BORN OF BLOOD #6, from Merc Publishing on 4/11/23, concludes the Spartan epic when Giaris and Leonidas are condemned to a fate worse than death in the Chasm of Curs.
The Details
- Written by: Dolan Waddick, Joe Corallo
- Art by: Aurelio Mazzara
- Colors by: Sebastian Gonzalez
- Letters by: Joel Rodriguez, Cristian Docolomansky
- Cover art by: Franck Uzan (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: April 11, 2023
Is It Good?
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. If you’re going to finish a story, swing for the fences. BORN OF BLOOD #6 swings for the fences in a big way, delivering a satisfying, adventure-filled ending.
When last we left Giaris and Leonidas, they led a small team into Sparta to capture Aurelia, but their plan failed, and they wound up in Aurelia’s clutches. Now, Aurelia condemns the warriors to an ignoble death while revealing how and why she came to power.
Dolan Waddick’s writing execution (along with Joe Corallo’s) ticks all the right boxes. The pacing is breezy, the dialog flows naturally, the plot points and reveals are all significant, and the ending is satisfying.
The bigger surprise is the prevalent presence of “magic” in this issue. Aurelia didn’t weasel her way into a position of power by simple guile, and the revelations about Aurelia’s power open the door for more fantasy elements in the future. Readers who prefer a more grounded, authentic sword & sandal experience may find Aurelia’s backstory a bit out of place, but Waddick makes it work.
If you read our review for issue #5, you already know that Aurelio Mazzara’s artwork elevates this series significantly. The lines are super crisp, Mazzara’s figure work is excellent, and Gonzalez’s coloring application is pristine. This series is noted for an over-abundance of brown earth tones in the color palette, but Gonzalez adds (not brown) pop in this issue, and the additional colors give this finale an extra bit of oomph.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BORN OF BLOOD #5 review to find out how Giaris and Leonidas were captured.
We begin with a bound and gagged Giaris and Leonidas dragged to the edge of a filthy pit. Aurelia has decreed the two will die in the pit of Curs, a muck-filled hole where the dishonored are dumped. The warriors are cast into the pit while Aurelia gloats over her victory.
Aurelia explains she’s more than a shrewd deceiver. Aurelia is blessed with amazing psychic powers bestowed on her and her village by a falling meteorite that the villagers consider a gift from their god, Kronos. When the king destroyed Aurelia’s village and took her to be his consort, Aurelia struck a bargain that would keep her close to the king and pave the way for her revenge.
We conclude the issue with a god summoning, a visitor from beyond the grave, and ancient magic.
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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BORN OF BLOOD #6 takes a strong sword & sandal series and finishes the arc with a big flex of muscles, action, and magic. The fast-paced script fills in all the blanks of Aurelia’s backstory while escalating the stakes for a final faceoff, and the art team pulls out all the stops.
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