BY THE HORNS #7 – Review

BY THE HORNS #7, available from Scout Comics on November 3rd, 2021, takes Elodie and her crew to the frigid North in an attempt to infiltrate Feng Po’s fortress to save Rigby and Solothus.

The Details

• Written By: Markisan Naso
• Art By: Jason Muhr
• Colors By: Andrei Tabacaru
• Letters By: Jason Muhr
• Cover Art By: Jason Muhr, Andrei Tabacaru
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: November 3, 2021

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Was It Good?

The key term for this issue is “aftermath”. Elodie and her crew learn the aftermath of teleporting away from their last battle, accidentally coming out of the warp several months later. So, we’re dealing with the aftermath. The aftermath of Elodie’s victory over the wizard becoming a sort of urban legend in her absence, and the aftermath of Feng Po’s reign of terror left unchecked for many months. As a net positive, this issue deals with the aftermath of so many events happening at once that you get a keen set of how the creators view consequences for everyone’s actions, including Elodie’s.

In a few ways, issue #7 is similar to issue #6 in that you learn a lot of information. While issue #6 dealt with the past, painting Elodie in a very unfavorable light, issue #7 deals with the recent past during Elodie’s absence. You see how Feng Po’s plan creates so much destruction and death, you see how Feng Po’s presence affects nearby villages through collaboration and compliance, and we learn from Feng Po, herself, a small tidbit of her motivation and the ultimate plan. It all works together seamlessly and beautifully. This is probably the most expertly organic execution of an exposition dump you’ll likely see in recent memory.

On the art, there’s very little to say that hasn’t been said in the prior reviews of this series. It’s simply stunning. Muhr manages to turn out truly impressive settings, character designs, and outstanding panel compositions. This series is still the best looking comic among all the Scout titles.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

Before you move forward, take a step back with our BY THE HORNS #6 review.

We begin with a terrifying display of power from Feng Po and her flying fortresses as she decimates the kingdom of Kyning using Rigby’s horn. The people are all dead and every last bit of magic has been stripped from the people, animals, and land. We learn from Feng Po and her discussion with Yun Ma that she is gathering a massive amount of magic to undo a past wrong. While small, this tidbit underscores a recurring theme in the series about people doing terrible things in reaction to the pains of the past.

Meanwhile, Elodie and the crew trudge through the wintry North towards Feng Po’s castle. Forced to stop for rest and provisions, they find shelter in Aseitas, a small Sherpa village populated by tall, thin owl-like people. Among allies, the villagers fill Elodie in on what’s happened since she’s been gone, and while they publicly support Feng Po to stay alive, they secretly help Elodie to be free of Feng Po’s tyranny.

Armed and outfitted with winter gear, Elodie and the crew head into the inhospitable North when they encounter more owl people who are fully in support of Feng Po. The cliff-side battle is brutal. We conclude the issue with an alternate sentiment about the aftermath of Feng Po’s plan, and the reveal of what Feng Po has been doing with the other unicorns.

Final Thoughts

BY THE HORNS #7 moves the plot along in this penultimate issue of the arc to show the aftermath of everything that happened in issue #5. The pacing is excellent, the big fight at the end is brutal, and we learn more about the villain’s motivation and the devastating implications of her plan. If that wasn’t enough, this series still has the best art of most comics on the market today.

Score: 8.5/10

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