Written by Karl Kerschl and Cameron Stewart
Illustrated by Cameron Stewart and Karl KerschlThe monster-hit, historical fantasy/sci-fi Assassin’s Creed video game from Ubisoft continues with a stunning 3-issue series written and illustrated by acclaimed creators Karl Kerschl (WEDNESDAY COMICS, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN) and Cameron Stewart (BATMAN AND ROBIN)!
The comic book companion to the hit videogame series continues as Daniel Cross explores his mysterious past and his connection to the modern-day Order of Assassins. Meanwhile, his ancestor Nikolai Orelov prepares a dangerous siege on a Templar research station in remote Siberia – a mission that concludes with the awesome and devastating Tunguska Event!
The second issue of Kerschl and Stewart’s Assassin’s Creed story is out! Everyone rejoice! There’s been only two issues of this mini, but already this is the second time I’ve found the comic absolutely sold out at my local shop – but I hunted it down. So what’s the verdict? Find out my thoughts after the cut.
Quite often when reading a comic featuring art by Cameron Stewart, such as his various issues of Batman and Robin, I’ll find myself saying “wow.” Furthermore, when I read Karl Kerschl’s Abominable Charles Christopher, I just can’t put into words how frequently brilliant the comic is. So what exactly am I supposed to write when the two combine forces and give me this?
Seriously: when two artists come together and blend their art so perfectly together, how exactly is one supposed to describe it?
When you’re given a two page spread of the Tunguska Experiment as it all goes wrong and the forests are demolished, how exactly can you put into words how fantastic it looks?
When two minds come together and deliver one of the most faithful adaptations of a property such as this, how am I supposed to effectively explain to you, the reader, that any fan of Assassin’s Creed needs to own this comic?
To be sure, I have read my fair share of video game tie-in comics before. While some might shy away from property based comics, I often welcome them in the hope that they can deliver as entertaining a story as the original property. Assassin’s Creed: The Fall not only sets the new bar for these types of adaptations, but with it’s second issue (of this being a three issues series), it’s own expectations are unbelievably high! I can only think of a few comics that have raised it’s own standards to ridiculous heights, but Assassin’s Creed delivers in a way that most regular comics, let alone property comics, can.
The combination of Karl Kerschl and Cameron Stewart is an absolute thing of beauty. As the story progresses, we’re given a book that so effectively evokes every good and positive aspect of the Assassin’s Creed story (albeit shying away from all that tower climbing and leaps of faith). It’s essentially like watching all the best cut scenes from the game except more heavily based in the mysterious mythos of the series as a new figure is brought into the Canon and both Stewart and Kerschl clearly show their respect for the property as they work with Ubisoft and deliver an incredibly gorgeous end sequence that pays tribute to the work the writers of AC, AC2, and AC:B put together for the main storyline.
To put it simply: this comic kills in every category. It makes it rain. It is so sick it should be in a hospital hooked up to every machine in the book. If this comic were a set of pajamas, it would be exclusively worn by cats. If this comic were a pair of knees, you could only find them on a bee. It’s so groovy it could possibly even revive disco.
It is very rare that I can pick up a comic and enjoy every second of it. As a rather big fan of Assassin’s Creed as well as the talent of Cameron Stewart and Karl Kerschl, I had high expectations. Coming out of that comic experience, I find myself as buzzed and excited as when I beat the first two games. If you’re a fan of Assassin’s Creed, you owe it to yourself to get this comic – and if you’re a fan of good art and an entertaining story wrapped up in a wonderful package, then it’s high time you immerse yourself in the world of Assassin’s Creed.
Final Verdict: 9.9 – Buy
As an additional note, allow me to clarify something: for all intents and purposes, this book deserves a solid 10.0 from me. However, at the MC Offices the 10.0 denotes not only a perfect issue but issue of the year as well. As such, MC writers usually give out only one 10.0 a year – two at most. Considering that it’s December 16th and all of our yearly lists have been composed and are set to debut within this week and the next, my book of the year had already been booked. This issue of The Fall comes ridiculously close, however, and I implore you to go out and buy it.
