Love may conquer all … but everything has its limits.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Lou Iovino
Artwork: Babisu Kourtis
Colors: Juan Manuel Rodriguez
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Lettering Assist: Rieanna Bates
What They Say:
A year ago, Robyn Hood’s best friend, Marian Quin, suffered a horrible loss. In order to save our world, Marian had to make a hard sacrifice. She sent her wife, Sam, to an unknown fate across the universe, to a world torn apart by gigantic hideous monsters only imagined in nightmares. But now, she has found a way to get there, and with the help of Robyn she hopes to save Sam from the savage world she was banished to.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Robyn found herself on Fire Island being hunted by a trio of demons, and while she kept them occupied with frequent shafts embedded within their skin, these furious monsters still maintained the pursuit, determined to make this foolish woman suffer for her annoyance. However as their taunts became more menacing, what the creatures did not realize was they were being lured into a trap within a nearby lighthouse, and as Locksley leapt through the entrance arch, her chasers became ensnared via lashes of mystical energies as cast by Marian, the sorceress utilizing their origins as a trigger for her impressive ritual. After chanting the final syllables of the spell, the raven haired beauty grabbed her friend’s hand before they were forcefully propelled within infinite possibilities of time and space, engulfed by bursts of light and unimaginable power, before transforming themselves into a like medium to travel between worlds and dimensions. But even as they vanished and Quin shouted an indistinct warning as to the nature of this travel, it came to late for the blonde archer once they arrived at their destination, with Robyn vigorously ejecting her lunch of meat lovers’ pizza all over the newly arrived landscape.
But as Marian became fascinated by the foreign environment and immediately regretting sending Sam to such an hostile land, they were pelted by a surprise shower of acidic fluid which melted Robyn’s gear and forced them to look skyward for the source of the attack – a multitude of flying tentacled beasts which wasted no time in taking advantage of their confusion. However as Locksley launched an explosive arrow to destroy one of the creatures and they were forced to retreat after being overwhelmed by a difference in numbers and dissolving projectiles, Marian promptly became confused and enraged to see she could no longer use magic, with that short lived stress promptly nullified after being knocked unconscious by a toxic missile. After quickly becoming surrounded and their avenue of escape now cut off, Robyn valiantly attempted to shield her friend from the upcoming onslaught, only to be surprised to see all of their attackers slaughtered in an instant by a bolt of energy. As their savior spoke, the vigilante immediately recognized the voice of their protector being the woman they came to rescue: Marian’s beloved wife and partner – Sam, but she wasted no time in forcing them to run before reinforcements arrived. As they withdrew deeper within the cave system and Marian finally stirred from her sleep, the two painfully separated lovers finally embraced within a tearful reunion, only to be interrupted by the quickly approaching sound of footsteps. But as Locksley cocked her bow in response, Sam cautioned Robyn to allow her to handle the situation, with a strange green woman entering and addressing her as Your Grace, with the awkwardness of the situation amplified once their friend introduced her as Meela – her wife. Of course Marian exploded in justified rage, with her turmoil collapsing into grief while wondering aloud if she wasn’t quick enough to warrant waiting for her, only to have Sam mournfully confess she waited for so long. Puzzled by this response, Quin questioned why nine months was such a long time, only to have her cherished companion reveal that due to their proximity to a black hole, the time on this world was extended so as one day on Earth was one hundred thirty on this planet … so she has been waiting for almost forty-eight years.
In Summary:
For a relationship which we watched develop from the beginning of Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Robyn Hood six years ago to their marriage at the end of that series, then become engrossed within the tragedy of how even Marian’s love for Sam could not save her within Robyn Hood: The Curse, it is bittersweet to see how their bond now comes full circle within this electrifying special. Loyal fans of this franchise will remember the sacrifice which Quin had to make at the end of the aforementioned series with the banishment of a possessed Sam to save Earth, and yet now writer Lou Iovino picks up upon those events with the witch from Myst desperate to bring back her wife, creating a monumental tale which envelopes so many conflicting emotions, even as we attempt to organize the confusion from a new world which our heroes find themselves. From the start we are thrust into the dynamic excitement which we have come to know as Robyn, but at the same time, the story feels as if it is lacking from a proper introduction since it assumes readers know of the circumstances which lead into current experience. And while this lapse of a solid foundation is troubling in which we are literally thrown into the deep end of this series’ mythology, it allows Iovino to not waste time in developing a backstory and therefore assaults our senses with a preponderance for information from which there is no return in case we become lost in its limitless capacity; although this absence of crucial facts may be unappealing for newcomers to the series, it also takes advantage of Robyn Hood enthusiasts’ knowledge to fill in the gaps and thus allow this author to concentrate on the present instead of the past, creating a tale which is engrossing due to sheer capacity. However while the unmitigated audacity to take this risk compels the reader to leap into the journey head first, at the same time one is forced to accept what happens without hesitation just as Marian and Robyn, almost as if we are coerced to join them due to this complete story immersion. As we tentatively take those first steps onto this foreign landscape, this forced advantage for the narrative allows for a rapid acceleration of the plot, barraging readers with facts which are left with little time to settle into our understanding. Although Iovino may have done this to compact the tension and allow us to feel the same uncertainty which Quin is exposed to when she first sees her long lost love, it also serves to reflect the tirade of emotions which our raven haired sorceress must keep contained so as not to offend her hosts, even if it fails spectacularly once her temper gets the best of her. It is this rapid acceleration of events which also has a negative effect on the story, such as shunning to elaborate on essential facts like the origins of the God Queen who is at the center of the conflict or why Marian’s magic does not work in this environment; we never learn why this ruthless woman is so determined or what she gains by conquering worlds and more importantly, why Marian’s powers do not function which would seem essential in their fight against the tyrant, and yet neither point is given clear explanations before the story ends. As such, we are left with glaring plot holes which should serve to motivate our heroes but result as openings for convenient plot devices to cauterize those gaps, leaving the one-shot as something which appears to be rushed so that the reader can be presented with an ending which should be rewarding but instead results a somber conclusion, with no issues resolved in a satisfactory fashion for those who too wish for Marian to leave fulfilled in knowing Sam is happy, but instead results in unrequited pain for all of us.
Within a tale which immediately explodes with essential excitement from the opening page, this annual would not have the same monumental impact without the fantastic artistry of Babisu Kourtis, with his experience within the Robyn Hood franchise well known, it is his dynamic linework and ability to create emotionally frenetic moments with these beloved characters which allows readers to effortlessly delve into this visual spectacular. From the beginning he has our attention thanks to the nuanced intensity placed within every image, panels smoothly transitioning with little left to the imagination, allowing the audience to immediately understand the frenzy of the moment which he has crafted within an amazing mixture of beauty and ferocity. To watch our heroic archer effortless fight against horrifying demon dogs makes one give pause to witness the amount of details that are placed within each image, whether they be an alluring glimpse of enticing cleavage, muscular legs propelling a taut body or the grotesqueness of monstrous forms which might give one nightmares, there is no detail which is left unattended. And yet none of these panoramic sensations would have the same provocative effect without an equally powerful palette to magnify the flurry of emotions or potential of danger with every page, all thanks to the talented hand of Juan Manuel Rodriguez. His exceptional application of a variety of tonal gradients helps to emphasize every moment of tension, if they be from the exhilaration of a chase with dark backgrounds to materialize the seriousness of the situation to the dazzling neon blue electric energy to signify a significant transformation in venue, any change in the magnitude would immediately be noticeable thanks to his wondrous manipulation of the environment. And yet it is this latter implementation which is blinding in a troublesome manner, with a swift change as the friends enter this mystical portal causing a negative ocular reaction that may be painful to some, due to the sheer intensity of this transfer being a nauseating shock to the system since we were shrouded in a dimly lit night and then suddenly thrust into such a sudden visual change, especially the grandiose double page layout and its companion piece of the teleportation, which is a magnificent display of these artists’ synergistic collaboration, but is sadly also a cacophony of harsh and overly enthusiastic illumination. While we do become largely adjusted to this change in color schemes, it is still strange to witness this amazing story unfold with such a strange array of contrasting colors, and made ever more unsettling due to the odd need to constantly shift between the varied ranges, making us in the end feel unsure of which side of emotional disparity was being communicated within such a wondrous tale of enduring love and painful parting.
Robyn Hood Annual: Worlds Apart predominantly attempts to put to rest the agonising memory of Marian and Sam’s painful parting, but as we are exposed to a constant barrage of poignant detritus from Quin’s unwillingness to accept her partner’s new life, the story begins to unravel due to a rush to successfully make it to the finish within a limited number of pages. While the magnificent illustrations and stunning colors serve to elevate this wondrous tale of loss and acceptance, at the same time it works against itself by amplifying the painful and shifting emotional state of the characters, leaving the reader within a realm of fond confusion thanks to the overwhelming success of the artistic display. And yet as we all attempt to accept the inevitable, it is the abrupt parting of this enviable couple which leaves the audience with the bittersweet reality that nothing was truly settled in a meaningful way, leaving us with a conclusion which may have satisfying in a limited manner, but still results in an astringent aftertaste in what could have been a truly wonderful and heartfelt memory.
Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: December 30, 2020
MSRP: $7.99
