Bryan Glass and Mike Oeming's epic fantasy adventure continues in this second story arc. Picking up right where Prophecy left off we see Karic and Cassius as they begin their new teacher/student relationship.
The issue opens up with a retelling of the battle that saw the end of the Templars. We get to see a little more in to the events of that fateful day, and it is outstanding in story quality. A huge two page spread reveals some of the major players in the battle and we are given a little more on the aftermath.
As Karic and Cassius journey on, Cassius recounts what lead to the woods they are skirting being haunted, and it is rendered in classis Templar style in beautiful watercolor. The tale is sad one, but the beauty of the art really make it stand out and grad your attention.
We get a look in to Karic's motivations to become a Templar, and see a little bit of the internal conflict in the character through a "vision" sequence. Also we get to see more into what drvies Cassius and the burden he is carrying with him. It is a tribute to Bryan's writing that we are drawn into the lives of these characters and really made to care for them.
Victor Santos takes over the art duties on the majority of the book, and there is no drop off in quality. Usually when a new artist comes on a book there is a distinct difference, but I can honestly say that if I hadn't known there was a new artist I probably wouldn't have noticed.
The colors on the book make each page come alive, and draw you in to this vast world that Oeming and Glass have created. The colors are vivid and really pull you in to the book.
Overall, a great start to the second arc of this fantasy tale, that should be read by any fan of fantasy. This book always impresses me, and you can tell that it is a labor of love for all involved in making it.
