[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist: Pop Mhan
Colors: Lovern Kindzierski
Letters: Saida Temofonte
Summary
Raven has joined Baron Winters’ new Night Force to battle the ancient, mystical assassins known as the Shadow Riders. But she discovers the Riders were created to protect mankind from Arcanes: super-naturally powered individuals who were not always heroes! Can it be true that Raven and the Night Force have been the “bad guys” all along?
Positives
We find Raven in a quagmire of her own, as Baron Winters has pulled her way from making what he considers an egregious mistake, as our heroine faces the dilemma of telling her Aunt and Uncle what she has been up against and who her real father was, even though it may be unbelievable. This continues to be a struggle for most characters in this position, as they may face ridicule or disbelief from such a confession. Raven is in such a position, as the facts about her birth have been covered up by her mother.
As within this issue, we also find out that the Shadow Riders were created to protect humans from the Arcanes. This whole situation calls into question why Baron Winters created the Night Force in the first place, as his history of deceit makes you wonder why the team was put together in the first place. Skye is the only member who is being detained by the Shadow Riders and we get a quick history lesson of who the Arcanes were before she joined the team. She also gets a peak into what she could become.
Raven and her share these similarities, as Skye is Mankind’s greatest hope and Raven’s destiny may be the antichrist. Soon the Night Force rescues Skye with the help of Baron Winters, to only get in a standoff with the Shadow Riders. As Raven transports them to Azarath as a safe haven, this proves to be one of the first times within the series where we see something substantial from Raven’s canon within the book.
Negatives
There are no negatives worth mentioning in this issue.
Verdict
This issue gives readers quite a history lesson in why these factions are facing off in the first place. The story by Wolfman, gives readers a story that could be in any Tales from the Crypt episode. The art by Mhan is stunning. Altogether, this ends with another impactful death, and hopefully, leads somewhere the readers want to go.
