BÊLIT & VALERIA #4, from Ablaze Publishing on August 31st, 2022, unravels the mystery behind Bêlit’s resurrection (sort of) just in time to save her from an unsavory demise. Unfortunately, saving the day may have just doomed the world.
The Details
- Written by: Max Bemis
- Art by: Rodney Buchemi
- Colors by: Dinei Ribeiro
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Seba Fiumara (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: August 31, 2022
Is It Good?
BÊLIT & VALERIA #3 was rough. Very rough. Super rough. The word we used was “unintelligible.”
BÊLIT & VALERIA #4 is better. Not great, but better as you can kinda, sorta tell what’s going on, and the story starts to straighten itself out at the midway point. The biggest flaw in this issue, however, is the same flaw as the previous issue. Let’s get into it.
The absolute shining star in this issue is Buchemi’s art. Somebody give Buchemi a vacation and one of those fruit baskets with chocolate-covered strawberries for the sheer grit it must have taken to tease a visual narrative out of what must have been a dizzying script. The character designs are phenomenal and rich in detail and depth. Likewise, Ribeiro’s coloring work is absolutely stellar. Truly, this is art quality you don’t see much anymore, which makes it all the more special.
As for Bemis’s writing, again, you can sort of make out what’s happening in this issue, so on that point, issue #4 is an improvement over #3. We learn the power and motivation behind Bêlit’s resurrection, although the circumstances and timing aren’t clear. We resolve the evil wizard getaway retreat conflict. And the resolution subsequently creates a much bigger problem. Therefore, the plot moves forward, the status quo is changed (sorta), and the stakes are raised. On paper (no pun intended), this should be an excellent issue. However…
The narration and dialog are painful. Not awkward or clunky. PAINFUL. It’s unclear what Bemis is trying to do with the words, but this comic reads like a haphazard attempt to replicate the language of Chaucer or Shakespeare, and it fails miserably. There are multiple panels and multiple pages that require second and third readings to understand what the narrator or character is saying. It’s not a question of using formal language. It’s a result of using bloated, flowery, overly-complicated, grammatically-suspect language. This is another rare circumstance where the comic is easier to follow if you ignore the words, so the art saves the day because, without it, this comic would be a total loss.
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 #3 review to find out where the story left off.
We begin with a flashback to Bêlit’s life before death to a moment when she and her son were surrounded by degenerate cutthroats. The scene is narrated by the goddess from the last issue. Bêlit has no chance of escaping with her boy, so she makes the ultimate sacrifice to kill him rather than let the cutthroats have their way with him. It’s at this moment the goddess chooses to merge with Bêlit as a mother who loves beyond death.
Now on the isolated island populated by evil wizards for a weekend getaway, Bêlit unleashes the power of the goddess within to destroy everyone in her path. Meanwhile, Valeria uses the distraction caused by Bêlit’s destruction to kill the wizard about to have his way with her.
Later, Bêlit and Valeria return to the ship where they learn the situation has grown much worse as the conference had a powerful, world-saving purpose, and the man Valeria killed was key to the world’s safety. We end the issue with consequences and riddles.
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 #4 is a mild improvement over the previous issue with amazing art and substantial progress on the plot that increases the stakes considerably. That said, the biggest flaw that verges on catastrophic is the writing. If you ignore the words, this comic is decent.
Related Information
When did Bêlit first appear in Conan?
Bêlit did not originate in her own story but as a supporting character in a story starring Conan the Barbarian. Queen of the Black Coast retold one of Conan’s first swashbuckling adventures aboard a pirate ship, and Bêlit was the captain. The stroy was firs published in Weird Tales #23 – May 1934, Weird Tales Magazine.
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