Arthur the Legend Continues #3
Reviewed by David O' Leary
ARTHUR: THE LEGEND CONTINUES #3
Cover Da te: October 2009
Story by: Martin T. Pierro
Art by: Cristhian Zamoran
Letters by: Cosmic Times
Cover by: Atula Siriwardane
Publisher: Cosmic Times
Cover Price: $3.50
Reviewed By: David O' Leary
"Circle of Fire"
Cosmic Times is celebrating its one year anniversary and I couldn't be happier for them. The flagship title Arthur: The Legend Continues is a monster of a book. It looks superb, reads superb and most importantly for a small press title - it come out regularly. It has what everyone should be looking for in a good book and I only hope it goes from strength to strength as I have great time for the title.
This issue was the conclusion to the opening arc and sees Nuesha returning to the village to gather support for the rescue of the kidnapped. But she arrives shortly after the arrival of Prefect Alpert who has met the news of Arthur's return with suspicion and as a result is out to gather enough information and evidence allow the Magistrate expose him as the fraud he is expected of being. But there are a couple of instances in the story that highlight just how aware of his surroundings Arthur actually is and he can see the prefect for what he is and warns the mayor prior to his leaving to rescue the missing. The second instance is when following the trail left by the Slavers and he can see the trail being one that was deliberately left for him to follow and he quickly gains enough insight as to know it a trap they are heading for. When he gets to site where the kidnappers are holding the two, he outsmarts the leader of the enemy by reasoning with him with a fragile logic that lets Arthur stand out from the rest in terms of leadership.
In an issue and series for that matter, where the page count actually gives you value for money, there is enough sub plot and background laid down at this point that you care what happens to the main characters and even those who are peripheral. An example would be the character of Mel having to reason with his woman as to how he has to accompany Arthur on the journey. This scene was a small one but it highlights perfectly how tight knit Pierro has the story that a simple exchange between two small characters matters.
The art has always been one of the strengths of the book and this issue is no different. I have commented before how different the book may be if it were coloured and over the year I have grown to realise that the book cannot be anything other than black and white. So much of the character of the book comes from the look of it and when you see how epic the book is, you have to come to the same conclusion. A particular highlight of the art here was the location of where the Slavers were keeping Glade and Reegain. It was in the ruins of what was obviously a city centre of some description, and how the scenes where we saw the rubble of the destruction in the background made me want to know more of how that scenario came to be in the first place. But it wasn't something that removed me from the story but simply an aspect that only added to the allure of a very good book.
This book is going on a brief hiatus to allow some detailed planning for going forward as the success of the book was a welcome surprise to the production team. This is an epic book and when it returns I encourage everyone to pick it up and become as hooked as I have. Alternatively, if you haven't read it yet, please visit cosmictimes.net and buy the back issues.
Rating the Book
Story: Overall 9 |
Art: Overall 9 |
Importance: Overall 9 |
Take A Look Inside
Reviewer Bio
Name: David O' Leary
email: idwfan@yahoo.co.uk
Been reading comics: for about 12 years now.
Review Bio: I am a 26-year-old Hotel Manager from the west coast of the Republic of Ireland and think this is a great way to talk to others about this cool medium. I am a husband to one wife and father to one girl (so far).
Favorites: ONI's Whiteout, Vertigo's Scalped and Garth Ennis Preacher and Punisher in Trades. In comic form I am reading a lot of Marvel and a bit of IDW, Dark Horse & WildStorm among others.
Website: Sorry, I don't have one!
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