Corpse Knight #4 // Review
The trebuchets are hurling fire into the field of battle. Foy and her father have arrived just a small way from their destination, but it’s going to be difficult to make it very far if they can’t find some way through the British forces in Corpse Knight #4. Writer Michael Chaves and artist Matthew Roberts continue their journey into a dark 15th century France as their protagonists begin to reach their destination in a major turning point for the series. Color comes to the page courtest of Rico Renzi. Darkness continues to come in some rather unexpected places as the series progresses into a novel territory for this type of dark fantasy.
There are only the two of them trying to get through to Joan of Arc. There’s a whole army that lies between them and their detination, but Foy is confident. God has gotten them quite close to their ojective. Now is an opportunity for them to prove themselves. There may be an army between them and their destination, but as foy say: “Battles aren’t won by armies--they’re won by wits.” Foy has a bow and a quiver of arrows. Her father has a double-handed sword. They have the tools. With the right wits, they can find their destination.
Chaves finds a sinister way of giving Foy and her father a victory while still keeping them from their resolution. It's remarkably dark stuff. The author is working with some very powerful, emotional gravity and the course of the issue. The challenge of getting through the battlefield isn't given quite as much intensity as it could have. This is a bit of a pity as it is the case that the she would have a much more powerful ending if the challenge in a reaching that ending was articulated a bit better. On the whole, though, that ending is quite emotionally overwhelming as it is.
The bleak intensity of a 15th century French battlefield is brought to the page with Stark brutality by the art team. Renzi’s colors are particularly powerful and bringing the mists and fires of the battlefield to the page. Foy and her father are given powerful emotional resonance by Roberts, who carves some pretty powerful moments into the story throughout the issue. Joan of Arc Grace is the page with an earthbound presence that feels suitably, waiting for a figure of her stature. However, there's no questioning the fact that she's not elevated to any special status on the page. This makes a powerful statement in end of itself.
Things continue to look more and more bleak for father. It's fascinating stuff. The fact of the matter is there aren't really very many victories here. Things just keep getting worse and worse. The fact that they continue at all suggests that there is some victory on the horizon for them at some point in this series. But we're not quite there yet. And it could take a while while given the nature of the conclusion of this issue.
