Never underestimate a hero … especially when she is named Robyn Hood!
Creative Staff:
Writer: Chuck Dixon
Artwork: Babisu Kourtis
Colors: Juan Manuel Rodriguez
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
This is it. The final issue of Robyn Hood’s journey to justice! Nothing will ever be the same! You won’t believe what happens!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
As Robyn and Emily watch and wait within the scaffolding overlooking the Policeman’s Ball, the young girl cannot but anxiously ask her friend about the delicate situation they find themselves, especially when all of the city’s law enforcement are on the watch for this wanted woman. However Locksley’s plan is simple: to put an arrow through the corrupt Mayor Nyguen’s head, but while Emily is both impressed and overwhelmed by the clarity of this action, she is still unsure of how she plays a role in the scheme. To which the archer explains the novice vigilante is to be her emergency getaway – is anything goes wrong, she is to be on standby for a quick evacuation, but even as the teenager begins to reject the simplicity and wonders aloud if there is anything else to do, the overly ambitious woman leaps into action. With the men in blue surprised by this unexpected party crasher, there are also watchers at home who are surprised by this unknown event during a live broadcast, with both sides unable to anticipate what might happen next.
However it does not take long until the corrupt politician made her intentions known, coldly implying that while Robyn was not invited, she has every intention to make this unwelcomed guest the center of attention, ordering her robotic enforcers to use close quarters combat since the heroine was only armed a bow, thus no friendly fire. But as the dexterous archer easily avoids numerous deadly blows and destroys many of the mechanical soldiers, the corrupt politician cannot but explode in outrage as her human drones do nothing but stand idly by in stunned silence or enjoying themselves in alcoholic revelry. After they receive their livid orders to capture Robyn, the valiant archer is soon swarmed by zealous officers with intentions to arrest her, and yet the victory is short lived as the ferocious blonde signals for her escape plan to intercede. With an unsure flourish of the cloak, Emily leaps down and envelopes all involved within the unruly mob, separating the two parties before being told to go into hiding again, to which she seemingly says her final goodbyes. But as Locksley kept the mayor pinned down behind a flimsy table with several penetrating shots, the fury of this ambitious woman finally erupts at the protector’s tenacity, commanding her police force to take the woman alive which is easily accomplished after another rush from superior numbers. But as Lisette began to callously wonder aloud why Robyn did ignore the situation or do as she was told, even as her captor resists with her usual bravado, this vainglorious dictator cannot but boast of her one-sided efforts to unite the city, even if she was the only who was allowed to see the victory which her selfish efforts had achieved.
In Summary:
When we were first introduced to Mayor Lisette Nyguen as a background character within Robyn Hood: Outlaw three series ago, who could have guessed this ambitious woman would rise so swiftly with an insatiable hunger for power, proclaiming her foul intentions within the next title Robyn Hood: Vigilante, and now materializing within this powerful climax. And yet as writer Chuck Dixon draws a close to this sadistic tyrant who cares nothing for the people she was elected to lead, with her true purpose never fully revealed aside from an ominous hint that someone was directing her foul intentions, and darker motivations hidden behind the Vigilante Hunter Squad and a need to control the New York Police Department coming to fruition, all of these malicious designs seemed to be coming to bear until they were snuffed out by our heroine Robyn Hood. There were so many possibilities within this closing title which never truly transpired and left unfinished: Peacock perhaps becoming a force to be reckoned with a new robot body, the Seamstress’ greatest creation being unveil as being Tatter’s cloak but her history never shown and her wants left unfinished, and now the mayor being dealt with in such a convenient and empty fashion for someone who had cornered Locksley like no one before, in short – this finale is anticlimactic and unfulfilling. The potential for this trio of protagonists was woefully surrendered unlike any other villains within our blonde archer’s history, from where they had an end that was satisfying and gave the reader closure by minimizing suspicious plot holes, but this title left too much unsettled in exchange for speed of ending their vile machinations. While we did have a rewarding conclusion centering around Tatter and her sacrifice to confine Synapse, resulting in an opening to release this foe and confine her at the cost of Spriggan’s life, this heartfelt denouement and resulting passing of the mantle to Emily helped to draw a close to one of my favorite supporting characters, even as that under utilized girl becomes ever more important in this manner. And yet even as this tangible conclusion leaves one burden resolved, the other more substantial consequence which looms over the city had yet to be settled and was only hinted at with more massive numbers of the mechanical menaces lurking in the background and almost forgotten, only added as incidental roadblocks to make the initial journey and pursuit all the more relentless. It is not until this closing issue do we finally witness the robotic enforcers make a visible return with any substantial impact from which Robyn is forced to battle them again, however even in this most thrilling of moments which would serve to be the beginning of Lisette’s downfall, there is nothing special to protect this maniacal politician, especially considering how the Seamstress made such a grand gesture as to present the newest versions of her robotic enforcers, the Praetorians, as her partner’s newest bodyguards to use at the Policeman’s Ball. And yet as this fanatical woman screamed to vent anger and force human servants into following orders, there appeared to be less than a dozen of these automated sentries which served to protected their master, with none of the massive guardians making an entrance and thus turn the tide of battle. As such, a majority of the defenders were men in blue who were of little effect against our valiant archer, and only after swarming this single assailant could they capture her, but still momentarily due to Emily’s rescue. After that restraint fiasco, it did not take long until Locksley was able to conclude the standoff with some much needed help, to which we witness a pathetic end to this once relentless foe, with none of her automated bravado to back up her fanatical anger or the enthusiastic grandeur which we came to know as the embodiment of Mayor Nyguen; this was an uncompromising villainess who voraciously sought power, ruthlessly obtained and jealously coveted it through duplicitous means, and yet after all of this, we see a pitiful politician who never saw her end coming, resulting in a vapid existence for someone who challenged Robyn relentlessly, with the story concluding by giving readers a hollow feeling for someone who deserved something much more fitting and going out in a blaze of glory, maniacally laughing as all watched in stunned awe or disgust while her rival disappeared, instead of closing the series with something which is shameful and unworthy of such an epic run for this unparalleled woman.
And yet even within a story which is unbalanced due to a lack of narrative integrity, one cannot deny the main reason readers are wondrously attracted to this series is thanks to the fantastically dynamic and emotionally stirring illustrations of Babisu Kourtis, displaying his marvelously detailed imagery which visually motivates us to pursue the ongoing danger, prompting the audience to turn each page with undeniable fervor until it is finally over, much to our undeniable chagrin as these pleasing displays come to an inevitable end. But as out eyes feverishly flit across every panoramic panel to decipher this carefully laid out story, it is the vibrant palette of Juan Manuel Rodriguez which urges us to zealously delve into every image in order to uncover the hidden treasures which are hidden within this colorful landscape of rapturous vivacity which is an epic battle for survival. His splendid manipulation of varied tones, light and shadow promote a striking contrast between these graphic elements, allowing for the artistic collage of excitement to become something which could not materialize so brilliantly without their combined efforts. Even with a return to a darker atmosphere to emphasize the growing menace of Mayor Nyguen, it is Kourtis’ meticulously delineated panels which portray the desperation of our heroes as they watch the empty revelry which proceeds below, effortlessly communicating the sinister shadow which hangs over all through Rodriguez’s sober mixture of brightly colored celebratory balloons versus the muted backgrounds that cast a growing shadow of control. But as the tension builds and we watch with sincere admiration as to Robyn’s tenacity, it is extremely pleasing to watch the woman who has so viciously manipulated the pacing of how the story unfolds finally lose what little control she has as someone confronts her and denies her much wanted and vaunted victory, made all the more moving as we watch the passionate grimace of contrasting emotions so pleasingly displayed upon their respective faces. The slight blush of red helps to magnify this verbal jousting match, even as we pleasingly witness what little sanity Lisette has is slowly being eaten away by Locksley’s growing defiance, comically amplifying her temper within a boisterous clamor which serves as a sharpened foil to point toward her ultimate fate, and only made all the more forthcoming as increasing amounts of facial shadow help to adjust the emotional fervor which grows with her anger. The somber background tones disguised within bright splashes of resistance add to the anxiety, and while it is a bit confusing to watch as the wave of intensity swells briefly, the focused panel of a feverish politician with dark circles under her eyes signals the final turning point, but made all the more shocking as we witness an empty closure for someone who had so much evil potential now unfulfilled. And while this visually may have been shocking so see such an abrupt conclusion, it does not mean this excellent artistic team did not accomplish their moving mission to stir our own emotional indecision as to if to accept this disappointing ending.
While Robyn Hood: Justice embraces a hopeful future for our heroes with an satisfying ending and an intriguing beginning for a new character, it is the neglectful absence of a well meaning closure for established villains which leaves the title with an emptiness that is difficult to ignore. And yet thanks to the wonderfully detailed illustrations and spectacular colors which project such diverse meanings, the series itself communicates its intentions with intense fascination and gripping moments of emotional veracity. However as we slowly digest the story due to its episodic nature, the slanted narrative development does not reveal its full meaning until it is too late, and only then does the reader realize the neglect for such well defined and ingrained rivals is not warranted, presenting each of their inevitable demises as one of a hollow victory instead of something which should be notably appreciated for such worthy and dedicated foes.
Grade: A
Series Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: December 09, 2020
MSRP: $3.99
