Written and Illustrated by David Petersen
The new volume of the Eisner Award-winning Mouse Guard series continues! Celanawe, honor-bound by his loyalty to his Guard Matriarch, accompanies Em, his only living relative, to Port Sumac.
There they find a mouse just brave (or crazy) enough to take them across the sea and beyond the record of any map. This long sea voyage gives Em the time to explain to Celanawe about her instance for the journey and how their fates will forever be tied to the Black Axe.
It has been some time since the last issue of The latest mini for David Petersen’s esteemed book Mouse Guard. The first issue of The Black Axe took us back to a time before the guard members we know, instead following the deceased Celanawe’s adventure in acquiring the titular weapon.
Was it worth the wait? Find out after the jump.
David Petersen is one of the many writer-artist hyphenates that has made it big in the past few years, and with good reason. Mouse Guard tells classic adventure fantasy stories with an excellent (and familiar) twist as well as a superb sense of character, while bringing some absolutely incredible art as well. In fact, while it isn’t the largest category, Petersen is the best animal artist in comics in my mind.
With that said, this issue ups the ante for both aspects. Perhaps more impressively, Petersen’s most touted gift – his art – is at an all-time best level here, making the wait for this issue feel necessary and even welcome.
The story within the comic pushes the art though, as Petersen puts himself in the position to approach new landscapes visually and the results are spellbinding.
In particular, I enjoyed the approach to port and early tavern scenes Petersen depicted. The town of Port Sumac that Em and Celanawe arrive to in the opening of the issue is one Petersen clearly enjoys illustrating, what with the robust network of ladders, pathways, ships, buildings and all kinds of other things Petersen throws on the page. Many writer-artists would take it easy on themselves, but Petersen’s design and detail makes these pages standouts when they could have been transitional filler.
Then, the first page in the tavern as Em and Celanawe descend a spiral staircase floors you all the more. I greatly enjoyed the level of enthusiasm Petersen shared on the page, never skimping as every step looks of actual wood, the tavern is littered with emptied bottles, and no sailor is a lookalike – the scalawags on the bottom floor seem as if they could easily be the cast of Legends of the Guard 2.
Throw in the stunning sequences on the water, and you have a tour de force issue from the artistic side.
From the written side, Petersen also excels, successfully introducing another character with his own unique personality (as well as the sailor window dressing he contends with in Port Sumac), furthers the relationship between Em and Celanawe while maintaining the formers mystery, and giving a ton of exciting moments for readers to enjoy (roaring seas! sea monsters! communicating with creatures!). This is a very balanced story that sets us up for an even more thrilling third issue.
Especially with what the cover looks like to that issue.
While the story could feel a bit familiar if it was human characters, the way Petersen uses the animal kingdom allows the story to achieve its own identity in a vibrant and exciting way.
David Petersen is an extremely talented creator, and one who is really going all-in on his first major work by developing a robust universe for all to enjoy. This arc is both expanding the time and area boundaries we’ve contended with previously, and if it continues the way it has started, I fully expect the main story thread to become that much richer thanks to it.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy
