Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Kel Symons
Artists: Mathew Reynolds
Released: 30th July, 2014

And so the first arc of this absolutely cracking old-school adventure draws to a close, and what a ride it’s been. Gunfights, secret agents, ill-begotten gains, daring heroics, all told through gorgeous art that’s absolutely pitch-perfect for the subject matter.

This issue doesn’t break that pattern – after the downer of an ending to the last month’s outing, we’re treated here to an ingenious escape, and some rather cute wrapping-up come spanner in the romantic works. Given what our heroes have been throught, it’s some well-earned down-time, and puts a nice bow on the proceedings.

We’re also treated to a glorious curveball of a plot-twist in the final pages that more than bodes well for the next few issues. To spoil it would be dastardly, so I’ll just leave it at that – to say I didn’t see it coming is both testament to its strength, and perhaps my blind optimism as well. Ah well. Suffice to say, it holds dark portents, and weaves itself into actual history rather neatly.

If I must come up with a constructive criticism – and I must, according to the Wikipedia entry for ‘arts critic’, sigh – it’s that there’s a heck of a lot crammed in here, with the afore-mentioned wrapping up belting along at perhaps a little too quick a pace. But the story must progress, and the issue must finish (sadly), and it’s pretty hard to truly hold this against it, given the exceptional story told thus far.

I’m sold, I’m in – have been for months, and this first arc has only scratched the surface of the potential on display, with that Indiana Jones-esque mythical portion still yet to dealt with. Part the second simply can’t come quickly enough – get out and buy this series however you can, it’s so very worth it.

Rating: 5/5.

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The writer of this piece was: Ross Sweeney
Ross tweets from @Rostopher24