In Battlecats (Vol. 3) #1, available from Mad Cave Studios on July 7th, 2021, the kingdom of Valderia has fallen to the usurper, Valadar, the Battlecats are fractured, and the Queen is in hiding. Can the Battlecats reassemble to restore the rightful Queen to her throne?
The Details
- Written By: Mark London
- Art By: Michael Camelo
- Colors By: Tekino
- Letters By: Miguel A. Zapata
- Cover Art By: Michael Camelo
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: July 7, 2021
Was It Good?
No. It was outstanding!
Coming back to the series after an extended hiatus would have lessened the anticipation and excitement for a story in most cases. Here, the creative team hasn’t skipped a beat, and we jump right into the drama and action with a story that’s dramatic and emotional. The heroes have relatable struggles that make them more rich characters and the villains are crafted with depth and complexity.
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The art is some of the best coming out of Mad Cave across all their titles (we should know, we review ALL Mad Cave titles 😉 ). The character designs are fun, unique, and toy-worthy. The action hits in all the right places. And the emotional moments come through with posture and facial expressions exactly when needed.
See for yourself in our BATTLECATS (VOL. 3) #1 preview.
This is a great-looking book. This is a complex, dramatic story. And it kicks @$$.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
King Eramad is dead, and the Valderian capital, Fanghelm, is burning. Valadar has taken over the kingdom with his Umbra army, beating, arresting, and torturing any citizen that dares stand up to them.
Since the events of the last volume, the Battlecats have fractured. Kelthan of Stormholt has lost faith and hope over his failure to stop King Eramad’s death. He loses himself in drunken brawls and pointless wandering.
One day, Kelthan picks a fight with Umbra soldiers harassing a family in the street. He holds his own but his drunken state has him off balance. Before he loses his head along with his hope, the remaining Battlecats arrive to chase off or knock out the Umbra soldiers.
Kaleera and the others try to convince Kelthan to rejoin them, to help them find a way to restore the Queen, but Kelthan is o overcome by his own grief and pity. The group leaves Kelthan to make peace with his choice.
Meanwhile, Valadar sits on his throne in Stormholt, considering his victory over Eramad and the revenge he’s achieved for his dead wife. Despite all he’s accomplished, Valadar is haunted by visions of his wife’s death. Revenge hasn’t made him feel better, and he concludes the only way to feel complete is to destroy the Queen and Battlecats to eliminate all hope for the people of Valderia.
A few weeks later, the remaining Battlecats are engaged in a nighttime raid near a heavily guarded part of the city. Kaleera has convinced the group to fill Kalthan’s vacated spot with her love interest, Althain. Mekkar is vocally distrustful and skeptical of simply replacing Kalthan but they agree to give Althain a chance to help with the raid — recovering King Eramad’s body.
With a little muscle and some of Vaela’s magic, they find the King’s body and free it from a magically protected block of ice.
Later Queen Adastril talks with Natharien about his pending trip to the Oracle and over his disappointment that his daughter, Myrthalen, is helping Valadar with his deadly quest for revenge. The Queen regrets not trusting Natharien and the Battlecats (see Volume 2) and she asks that he sends her apologies and thanks to them.
We conclude the issue with a surprise visit and fresh starts.
How Does It End?
The Battlecats make a special delivery. Everyone has come together to say goodbye, even some hiding in the shadows. Kelthan renews his oath and his journey.
Final Thoughts
BATTLECATS (VOL. 3) #1 drops readers right into the heart of drama and action in a story filled with complex emotions and noble intentions. The art is some of the best Mad Cave has to offer, and the ending promises an epic journey to come.
Score: 9/10
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