Comics come in many guises. There are comics of every genre and no, they aren’t all superhero comics.
In fact, there’s been a bit of a revolution when it comes to comic books achieving new heights in the last decade and Amala’s Blade is a good case for any naysayers that think comics are only for a certain type of person be it age or interests. You know a book is good when after the issue’s end you think to yourself, “Could somebody make this into a novel/movie/role playing game please, ’cause I need more.” Sadly this is the final issue in the miniseries, but — wait for it — is it good?
Amala’s Blade #4 (Dark Horse Comics)
Check out our review of #3 here.
A big plus for Amala’s Blade is the robust and vivid world it has created. It’s practically a crime that it has been reduced to four issues, but hey, take what you can get, right? Last issue ended with Amala befriending a giant robo dog-snake that was supposed to eat her in (this is fantasy after all) a dungeon. She’s heading to the front lines to avoid, or maybe even start, a war between the Modifiers and Purifiers. It’s kind of a big deal, because both sides were killing each other in the last big war which kind of sucked for everybody.
Man, I hate when they can’t see the magical ghosts that I hang out with. No I’m not on anything!
There’s a couple of balls in the air with this issue, but the main gist of it is: Amala has discovered her mom is sleeping with the enemy and she’s rushing to stop her lover from starting another Civil War. There’s definitely a sense that writer Steve Horton rushed to tie off a lot of loose ends by issue’s end.
While everything makes sense, you might feel a bit bombarded by events as the pace is much faster than in previous issues. Because of this urgency there seems to be something left on the table and opportunity lost in some sense. Allowing the story to breath and the drama to unfold naturally would have made it more powerful. That just adds more fuel to the fire of wanting more from this series!
An example of comics outdoing movies visually.
Anyone wishing this series had more action is in for a treat this week. Artist Michael Dialynas dazzles once again, this time with a rather epic two page spread of both sides in battle. I’ve said this in the last few reviews, but I’ll say it again, Dialynas would do one heck of a job on any primo property. Considering he’ll be contributing to Superior Spider-Man Team-Up Special #1 in October, I suggest everyone pre-order that now. If it’s anything like Amala’s Blade we are in for one hell of a ride.
Cue Randy Newman’s “You Got a Friend in Me.”
This issue is a bittersweet experience. In one sense the story is wrapped up and it delivers plenty of entertainment and resolution. Then again, the story feels rushed to conclude and could have used another issue to let all the revelations in this issue breath.
Mommy issues are the worst.
8.5
- Killer art
- Resolutions all tied up in a bow
- Story reads a bit rushed
This series has so many good things going on I would be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t like it. Fantasy elements, role playing elements, the concept of war being pointless when we all turn into ghosts, great art, steampunk, I mean — I could go on and on. The series sadly needs more issues though! The concepts are so grand and the world so robust it deserves to be an ongoing series.
Is It Good?
Yes. Though a bit rushed to finish the story this was a great conclusion to a great series.
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