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Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose #48 |
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Story Title: 'The Dark Path'
Creator/Writer: Jim Balent
Artist: Jim Balent
Colorist: Holly Golightly
Asst. Colorists: Stephanie Chan
Letterer: Holly Golightly
Editor: Neil Morris
Published by: BroadSword Comics
**Mature Readers Suggested** |
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Reviewed by:
Bruce
Logan |
EXCLAMATION: “Those ‘children’ are…Eeeeerrrie!!”
EXPLANATION: This is a Raven Hex story. Te dark-magic practicing
elder sister of Tarot, (the starring character of this series) finally gets an
‘Origin’ tale. Narrated by Raven herself with flashbacks to her younger years,
it shows her journey from a loving yet ostracized (by non-magik humans)
childhood to her present day adulthood. Close to her father and hurt & angry at
his death she set off on her journey towards the dark side, a journey that even
pitted her against her fellow witches, even her own mother and sister. There is
also a minor present day plotline but it is predominately a back drop to set up
the main story. Well that and to reassert Raven’s not-a-good-girl
persona.
EXAMINATION (Story): Raven is a difficult character. Difficult to
pin-point as either good or bad, difficult to get along with and thanks to her
assets difficult to have displayed (either in comics or art) in front of
fellow family members, younger and older. The last one is for the readers of
this series. At the same time she is also possesses certain personality elements
that are as straightforward as they come, chief among them being her love for
her family and her equally strong disdain for the non-magik humankind.
A mainstay of this series right from her first appearance in issue #1, Raven has
always been clouded in mystery. Regular readers have learned quite a few things
about her but these revelations have few and far between. Moreover, there has
never been one issue/arc can be termed as her ‘Origin’ story. Even those that
did focus on her mainly dealt with her experiences as an adult. Because of these
reasons and more this issue goes a long way in bringing elements of all those
stories together in one place while introducing a couple of new ones to tie it
together to her present.
As for the elements (to Raven’s character) made in this issue, readers,
especially sensitive ones, might find them a bit unpalatable. From Raven’s mass
slaughter of her children i.e. her old gone-wrong magical
creations from her early days as a necro-magic practitioner to her drinking from
a blood filled skull-goblet, this issue isn’t going to be to everyone’s tastes.
Granted it is not a cup of blood but rather cup of shadows but the
visuals make it seem as blood. Nevertheless, however creepy these new additions
might be they are suited to Raven and in line with her past actions, after all
no one expects her to be all sugar and spice.
Raven Hex is a mistress of the dark/necro-magik (not one of the cookies baking
witches from issue #34); this issue shows just why and how she came to be that
way.
EXAMINATION (Art): The artwork is as excellent, expressive and T&A
as ever. Then again, all is a given with any story with Jim Balent’s name on the
art credits. Be it the family moments from Raven’s childhood or the creepy ones
of her with her ‘children’, its just…well, Balent. That said it wouldn’t
harm Raven having some clothes on, especially below the waist. Early on in this
series, characters although scantily dressed has at least some coverings. Even
though this move from just topless to total nudity might not put off some
readers (like yours truly) it might to others, especially a sizable number of
newbies looking to give this title a go. Also, given that Raven has been drawn
with (more) clothing in the past and that other characters, like Tarot, Jon,
etc. still are, having her dressed this way…well, it seems nudity just for
nudity’s sake. It leans more towards cheap and less towards artistic.
PROCLAMATION: Although it darker than the regular Tarot story
Tarot, WotBR #48 gives a well suited origin to the
complex character that is Raven Hex.
RATING: 4/5
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