Hope is never lost … unless you abandon it.
Creative Staff:
Story: Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini & David Wohl
Writer: Dave Franchini
Artwork: Babisu Kourtis
Colors: Jorge Cortes
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Lettering Assists: Torrie Wilkinson
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):
Still desperately searching for the mage which he hopes can help them, Shang leads his companions to an isolated cave behind the destroyed village, only to be surprised the area has been previously captured by foul insectoid soldiers who swarm them with every intention to kill these intruders, as their increasing numbers and fervent ferocity reveals. But as Sam and Allexa continue to bombard this maddening crowd with magical bolts, it is the former blonde Guardian who questions if it would not be better to fight their way out, only to have their secretive guide finally confess the woman he is looking for called Eloise she might still be here, so they have to continue fighting to give the Boggers time to escape. But as these malicious creatures proceed with their attack, the sickening assailants cannot resist in verbally taunting their moustached foe, constantly provoking Shang with caustic statements that their queen may have already killed his friend, which has the opposite effect of igniting a raging fury within the headmaster of Arcane Acre and causing the seasoned warrior to unleash fiery strikes which stuns Sam by her not realizing her mentor had this type of temper, and Allexa acknowledging he does not like showing this side of himself. However as they think the last enemy has been struck down, all are shocked when the commander of this hostile army finally shows herself as she looks coldly down upon them from a rise behind the battle, the ruthless leader mildly amused this group survived and shows herself to be the Scorpion Queen, with a beaten Eloise lying helplessly on the ground before her.
After being rescued from a vampire horde, Skye is escorted back by Julia within their armored vehicle and they discusses the circumstances which separated them in the maelstrom between universes, with the Queen of Hearts recalling the past week she has spent in this devastated world, it too falling to the disaster which claimed her own, with their only option to escape is to find the gem and use it to make another trip. But as they approach a ruined Emerald City, Mathers is surprised by the lack of sympathy her friend has for these people while fully accepting her own Earth, to be unexpectedly told the main difference between every place they visit is the lack of hope the inhabitants have for living to see a new day, place the odd coincidence that none of they had their own version of Skye to lead them. But even as they ponder this curious fact and pass through the outer door, what they find on the other side is Oz’s version of an acerbic Robyn boldly making her thoughts plain, complaining to Julia after they took her in, she fails to bring back any supplies and sadly returns with is another stray for them to feed. It is then when Skye’s normally restrained temper finally flares after hearing the archer’s bitter complaints, leaning over the head of the table and bluntly asking why they are all waiting to die instead of wanting to fight for their lives, but even as a dejected Liesel attempts to explain their depressing circumstances, the raging argument is cut short as a fierce rumbling starts to shake the building, causing all to pause in mid-sentence to take up arms to defend themselves from the oncoming simian assault.
In Summary:
As the unlikely partners cross over to a new but familiar world, readers always knew Skye would meet well known faces, even as the realms which we have been exposed to within the main series slowly crumble around the Guardian, with each death of faithful friends which we and Mathers have come to hold dear slowly build upon the pile of tangible tension which this Dark Princess saga has unfolded before us, allowing story creators Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini and David Wohl to unravel the knowledge of what we think we know into something much deeper, a consequential understanding is built which writer Franchini expands upon within this poignant issue, with surprising results for both ourselves and the unprepared Skye. To think a single conversation between traveling companions could have such meaningful repercussions, especially when it comes from someone like Julia who on the surface seems so coldly insensitive, and yet her simple observation now in hindsight appears painfully obvious, reflecting on the spoken and unspoken importance of the Guardian of the Nexus, and the emotional need of all when their comforting friend is absent.
While we may have not closely paid attention to the dishonest wanderings of Shang when compared to the main story, it is only now do the destinations of these supposedly aimless paths coincide within different dimensions of Oz, each with equally painful consequences for these confused visitors, and supposedly matching outcomes for their failure if they do not succeed in getting Skye home. But as one team attempts to save Eloise, wise sage of the Boggers first seen in Grimm Fairy Tales Volume 2 #30 now under control of one of the Dark Princess’ generals, the Scorpion Queen, the other group’s journey is just as perilous as those heroes we thought as unassailable succumb to the vampiric plague introduced in Van Helsing 50, making the sight of The Gale falling under their influence all the more painful, considering she was always the driving force within that realm who would not give up and urging her people to stand against the darkness. But with her domain now under control of blood thirsty locusts, it was only a matter of time until Dorothy’s people became docile while waiting for their time to come, and even if it is strange to see those who are not normally associated with the Emerald City be within its limits, such as Robyn and Liesel, it only makes the dire influence all the more noteworthy once we learn of how they came to this world and surrendered to its strangling grip. But due to their involuntary submission to overwhelming forces, it allows Julia’s simplistically sincere statement of Skye being an embodiment of hope for her world to come to fruition, bring the driving force to fight back to these people when they are surprised by a primate attack of classic flying monkeys, now made more dangerous when their strength is multiplied several times with matching muscles. However while the rousing battle does make for an effective rallying cry to these downtrodden rebels, it is the final page of this depressing issue which cannot but bring a smile tinged with tears of joy to loyal readers of this franchise, allowing for those who remember the original Guardian of the Nexus’ fateful sacrifice and how she saved so many, including her inexperienced daughter, making us want for the needed time to pass so that we may see if our wishes can truly come true.
With such an emotionally charged issue, it is the exciting opening which garners the reader’s complete attention due to Babisu Kourtis’ action oriented illustrations, allowing Jorge Cortes’ vibrant array of colors to synergize by amplifying the excitement during the initial battle, permitting the dynamic endeavors of this heroic trio to become as ferocious as the intensity encapsulated within the confined space, the intense splash page not holding anything back from these talented artists. And while we may marvel at the complexity of background elements such as the roughness of rocks, tightness of close fitting clothes or nauseating skin tones of insectoid warriors, what causes the most fascinated reaction from the audience is how Kourtis is able to invoke such pronounced emotional response from simplistic visual effects upon his actors’ face, allowing for shading around the eyes, downturned brows and grimaced teeth to reflect the anger upon their engaging countenances. To Shang in close-up during this battle is revealing, to see a man who is normally so calm and composed suddenly erupt shows how infuriated he is with the situation, allowing for that passion to spread to Sam and Allexa, and encourage his partners to fight with equal enthusiasm, even when the odds seems against this group. And yet when we must part from this burning frenzy, Kourtis and Cortes do not neglect the remainder of this issue, allowing for this same elegant artistic cooperation to create an underlying emotional melodrama centered around Skye, permitting the reader to become invested within her dynamic reactions and impassion those who reject fighting for their futures, instead of surrendering to what may seem as inevitable. And though this dark turn may seem hopeless, especially once we see a turned Dorothy deliciously flaunt her new found power with a tantalizing tease of tongue between fangs surrounded by luscious red lips, what creates a heightened gasp of surprise is the final page: to witness what we only hoped would be possible for those who remember this beautiful original savior, shedding tears of both appreciation and happiness to see the woman who we thought had passed only now shown in all of her confident glory, giving up a fleeting chance of hope of what is to come in the next issue.
As the destinations of our intrepid travelers menacingly collide against parallel realms, one cannot but wonder if some unseen hand may be guiding them, leading the heroes toward some twisted destination from which they may they cannot or may not want to leave, especially after witnessing their hopes dashed against unforgiving rocks of tragedy or embraced within the arms of someone they thought was lost. Encapsulated within fantastic illustrations which teasingly engross us within this undulating adventure and scintillating colors that taunt readers as to the veracity of what they see, it is these visual delights which gradually unfold and serve to heighten or depress the audience according to emotional circumstances, but with equally grand magnitude. And yet as the repercussive conclusion allows the faithful to question if their eyes mistake fantasy for reality, it is this brief glimmer of hope which teases us until the next issue, making us appreciate the strenuous wait for this fleeting opportunity to see if the most desired dream of Skye and the audience can sincerely come true.
Grade: A+
Age Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: April 27, 2022
MSRP: $3.99
