When you are the Black Knight … everyone wants your head.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Terry Kavanagh
Artwork: Sergio Ariño
Colors: Robby Bevard
Letters: Saida Temofonte
What They Say:
With Brin and Nik’s fate unknown to Peyton Parks, the Black Knight finds herself in another can’t-win situation. Meanwhile, across town, Nadia’s plan begins to take shape. Peyton’s world is about to be turned upside down!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Riker’s Island is now on lockdown, and the Black Knight is in the middle of a firefight due to Nadia’s need to eliminate any loose ends for her plan in eliminating the Grigors, and this unfortunately also means Nikolai plus anyone close to him. However while this type of assault should easily pacified, it appears this crime boss has the warden and some of his guards on the payroll, thus making Peyton’s job in clearing up the confusion all the more difficult; not wanting to harm the innocents while taking out the ones who are trying to kill her is hard enough, but after hearing gunshots from the interrogation room where Brin is makes concentrating on this goal almost impossible. Luckily during a lull in the action she spots her red headed assistant and their charge now emerging safe, so all there is left is to create an exit strategy to leave this hopeless chaos.
As this calculating leader plans her next move, the ruthless enforcer Sirin is completing her mission by introducing herself to the enemy – within an overly raucous and garishly decorated neon strip club. While the soldiers of the Grigor are prematurely celebrating the success, they cannot but speculate how the end came for the leader of Vasilev bratva. Then as if in response, the window shatters via the limp form of one of the bodyguards being hurled inside, and boldly strides in the personification of very woman they were speaking ill of, with a grisly trophy – the head of their own protector. The Grigor bear Ursa has fallen, and now left alone to ponder this new truth these useless men have a more unpredictable foe to protect against and one who could strike from anywhere. They know what Nadia is after and it is only now does their overconfidence become shattered and shake the reality of the present, but can they save their future or is their family doomed like their guardian?
In Summary:
With only two issues left, writer Terry Kavanagh finally reveals the brutal reasoning behind Nadia’s desperate need to silence Nikolai, but at the same time, he still keeps hidden the true meaning behind her obsession to wipe out a rival family. While I can understand the necessity to keep secrets in lieu of showing vulnerability to others, it still does not explain what happened in the past and so many other plot elements which would help to flesh out the background; perhaps Kavanagh wants to hide the truth until the end, but for now it creates a story which is lacking in any pronounced backbone in allowing us to care what happens outside of Peyton’s group. The only true momentum for the audience is to keep reading to uncover more facts, but with this method of revelation, it also does not inspire any want to progress aside from curiosity, and at times this is not enough to propel a lacking narrative if the characters are not interesting by provoking the want to care what happens next. For now it seems the Black Knight has removed the former assassin from the equation, so unless he has some unknown connection to the Grigor family, why would the Vasilevs pursue him since they seem too busy in exterminating the competition – unless there is something yet to be unveiled? As such, there is little need for Peyton to get involved … leaving the blasé tale any true motivation in continuing, causing the title to grind to a disappointing halt.
Even as we begin this one sided explosive story, you cannot deny this issue has the reader engulfed within inexhaustible action, all thanks to the powerfully seductive images from Sergio Ariño and the colorfully enriching palette of Robby Bevard. From the start they have your attention anchored in place, even with comical sound effect text to amplify the intensity you are magnetized to the pages, watching in awe as we are captured by the insane display of violence and surrounded by the dance of death lead by a black armor clad beauty. You cannot deny Peyton’s strength, watching as this supposedly helpless woman armed only with primitive sword and shield takes on a fully armed suppression force with superior automatic weapons, but to be easily pacified within subdued arrays of shadow and bright bursts of gunfire. How can you not smile while watching with sincere pleasure as our heroine ferociously conquers these stronger men, all showing you cannot underestimate the enemy, no matter how overwhelming your advantage may seem to be nor your backer for the task. The tendency of the men within this series have toward underestimating women is farcical, and it makes the end results all the more satisfying to see the supposedly weaker sex easily defeat these overconfident braggarts.
As we become enveloped within the partial truth behind The Black Knight, you cannot but feel the story is lacking in narrative strength to secure a moving course to motivate readers to continue with the journey. It is only thanks to the overwhelming exuberance of the fantastic artistry which draws the audience back to witness Peyton’s adventure against the impossible, but even this advantage seems to be quickly fading thanks to a lack of drive for our heroine. While the story is interesting, the lagging introduction of critical background facts creates an information vacuum which drags down the title, making this essential turning point not as important for the overall incentive of all characters present.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: January 02, 2019
MSRP: $3.99
