BELLE ANNUAL: APEX PREDATOR, by Zenescope Entertainment on 12/20/23, sets Belle on a course for war against Apex to end the villain’s control over Alex.
The Details
- Written by: Dave Franchini
- Art by: Julius Abrera, Rodrigo Xavier, Igor Vitorino
- Colors by: Juan Manuel Rodriguez, Adriano Augusto, Jorge Cortes
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Mike Krome (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $7.99
- Release date: December 20, 2023
Is BELLE ANNUAL: APEX PREDATOR Good?
Do you want war? Well, you got war. In BELLE ANNUAL: APEX PREDATOR, Belle has had enough of Apex’s nonsense and decides to wage a one-woman assault against Apex, and Dave Franchini gives readers a front-row seat to the action.
Franchini’s script centers on Belle surveying the cost of Apex’s relentless attacks and deciding enough is enough. Against Mel and Graham’s protests, Belle suits up and tracks Apex to her headquarters to put Apex down for good. Of course, no hero plan works out that easily.
There’s no setup to the events of this Annual, but your best bet is to check out Belle: Cursed as the lead-up to this issue. Once you figure out the players, the story is easy to follow, but reading the prior issues helps provide context.
What’s great about BELLE ANNUAL: APEX PREDATOR? Franchini delivers an annual with wall-to-well action, and Belle’s trademark chattiness gets turned down a couple of notches. Therefore, less talking and more action makes for an entertaining annual.
What’s not so great about BELLE ANNUAL: APEX PREDATOR? Franchini crams in as many beastly enemies as possible to make Apex’s squad nigh unbeatable. That said, some of the beasties, who were dangerous enough to warrant their own one-shots, get beaten a little too quickly in this annual, probably due to a lack of page space.
How’s the art? Normally, multiple artists on an oversized issue would be a red flag, but the artists’ transitions are barely noticeable, which is a positive. Partly, the handoffs blend well due to Franchini’s brisk pacing, and for everything else, the artists put in the time to complement each other’s styles.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s BELLE ANNUAL: APEX PREDATOR About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Bell meeting Mel and Graham to discuss her frustration over Apex’s unanswered attacks. Sickened by the pointless loss of life, Belle decides it’s time to go on the offensive against Mel and Graham’s protests.
Belle tracks Apex down in her headquarters and immediately leaps to attack. Belle loses the first battle due to overwhelming numbers, and Apex imprisons Belle so she can witness wonton destruction of Belle’s city. Rose arrives to free Belle, so the two join forces with CHIP to wage war against Apex in the streets of Philadelphia.
We conclude the issue with sacrifices, desperate attacks, and a new mission.
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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BELLE ANNUAL: APEX PREDATOR brings war to the city of Philadelphia when Belle and Apex have it out for the last time. Franchini delivers a script with wall-to-wall action, and the art team puts in the work to present a seamless, action-packed annual.
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