Even if the world is against her … Skye will always hope for the best.
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):
With the Serpenteers and their boss callously discussing future plans over the freshly murdered corpse of Detective Richard Murphy, these ruthless gangsters do not know of the grim plans made for a dead man’s future, only concerned with the fascinating treasures they have purloined from their uninvited guests and how they will interact with the red gem in hand, but as traitorous Peyton reveals the jewel’s interdimensional powers, the foul group must still decide what to do with the feisty women who battle for survival on the other side of a locked door. As Skye, Julia and Belle struggle to avoid the vicious blows from a chained animal, the Queen of Hearts demands the Guardian use her powers to blast open the entryway, only to be told it is better if she holds off since they have no weapons, and also to allow their foes to think they have the advantage and thus give them a chance to deal with this dire event. But as these meaningful words sink in, this pragmatic red head once again painfully criticizes their current situation, suggesting Mathers instead put down the raging beast which is showing no mercy to his cellmates, which causes an irate DiMarco to vehemently protest such a suggestion since this her only remaining family. While they both begrudgingly agree to this tender declaration, no one can come up with a viable solution for their predicament, but as Belle bravely attempts to talk some sense into her monstrous brother, a sudden explosion on the massive neck of the Beast shocks all as the once uncontrollable sibling now lays unconscious on the cold ground, stunned into civility by a flash bang and hopefully still alive.
Meanwhile in Neverland, Shang finds himself being reluctantly supported by the two former Guardians as they race through the skies of Neverland, with the army of the Croc Queen in close pursuit after temporarily securing another ovoid prize from Baba Yaga list of spell ingredients. But as these supposed allies angrily march behind them demanding the return of their prized egg, it is Sam who is more infuriated by their current situation even as the mustached mentor pleads with his friends they must accept they are doing is the right thing, with Allexa coldly agreeing but Darren bluntly adding they don’t support with these questionable actions. As they argue amongst themselves on a way to escape this precarious situation, an unlikely trap by means of a net is suddenly released upon the trio and stopping any further movement, even as they easily blast away the annoying contrivance. With both now enraged women wishing to use their powers against these unyielding hunters, it is Shang who quickly strikes down the plan due to the magical resistance of these warriors, allowing a concerned ruler and her men to now calmly address these once trusted friends and explain this blasphemous act. Although the blonde sovereign wants to believe these people must have been enchanted to commit such a heinous theft, Shang cannot offer any reasonable disclosure as to why they need their sacred object and will not return it, leaving the reptilian force no other choice than to charge. With their freedom rapidly shrinking and having no means to defend themselves, the panicked women desperately urge Arcane Acre’s headmaster to quicken his casting of the transport spell, with the golden energies of the chant leaving little time to celebrate as they are whisked away just in time.
In Summary:
When the Dark Princess saga began and our protectors were scattered across the realms, we of course knew things would never be easy for the Guardian, and yet to see so many familiar faces within different dimensions have especially difficult lives influenced by the generals of this despicable tyrant has not made accepting what has happened any more welcomed, especially when we take into account the current arc with Belle and her extended family. To watch a forthright woman such as the Monster Hunter suffer so much within the last few issues is heart wrenching, particularly after the loss of Mel, made ever more epic for loyal readers with the mournful echo of this tragic turning point currently occurring within Belle Annual: Issue #25, producing a double impact to witness such a valiant friend fall at the hands of villains who pursued our heroine, only to view her succumbing again at the hands of the Serpenteers who wished for the death of our brave DiMarco.
However as Belle’s regretful search for retribution now concludes, who would have guessed creators Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini and David Wohl could have imagined so many despicable diversions within this final issue of her story arc, allowing writer Franchini to questionably force a perplexing number of plot twists within the narrative, from which the conclusion feels rather convoluted due to odd similarities and opportunistic necessities. To begin, the sickening opening emphasizing the death of Detective Murphy may have been a sadistic way to reinforce the perverse pleasure the Serpenteers, and yet to highlight this man’s given name as being Richard allows attentive readers to notice the preemptive signal of someone we have seen before, thereafter allowing a haunting retelling of Death Force’s origins. While it was clever to include Murphy as a disposable character from the start of the arc, distinctly due to his dealings with corrupt cops hinted throughout the telling, it would have been more intuitive for those select few knowing of the audience if more of this noble man’s background were expanded within the story, such as some interaction with the women, or even some subtle hints alluding to something planned for his dark conclusion. As it stands now, Murphy’s execution within the headquarters of crime boss Fu Hsi appears to be nothing more than a grim chance to include an escape clause for our heroines, making his tragedy too convenient given the intense circumstances of the narrative, seemingly only included as a method to allow this dark crusader’s interference provide cover for Skye and Julia so as to find a way out during the ensuing confusion.
But at the same time, it is Peyton’s supposed betrayal which raise more questions, since we saw something comparable within the prior dimension with Robyn’s proposed turning against Liesel, and while it may have been despicable and perhaps within character, to see a heroine such as Parks repeat this same thematic treachery makes the moment slightly predictable and less effective, even if it falls within her backstory with a need to seek revenge for the deaths of her father Randall and family friend Paw at the hands of the group. While this troubling dilemma may have been inevitable, it is the revelation of the boss’ name which is at odds to its Chinese origins, since Fu Hsi is seen as a cultural hero within that nation due to he and his sister wife Nuwa being the first humans and later creators of humanity. His mythical form may have been depicted with a serpentine body, but for Franchini to choose such a moniker due to reptilian associations is rather slanted since he was benevolent being, however if ophidian resemblance is the only deciding factor, then why not call him Jormungand from Norse legends or simply a naga since both have negative connotations within their prospective stories.
Finally is it is the fall of Belle which strikes a rather pronounced chord for staunch readers, especially when another concurrent special echoes the same literary method for striking down a character, namely Belle: Queen of Serpents, in which a close friend is infected by the Serpent King’s venom and transformed into a malicious creature. While this vengeful motive may be in line with how Fu Hsi created his malicious Serpenteers, to see our proud hero struck down by the same toxin is poetically ironic, particularly if the audience knows of the reptilian villain’s obsession to claim Belle which led to the aforementioned book. To see DiMarco having to suffer what her counterpart must battle makes this conclusion all the more meaningful, especially considering it was the Serpent King himself who wanted Belle to become his queen originally in our universe, allowing readers to infer that even a forthright hero can be sacrificed if she deems the cause worthwhile, notably if it means defending her friends and preventing her family from interfering with her waning noble convictions.
Throughout this tenuous story, it is the outstanding illustrative panorama of Babisu Kourtis which brings readers wondrous visual awe as we survey the strife of our heroes’ misadventures through alternate dimensions, and this ghastly opening where we are shown the fate of Detective Murphy is no exception, made more remorsefully percussive due to the smoldering palette of Jorge Cortes, with a clever color selection that emphasizes the cynicism from a film noir atmosphere while allowing for the tangible tension contained within the imagery to flair outwards due to vibrant tonal moments. Even if some of the facial expressions seem smothered due to the shadowy veil which envelopes everything, it is the painfully crisp detailing which Kourtis applies to every artistic element that allows readers to interpret his intentions, from the calculating coldness of Carmen’s demeanor to the painful defiance upon Murphy’s face, one cannot but be impressed by how much tension and misery can unfold within a few panels, allowing for the audience to witness the final moments of a courageous hero. The dour page layout with black framing guiding the eye downward is elegant in its simplicity, focusing our attention to purposeful descent into the depths of the Underworld, only to become gruesomely surprising once Death offers his deal to Richard, with deliciously distinct embodiment and subtle shading of this Grim Reaper making his ominous offer all the more haunting, dry bones and billowing charcoal shroud only amplifying the sinisterness of his persona, with his cackling face reflected within dead eyes and that almost comical effects text adding to the chill one cannot but feel from this meeting.
Even after we return to the aftermath of the murder, this same graphical distinctness cannot but be admired throughout the starkness of the warehouse, and while the normally suffocating veil which is a signature of the genre would become stifling for most moments, it only magnifies the building tension as we await the fate of our heroines, with the same amusing insertions of effects texts almost out of place due to the brightness of Cortes’ absurd color choices, but at the same time, made more striking due to that same radiance. To painfully watch Skye, Julia and Belle avoid the Beast’s strikes is thrilling, with Kourtis’ outlandish manner of over emphasizing every aspect of this brutish creature lending power to its every glancing blow, layered hairy muscles upon exaggerated limbs, dimly glowing eyes behind furrowed brow, all made more intimidating due to the minuteness of our heroines compared to his massive frame. And while a return to Neverland may be momentarily blinding due to the suddenly dazzle of illumination and splashes of brighter colors, this same attention to detail makes the transition easily adaptive, allowing us to smile at the marked anger upon the beautiful faces of Allexa and Sam, their tension kept in check as they dash away from their harried pursuers, making us laugh at this delightful moment of forced levity, knowing the ending of this epic saga is near, with someone tragically losing this formidable battle.
While the grandeur of Belle’s story arc may have enclosed a distressing range of stirring events, it is the much anticipated finale which falls a bit short due to an unsettling conclusion composed of odd clashing narrative ideas, all enveloped within a convenient plot device which allow our heroes to escape through the veil of the unknown, even as we ponder the familiarity of what has happened before. And yet due to outstanding illustrations and smothering colors that draw us deeper into the intensity of this remorseful tale, novice readers can still moderately discern the splendor unfolding before them, but may still wish to comprehend the narrative nuances which were left out, all in an effort to fully embrace the bombardment of information which made this telling so immersive. However as Julia and Skye are once again thrown into the maelstrom of chaos, one cannot but wonder if the future will be just as harrowing or will we be content to witness a pathway of twisting similarities from echoed stories, but no matter which may befall us, it is certain to be just as enjoyable as we wish for a way home for these harried heroes.
Grade: A
Age Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: February 23, 2022
MSRP: $3.99
