The test continues at great cost.
Creative Staff:
Story: Cullen Bunn
Art: Juan Doe
Letterer: Ryane Hill
What They Say:
The Mother of All Monsters (and that’s more than just a figure of speech) has decided to wage war against Shrae’s Ark. Shrae is a powerful sorcerer, but he’s no match for such a legendary creature…especially when all of the beasts on board his vessel are heeding their mother’s call!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Dark Ark really grabbed me from the get-go and watching it play out has been a real delight. Cullen Bunn has hit upon the right pace for this and with the introduction of flashbacks in this arc of the series has expanded what’s going on in a really good way. But as is evident with each issue, Juan Doe really brings it to life in a way that I can think of only a few other artists being able to pull off. The combination of design, layout, and especially color really drives this story forward in a way that’s engaging. It has the sense and feel of being something old that’s being told through it and that gives Bunn’s story greater weight.
Events in the past are fleshing out the final moments before Shrae’s ark gets underway and seeing who makes the cut of being brought on board the ship is interesting. We know that these humans are essentially foodstock for the monsters but it’s no less heartrending to watch a mother and child being denied and then for the mother to abandon the child and then be suited for coming on board. There’s a clarity to who is chosen, missed in the fear of being swept away, and watching it play out with the reality of the horror is engaging. Following this particular woman as she ends up drawn further in and then realizes what’s really going on hits a certain sweet spot in the storytelling as her emotions run the gamut and are really wonderfully presented through the artwork to evoke a response.
The present-day storyline is grim in its own way as we get Khalee and her family doing their best to keep the monsters at bay, having to be certain that Shrae is coming back and will set things as they should be. The monsters are getting more and more restless but we get a slow break between those that want to just keep going with the old ways while others realize that the world is changing and they must change with it. Combining that with Shrae’s attempts at putting Echidna at ease definitely works well since he’s unsuccessful and that just heightens the tension with Khalee. But the reinforcement of Shrae actively choosing to stay alive for a greater purpose that drives him is one of the best moments of the series and really has me wanting to see this through fully.
In Summary:
Dark Ark continues to move the story forward well while teasing some potential new twists with what Shrae is dealing with. His time with the Echidna is intriguing as it sets the tone for their interaction but I also really liked what we got from Shrae’s engaging with his own master over events and how the Echidna is viewed. Flashback material continues to build a solid foundation for the journey of this ark while the dangers on the ship are only growing. Cullen Bunn delivers issue after issue with this series and it’s made great through Juan Doe’s artwork in ways that are hard to express.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: 17+
Released By: AfterShock Comics
Release Date: August 1st, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
