Review: The Sovereigns #2
The mystery deepens in the Lost Valley as Doctor Spektor comes face to face with the darkness that not only threatens the Valley but also the whole world!
In the last issue, Spektor had travelled to the Valley in search of Turok who is feared dead. In his place, there is a living darkness that seems to be more than a match for Spektor and all his magics. Unfortunately, that leaves Magnus and Solar potentially a man down in curtailing this threat, although Samson is still on his wanderings, which may have an impact.
Ray Fawkes is on top from throughout this book, with a plot that is filled with important and at times, nuanced, conflicts. The challenges that face the team are greater than they can face separately; in fact they may be greater than they can conquer together. Fawkes carries the reader through the darkening environments as well as the impacts of the failures in a way that just makes you want turn the page. Be warned though, to rush through this book would be a massive disservice to the story that Fawkes is weaving. In Fawkes’ hands the world is a far less trusting place as evidenced at the press conference and the subsequent fallout.
Johnny Desjardins is again on art duties and provides another stellar example of comic book storytelling, for the most part. Take into consideration that Desjardins has to contend with a number of environments from Valley, space and the Machine Consciousness (no relation by the way). The confrontation between Spektor and the darkness looks fantastic and flows extremely well and I am sure that Solar has never looked quite so good. If I had any type of negative comment to make, I would probably state that Magnus looks a little wonky, looking at the length of his arms versus the rest of his physique. This is a very small critique on an otherwise faultless production of artistic tapestry. Mohan provides the colors on the book and shows how colors can impact on  the flavour of a book and is a massive improvement on the work shown in The Dresden Files book (also out this week – go check the reviews section).
As with the previous issues in this series, there is a back up tale, focusing on one of The Sovereigns. In this issue its Turok’s turn. Written by Chuck Wendig with art from Alvaro Sarraseca and colors by Triona T. Farrell. There is a different style on show from the main story which can all well and good, but when the main story is so good, the back-up needs to be equally as good. Unfortunately, this change of pace doesn’t quite work as a means to promote Turok and it pales in comparison. That said, I am sure that Turk fans will like it, especially as their hero’s absence is something incongruous in the main story, despite him being the main focus.
The Sovereigns is an interesting book, at least the main part is. Regardless of the quality of the back-up, I do like the idea; it feels a like an old school move, which fits with this classic characters. Of course, others may feel that they would prefer the extra pages to be given to the main story. This is the level of interest that Fawkes and co have managed to instill in their readership.
Writing (Fawkes)- 5 Stars
Art (Desjardins) – 4.5 Stars
Colors (Mohan) – 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
STORY BY Chuck Wendig and Ray Fawkes
ART BY Alvaro Sarraseca and Johnny Desjardins
COVER BY Alvaro Sarraseca, Johnny Desjardins, Jorge Fornes, and Stephen Segovia
PUBLISHER Dynamite Entertainment
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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