In KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #12, available from Mad Cave Studios on May 12th, 2021, the Archangel Gabrielle confronts Lucifer in the Ninth Circle of Hell to retrieve the next artifact.
The Details
- Written By: Mark London
- Art By: Mauricio Villarreal
- Letters By: Justin Birch
- Cover Art By: Mauricio Villarreal
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: May 12, 2021
Was It Good?
Yes, it was good because we get to visit an old “friend”. More importantly, we get a building sense of anticipation as the Archangels go after the second to last piece of armor in this quest.
The art is excellent. Enough can’t be said about Villarreal’s execution of color and lighting to give every panel oceans of mood and magical energy.
See for yourself in our KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #12 preview.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
We begin with a flashback to the retelling of Original Sin in the Garden of Eden. If you know the basic Bible stories, you know this one. The first man and woman live in a garden of paradise. God gives them free rein to do as they please except they must not eat from the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
A serpent arrives to tempt the first couple into eating the fruit they’re are forbidden from eating, and thus the world was cast into sin. The serpent was Lucifer Morningstar, the first fallen angel, Satan.
At the now of the story, Gabrielle stands at the border of the Garden of Eden, decayed and lifeless. In perfect irony, the garden is now the gateway to Hell, and Gabrielle has come to visit Lucifer to retrieve the next artifact, the shield of faith. Check out our KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #11 review to find out how we got to this point.
The next couple of pages showcase Gabrielle’s descent to the Ninth Circle of Hell that partly borrows from Biblical texts but also borrows from Milton’s Paradise Lost. It’s always fascinating to see how artists choose to represent the punishments of those who commit specific sins, and here the punishments range from literal to figurative, and it’s a clever take at every level.
Gabrielle arrives at the Ninth Circle and demands the shield from Lucifer. He agrees to hand it over, but only if Gabrielle can defeat one of Lucifer’s demons, Asmodeus. Again, there was a real effort and research put into selecting the characters for this series as Asmodeus is little known to the world at large in modern culture, but he is considered a prince of demons and should be a dangerous foe for Gabrielle.
Gabrielle wins the fight easily, but of course, Lucifer being Lucifer, he turns back on his deal and sends more demons after Gabrielle.
Meanwhile, Cassander is visited by Metatron. He brought his army of giants to ravage the city unless Cassander turns over the Seven Seals. Cassander refuses, and Metatron takes the refusal badly.
Elsewhere, Gabrielle rejoins the other Archangels with the shield. They discuss how to find the last piece of armor when they receive word of Metatron’s attack on Babylon with his army of giants.
Michael begins to issue orders when one of the parties brings out a special weapon for the occasion.
How Does It End?
Michaels doesn’t like what they will have to do to find the last piece of armor. The House of David must face its oldest enemy. The cliffhanger promises a rematch for the ages.
Final Thoughts
KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #12, available from Mad Cave Studios on May 12th, 2021, borrows from the deepest depictions of Hell from the Bible and classical literature for the latest adventure. The art is stellar. The writing is authentic and rife with Easter eggs for anyone fond of myths and legends. This is another great entry in a fascinating series.
Score: 9/10
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