Dark Horse Review: ASSASSIN’S CREED VALHALLA: SONG OF GLORY #2
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: Martin Tunica
Colours: Michael Atiyeh
Letters: Richard Starkings, Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
Reviewed By: Derek McNeil
Summary
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory #2: Eivor’s prisoner makes her an offer she can’t refuse, leading her to the merciless mountains in search of a mysterious treasure. But she’s not alone in this hunt . . . Danger lurks at every turn! Meanwhile, her brother tests out his new sword in a surprise attack!
Positives
Cavan Scott’s prequel story to Ubisoft’s hit video game continues in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory #2. When I read issue #1, I had not yet had a chance to play the game. I didn’t know much about the character or the setting beyond what was apparent in the trailers. However, in the intervening month between issues, I have started playing the game.
One thing I was struck with was that I already had a solid feel for the character of Eivor. While the character gets more fleshed out as you play the game, Scott nailed the basic characterization of Eivor. I didn’t have to adjust for any misperceptions picked up during my reading of the comic.
Positives Cont.
Having played the game does spoil some of the prequel’s story. For example, this issue ends with the shocking death of a major character. However, since the character is still alive in the game, it’s evident that this is a fakeout. However, Scott’s story suffers little from this limitation. As is the case with a good prequel, the story is focused on the journey, not the destination.
Having played the game has given me a deeper appreciation of Martin Tunica’s work. Already, it was evident that he is doing an admirable job of depicting Eivor’s Ninth Century Norse world. But I can see now that he has perfectly captured the design aesthetic of the game. The characters are recognizable as their video game counterparts. And the buildings and landscapes have the same feel as the game.
Negatives
The only negative I can see is that the character is depicted only as female in this story. That might be a bit jarring to players who opt to play the male version of the character. However, this is a limitation of the medium, so it’s not fair to fault Scott’s story for not being able to give the reader the option to choose Eivor’s gender.
Verdict
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory #2 is and exciting continuation Cavan Scott’s prequel to the game. It’s a great read, whether you’re a player of the game, a fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, or just like a great story. Just like the game it’s based on, Song of Glory is pure unadulterated violent Viking fun!
