almost as if none had ever passed. This is what makes the story so distracting, Dixon brilliantly manages these jovial moments between murderous rampages from Gerry’s men and tantrums from Sam’s visitor, meshing them into the underlying tension and allowing it to defuse events before they overwhelm the reader. And yet we are still hypnotically drawn into the series, his talent for balancing danger and tragedy against a lighthearted charm makes for a story which gives us what we want and what we need for a classic Robyn Hood tale.
And yet even as we watch this series draw to a close, it does not mean the fantastic illustrative talents of Julius Abrera are wasted within this penultimate issue, in fact, his images have become ever more intense as we near the end. The command of eclipsed details are thanks to Robby Bevard’s ominous color spectrum, a combination which makes you stare in awe to see the darkness closing in around the characters, and even within this suffocating atmosphere, the nuanced detailing of background and actors makes you shake your head in amazement to differentiate the wonder within each panel. Every page is a thrilling scene within itself, a melange of light and shadow showing the strength and determination of Robyn and Marian, forging forward to thwart the plans of Villaraigosa and to find Sam, no matter what it takes. The honest emotion Abrera puts into every expression is what makes the depictions so moving, you know what everyone is thinking before they state what is obvious, and by then it is too late. You know Gerry is planning something sinister, his motivations were laid out in the beginning but it is only now do they take shape so magnificently, the Aztec high priest garb extenuates muscular frame and Abrera’s wondrous detailed shading makes you hate him all the more now as everything comes to fruition. But as things take shape, the gripping final pages only make you want more as we see the materialization of the series come to bear … in all its strikingly effective reptilian glory.
Robyn Hood: The Curse first appeared to be another Robyn Hood series, but as we near the end, the richness of the tale is the endearing element which appeals to all fans of this character. However while we may be swept up in the events, I still have to wonder how two supposedly conflicting storylines will be finalized without something being sacrificed in the conclusion. The need to save Sam from her unwelcomed visitor may be prevalent, but the necessity to stop Gerry and Big Q from bringing an apocalypse supposedly takes priority, or will both merge into one singular event? Whichever one takes precedence, of course, we will wait with bated breath, and then watch with eagerness to see how this pair faces it with calm composure, but at the same time, crack us up with their joking sisterly interaction. Next month cannot come too soon …
Grade: A-
Age Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: May 30, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
