Sword_of_Ages-2-featured-image Reviews 

“Sword of Ages” #2

By | January 11th, 2018
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Roll up your sleeves. Like its predecessor, “Sword of Ages” #2 is definitely not a breezy read. With a little work, however, this hybrid sci-fi/fantasy epic can be a richly rewarding experience. (Warning: contains minor spoilers.)

Cover by Gabriel Rodriguez
Written and Illustrated
by Gabriel Rodriguez
Colored by Lovern Kindzierski
Lettered by Robbie Robbins

The reluctant warrior Avalon meets new partners with questionable motives as her quest to prevent a power struggle from exploding across her planet continues. Will the guardian of the Sacred Lake help her on her quest, or present an even greater challenge? Covenants are sworn, unknown magic forces are revealed, and a new power rises in this series written and drawn by acclaimed Locke & Key co-creator Gabriel Rodriguez!

As the second issue in a five-part miniseries, for the most part, “Sword of Ages” #2 functions pretty much like you’d expect: forces continue to gather for the inevitable climactic battle while bits and pieces of exposition and backstory are sparingly doled out. The hero/protagonist also struggles to understand, and come to grips with, her true purpose. The problem (to the extent that there is one) stems from the inevitable tension between creator Gabriel Rodriguez’s epic vision and the definitionally closed-ended run of a mini. I mean, the math is pretty simple. After only two issues, 40% of the series is already behind us. It’s seemingly inevitable, then, that things feel a little bit rushed and very densely packed. Fortunately, Rodriguez’s lush, richly detailed drawings and Lovern Kindzierski’s spectacular colors essentially demand that the reader slow down to linger over panels and pages to soak it all in.

The two-page spread entitled ‘Lord Morgan,’ for instance, is a near perfect example of page composition, expert paneling and seamless visual flow. Each of the spread’s four corners is anchored by a vivid, colorful image with particularly harrowing facial expressions that instantly command your attention in the upper-left and lower-right corners, diagonally opposed to each other. As you turn the page to reveal the spread, an overriding sense of tension is both immediate and palpable, dominating each of the scenes. In fact, Lord Morgan’s ruthlessness and innate sense of superiority are abundantly clear, even before he muses, “We have a moral imperative to civilize these barbarians as fast as possible. Keeping close has the added benefit of allowing us to make an example if they insist on behaving like animals.”

Despite these chilling words, which paint an indelible picture of a man hell bent on conquest and colonization, Rodriguez’s dialogue tends to be a little uneven and not always as revelatory. Certainly, there are some moments full of incisive humor, like when Avalon’s companions battle a seemingly endless swarm of ghastly underworld beings. Every time they kill one such creature, two more appear in its place. “Look around us,” she says, “this is obviously some sort of shitty moral lesson about having humility or fights that can’t be won.” It’s a smart-ass observation and a definite high point. In contrast to great quips like that, however, there are some real clunkers too, filled with unwieldy exposition or lines that simply fall flat.

Thankfully, while bits and pieces of dialogue occasionally underwhelm, Rodriguez’s character designs are absolutely on point. From the White Monks of Caledia to the humanoid apes to the foreboding silent sentry who stands guard behind Lord Morgan, the characters are simple yet unique, distinct and eye-catching. At this point it’s still hard to tell which characters, exactly, will be featured most prominently, but visually they’re all outstanding.

Similarly, as noted above, Kindzierski’s stylish colors continue to excel. With an excellent mixture of inconspicuous, muted earth tones and bolder, more vibrant colors, the overall color palette runs the gamut of warm and cool colors. Within this wide spectrum, however, the individual color palette of each of scene is nicely constrained, providing a visual rhythm that echoes the narrative tempo. “The Underworld” is all browns and greens, for example, whereas the section called “The Covenant” features complimentary pinks and purples seen nowhere else in the book. It’s a great visual reference that helps clearly differentiate the various times and locations – and an aid that’s definitely needed.

Narratively, as with the debut issue, the story moves very quickly. It’s not that every scene is totally action-packed or unfolds at furious pace, but Rodriguez packs a lot of content into the 2-4 pages he devotes to each separate section. The perspective is constantly shifting through various competing factions, each with different goals and agendas, led different viewpoint characters. Throw in a healthy dose of Arthurian inspired mythos and it’s a hell of a lot to keep track of. Rodriguez deserves a lot of credit for balancing it all so well – no one gets the short shrift or feels liked an afterthought – but at the same time, with such equal weighting, it starts to feel unclear who and what we should pay closer attention to. Avalon, of course, is the hero, but which of the other characters are truly her allies or antagonists remains a mystery. Needless to say, with just three issues to go, it won’t be unclear for long.

Final verdict 7.7 –  As the story continues to build, take your time and enjoy creator Gabriel Rodriguez’s lush, detailed illustrations and great character designs. This Arthurian-inspired epic can’t nor shouldn’t be rushed.


John Schaidler

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