Review: Reaver #4
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer:Â Â Justin Jordan
Artists:Â Â Â Alex Guimaraes and Rebekah Isaacs
Colors:Â Alex Guimaraes
Letters:Â Clayton Cowles
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
“We are probably going to die regardless. So relax…yes?. ” – Rekela. a small cannibalistic woman that is deadlier than her stature implies
The continent of Madaras once promised a new start for settlers, but 200 years after its discovery, the war rages on. Deep within this savage and untamed land, a darkness builds at that must be stopped at all costs. To do so, the Imperials assemble six of its most despicable prisoners—a turncoat, a skin eater, a sorcerer and his bodyguard, a serial killer, and the Devil’s Son—the only ones who can stop the end of the new world. They are Hell’s Half-Dozen. Think Dirty Dozen meets the Game of Thrones with some Tolkien thrown in for good measure! This is Reaver.
Hell’s Half-Dozen has fought their way to the Anvil without losing a member… until now.
Positives
Justin Jordan has created a Suicide Squad but placed them in medieval times in mythical Madaras. And it works! Again, Becky Cloonan’s cover art is amazing. Her renditions of each of the Hell’s Half Dozen are poster worthy! I can see all of these adorning a Reaver fan’s comic book library! My one issue is that I wish she was the main artist inside the book as the lines, colors, etc. are crisp and would make the characters standout more as each of the covers convey the characters more so than the renderings of Alex Guimaraes and Rebekah Isaacs. Their renderings are solid, but akin to an old He-Man comic look.
Issue #4 has the team infiltrating the castle at Anvil. Eating brains to get the layout of the castle and all the information the enemy has. Brand new strategy for me! So new that the characters within the comic are grossed out, except for the sorcerer! His methods are pretty intense, but the story calls for a “Hannibal” and “A-Team” approach that he is willing to give.
Justin Jordan is a strong period writer and his background material fills in the gaps as the script is reaching a good point with the infiltration of the castle. The action is bloody and appears to be what is craved in this medium of sword and well…sword.
Negatives
I’m still getting used to these characters as it is hard to keep them apart. Fantasy lore is not my specialty and this is not the easiest of reads when getting used to both the artistic style and the story line. I keep having to refer back and forth to see whom is whom except for Rekela! She stands out apart from the rest, but so does Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad. She has the best lines, and states them in a “Yoda” like banter that you cannot help but appreciate her character. Common sense, but a brutal killer!
Speaking of a storyline, it looks like the six has quickly become five. The Sorcerer….. has been taken care of. Or has he? I love a good cliff hanger!
Verdict
I’m still invested at this point as I want to learn more about these characters. I’m still in the learning stage as it isn’t easy to know whom is whom. Jordan’s writing skills are strong, and again, the cover art is studio worthy   It’s early in the series and one would want to invest in at least issues 1-6 as they hit the stands. But we are now in the castle, so things should take off at a fever pitch. If I could only remember who is who!
