The trials begin and new truths are unearthed.
Creative Staff:
Story: David Pepose
Art: Luca Casalanguida
Colors: Matt Milla
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
What They Say:
Forced to confront her suspicions about Ranger Scout society, Kit undertakes the grueling Eagle’s Guard Trials on her quest for the truth — but standing in her path is Dez, the Scoutmaster’s son and her oldest friend. And Dez is not going to let this badge of honor go without a fight..
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
I’ve really enjoyed the first couple of issues of Scout’s Honor and this installment is really no exception. I like the concepts that David Pepose is working with here and the characters that they’ve created to work through it with. Luca Casalanguida is a very talented artist that’s getting to handle some really good stuff here with strong dialogue sequences and some really fun action moments. The only problems with it is pretty much what I’ve felt from the first in that if this is planned as a five or six-issue series, it’s cramming in material from twelve issues that would have been a lot more enjoyable to see unfold with more room to breathe and more nuance to insert into it. More character development. But the push, which I understand, to work the trade-size storyline is what dominates. And Pepose does do it well here – it’s a really enjoyable book. But it makes me crave a decompressed exploratory piece that could really dig into things.
The tension that exists between Kit and Dez is a big part of what drives the story at this point but it comes from different places. Kit thinks it’s because of the kiss, and part of it surely is, but the reality is that Des just sees how his father has taken to Kit and changed the rules so that the two can compete for the ranger title. That Kit is taking away his own father and there’s a lot of resentment there as Des has struggled his whole life when it comes to his father. Of course, Des is kind of glossing over the whole thing with how Kit’s father was just killed by highwaymen so there’s not exactly things going on that he thinks there are, but Kit has become convenient to his own fears and anger and has just leaned into it hard. Especially as he sees his chance to succeed at the trial slipping away from him through Kit.
A good chunk of the issue works through the various trials that the two of them have to face and it really works well to showcase just how similar they are and the small differences that lets them each succeed on their own in different ways. The one-one-match is definitely a hard one but I really liked what we got from Kit with the drug-induced piece to face his fear. We didn’t get one for Des for obvious reasons but even then I’d like to have seen something significant there just to really reinforce what he’s feeling. While the results of the contest really aren’t a surprise, I am surprised by how quickly Kit turns to sneaking into the Eagle’s Nest in order to find out more of the truths that he’s learned. That it confirms things isn’t a surprise but that we learn more of the relationship that exists between the Scout’s and the Highwaymen is one that is going to have him change gears really fast, if he survives being discovered.
In Summary:
Scout’s Honor has a lot of story to tell and is compressing it well into this overall run that we’re getting for it here. I do think there’s a lot of things that can be done with it but at the same time I’m enjoying the story I’m being given and not being disappointed that it’s not the story I think it can be. Pepose’s script is solid throughout with good material for just about everyone of note within it while Casalanguida does a great job of making it a lot of fun to watch unfold with not just the action but the personal interactions and how intensely they go at it since there’s so much weight to the emotions and what’s being said. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: AfterShock Comics
Release Date: March 10th, 2021
MSRP: $3.99
