BÊLIT & VALERIA #5, from Ablaze Publishing on November 2nd, 2022, ends Crom’s reign of terror on Earth by agreeing to marry him. The Wedding Night will certainly be one to remember.
The Details
- Written by: Max Bemis
- Art by: Rodney Buchemi
- Colors by: Dinei Ribeiro
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: John Royle (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: November 2, 2022
Is It Good?
BÊLIT & VALERIA #5 is the one series we’ve recently reviewed that frequently defies explanation. The finale of the current conflict (arc? series?) is filled with gorgeous art, gruesome violence, and a bit of magic, but the story and dialog verge on incoherent rambling.
When last we left B&V, they received word that B’org had agreed to become the mortal host of Crom so that Crom may rekindle his barbaric brand of warring across the world. Swearing bloody revenge for the destruction Crom caused, Bêlit offers to become Crom’s queen so she can get close enough to Crom to put him down or die trying.
That description may sound straightforward, but it took a fair bit of analysis of Bemis’s bizarre narration and over-the-top pontificating to figure it out. This is a rare case where it’s easy to follow the story if you look at the pictures and ignore the words. In fairness, the pacing is brisk, so you’ll have an easy time with page turns.
Regardless of the story, Buchemi’s art is fantastic. The character designs, the rich details, and Ribeiro’s coloring are exquisite. This book looks fantastic, even if you can’t understand what everyone’s talking about.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BÊLIT & VALERIA #4 review to find out what happened after the fateful visit to Sorcerer Island.
We begin with a flashback to the moment of Bel’s birth, narrated by the god Crom, the god who now resides in the body of the barbarian king B’org and claims Bel to be his bride. Bel, Valeria, and Glynn row ashore for the arranged marriage while Hortuga makes ready their secret plan aboard their ship.
When Bel comes ashore, she’s escorted before B’org as Valeria and Glynn distract the guards with idle talk. At the appointed time, Hortuga smashes the jar containing Glynn’s magic hand, allowing Glynn to cast a spell to awaken the goddess asleep within Bel.
We conclude the issue with a god-against-goddess battle, faith tested, and faith restored.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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BÊLIT & VALERIA #5 brings the current conflict with B’org to a close with eye-popping art and a brisk reading pace. However, Bemis’s dialog and narration are often bloated, chaotic ramblings that attempt to sound like witty prose but end up like flowery nonsense.
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