Crime may be pervasive … but the Guardian will always stand to fight.
Creative Staff:
Story: Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini & David Wohl
Writer: Dave Franchini
Artwork: Babisu Kourtis
Colors: Jorge Cortes
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
Taking over after the death of her mother, Sela, Skye Mathers is the new Guardian of the Nexus. With the help of Shang, her mentor, and her friends at Arcane Acre, she is learning the extent of her new powers and trying to figure
out her place in protecting the universe.
A new threat has risen, The Dark Princess, a tyrant that has broken free from a crumbling universe not much different than ours. Along with her generals, The Swarm, she began her assault on the Nexus by expelling Skye, Shang and their allies, scattering them across the realms.
Now they are desperately trying to find their way back to Arcane Acre to stand up to the Dark Princess before it’s too late.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Shang remembers the day the Dark Princess invaded Arcane Acre, as she stood defiantly before each of his friends and vaporized everyone with her power, this man who had lived for so long finally lost hope, even as this tyrant maliciously smiled and enveloped him within the same magic that destroyed all of the people he cared for, only to open his eyes and witness that the universe had other plans. Now finding himself atop a snowy mountain surrounded by desolation, the man soon learned he was not alone as bony soldier began to defend their territory, swinging a chipped axe which he easily disarmed from his opponent, only to turn and find a multitude of skeletal soldiers waiting to do combat against this foolish visitor, whose only option left was to retreat to a nearby cave. However as Shang entered the unexpectedly pleasant and warm interior, he found a familiar figure sitting before a roaring fire with a mystical cauldron weaving a spell to control her defenders, a captivating witch who he knew all too well and addressed as Baba Yaga. But as this valiant man boldly strode forward and announced he would defeat her in order to find a way back to his family, the beautiful woman callously mocked his ridiculous statement by declaring it was by her will that everyone was allowed to survive, informing Shang they now had a deal to make if they wanted to defeat the Dark Princess, even as Allexa and Sam were infuriated in the present after listening to his story, learning the only key to victory was to surrender the Gem of Power to this conniving sorceress.
But as Belle now wept over a lifeless Mel, her valued life cut short by ruthless Serpenteers, those same callous foes now took perverse pleasure in counting down the seconds before they entered their hiding place with extreme force, and yet as the moments ticked by and no one could think of a valid option aside from surrendering, a familiar blonde face beckoned the cornered women to follow her behind a nearby bookcase. Under a ceaseless volley of gunfire, the brutal trio mowed their way into the supposedly inaccessible refuge, only to find their cornered prisoners no where to be found, forcing now the frustrated group to retreat as the flaming ceiling came down, leaving their only option to interrogate another forcibly detained guest as to where these rats might have scurried off. However as DiMarco mourned the loss of her best friend, it was the welcomed rescuer Peyton who brushed off any thanks from Skye to question if this painful incident has anything to do with a red gem, the one they were discussing which she overheard while hiding in the secret passage. And while she denied any need to help before the massacre, thinking the gangsters were after her friend or their visit might have something to do with her brother’s shady dealings concerning that crimson jewel, either way this town has been changing from the shadows with more violence unfortunately becoming the standard, and while Julia and Mathers willingly volunteer to help, it is Belle who knows where they have to go for some much needed revenge.
In Summary:
Ever since we were introduced to Mel in her best friend’s namesake title, there has always been the irritating tingle in the back of readers’ minds that this loyal companion would be caught up the ever present danger that DiMarco brings into their lives, and yet no matter how many times she was kidnapped or nearly killed by the tooth or claws of some random monster, this bespectacled beauty never turned her back on Belle, always by her side and offering a mocking tease of encouragement or advice whenever it is needed, and sometimes when it wasn’t warranted for a biting bit of comedic relief for both the audience and our valiant heroine. And yet now that this foundational series for Zenescope has crossed over to parallel dimensions within the Dark Princess arc, it was only a matter of time before the treasured characters which we adore from prior books were endangered by toxic influence from the Gem of Power, and while the foul minions of this power hungry tyrant may maliciously corrupt other worlds, it was unfortunately inevitable more painful death and tragic betrayal would creep too close to our heroines, with such immensely repercussive effects we chose to chase it out of our minds before it took root, but now it’s too late.
While we are fascinated by Shang’s eventual confession of how he became involved with Baba Yaga, allowing Allexa and Sam to unleash their understandable and deliciously vengeful ire against the moustached man, it is the harrowing events that concluded the last issue which leave a lasting impression upon the reader, opening the second act with a poignant moment which creators Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini and David Wohl woefully weave into what seems to be an impossible escape blanketing the immensely mournful event which we thought would never happen, allowing writer Franchini to unravel the carefully crafted melodrama of horrendous loss into a climactic struggle for survival. Although we have seen this familiar calamity before, it is the gloomy film noir setting that grants an unsettling tension to the tenuous countdown, made all the more harrowing with the once valiant people we knew as Musketeers now donning the murderous moniker of Serpenteers, armed with weapons more suitable to their former name. But to see Carmen, Winter and Diego using such crass language only serves to solidify that these are not the same brave crusaders we once knew, making their turn all the more calamitous after we acknowledge they are the ones who murdered Belle’s closest friend in a hail of bullets, plus now threaten to finish off anyone else if they do not surrender. It is this unsettling aftermath which firmly triggers what we never wanted to see, DiMarco too heartbroken to cry anymore and too infuriated by not being able to protect Mel from such a dangerous situation, turning the once kind yet determined woman who would do anything to protect those closest to her into an avenger who will chase down the cruel perpetrators behind all of the suffering in the city, including the darkness which has taken her brother and turned him into a servant of the current holder of the Gem of Power.
But even within such a transformative story that unleashes the wrath of heroes we thought we once knew, one cannot deny it is the magnificent illustrative talent of Babisu Kourtis which makes the unfolding events so entrancing from the beginning, allowing Jorge Cortes’ explosive adaptation of a varying palettes to submerge the audience within divergent panoramas of emotional intensities, almost making us forget this narrative is composed under the same perspective of wanting to get home, but through differing heights of traumatic suffering and intense struggles to recognize the world works differently against each person as they attempt to endure the hardships which they must face in order to survive.
To watch a defeated Shang accept he cannot do anything against the Dark Princess is humbling, this man who has lived countless centuries must now concede this tyrannical woman is more powerful than anyone he has ever faced, and yet it is Kourtis’ elegantly composed panels that dictate this moving acceptance, to see the once proud man now helplessly lying prone without being able to do anything but watch is intensely poignant. It is made all the more pronounced due to Cortes’ striking choice of crimson energies consuming everyone against a muted landscape and the teacher’s black suit standing out within the grim barrenness, aiding to intensify a sense of helplessness, all while perhaps reflecting it against the reader’s personal experience. But even after he is transported, the ebony of his coat helps to isolate the man upon white starkness, made more frigidly perceptive thanks to a tinge of blue to the snow and his lone bony host, all transformed once we witness the gripping moment of dread after seeing Shang’s furrowed brow and pinpoint pupils, signaling he must face something even the brave man thinks may be impossible – the army guarding this isolated mountain top. And yet with the simplistic change of gritted teeth and downturned eyebrows, we know he will not give up, with his brave struggle almost made meaningless after the alluring forms of captivating women in skin tight costumes take over: the teasing grin of Baba Yaga with striking white hair is tantalizing against glimpses of blushing skin versus equally appealing former victims, Allexa sporting glowing neon blue hands and plenty of cleavage, all while Sam’s smoldering sapphire eyes framed within a luscious mane of blonde stare down her friend, with downturned eyes expressing how much Shang’s deception has hurt this now dejected man.
But even after a visually bright but intensely melancholic reflection, it is the second act that has the most emotional impact due to the transparent curtain of somberness which Cortes’ film noir filter adds to the moment, to watch a distraught Belle mourn over Mel’s body with the opening panel is heart-wrenching, and as Kourtis amplifies the sadness with but a single tear and arched eyebrows, he pulls away to allow the audience to witness the pitiful sight of a survivor cradling a lifeless body, with Julia and Skye standing behind knowing they can do nothing, prompting readers weep for this tragic loss. Although as we wish for privacy to grieve for this loss, it is the annoying Serpenteers who beckon for the time to end, their callous behavior engraved upon their faces for such selfishness in thinking this death is worthless, even as they know it was their actions which caused it, and forcing the group to retreat without much choice. While Peyton’s introduction to the story may seem trivial as an exposition for what happened beforehand, it is Cortes’ essential black veil that descends upon all that makes the closing page so much more forceful, to see DiMarco forcefully stride forward with Mel’s body lying in the background, fists clenched, jaw set and lips stern, all while her eyes icily stare forward, but most important are the splashes of crimson against a once captivating evening gown that reminded us of happier times, now forever stained to serve as a reminder that someone will pay for the loss of a much-valued friend.
While may relish the reasons why Shang chose to keep his friends in the dark as to his recent actions, it is the unthinkable possibility of a friend’s passing that makes this issue so remorsefully memorable, causing readers to be mildly amused by an uncomfortable moment from revelation, only to then be thrown into the depths of despair from which we may never recover, urged to shed a tear with its unwanted recollection. But with phenomenal imagery and captivating colors that urge the audience to become fully immersed within the artistry, this journey into a dark world will be one which we will not soon forget, prompting fond remembrance and wanted forgetfulness. And though we know Belle will stop at nothing to seek revenge for someone take too soon, it is also known that anger misdirected only leads to foolishness, making those who rush off without thinking doomed to fail before they even start.
Grade: A+
Age Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: January 26, 2022
MSRP: $3.99
