In KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #13, available from Mad Cave Studios on August 25th, 2021, Ishbaal and the descendants of King David face off against the Giant Army. Meanwhile, the Archangels race to stop Metatron from breaking the Scroll of Seven Seals.
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The Details
- Written By: Mark London
- Art By: Mauricio Villarreal
- Colors By: Mauricio Villarreal, Ricardo Castillo
- Letters By: Justin Birch
- Cover Art By: Mauricio Villarreal
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: August 25, 2021
Was It Good?
It’s impossible not to love a good, old-fashioned smackdown of Biblical proportions.
Sometimes… just sometimes… this series can get a little wordy in spots with the drama and complex character relationships. While the character complexity is a notable strength of the series, it never hurts to have an all-out action issue once in a while, and this is it.
London peppers in some character-building flashbacks for a few of the key characters to enhance their importance in the grand scheme of things, but the main focus is the battle at hand. The combat is elevated to near superhero levels but not in a way that feels cartoonish or out of place. The action fits the context and the players, and more importantly, the battle does two things most comics these days neglect.
First and most important, the battle continues the story through the action. The Giant King’s motivation for fighting is not simply an evil thing to do, but it’s also motivated by a past event and a need to reclaim a point of pride.
Second, the battle has real stakes that elevate respect for the characters involved. They came to win, and you can feel it in every punch and swing of the sword. There are losses on both sides which makes the victory feel earned.
As for the art, Villarreal’s work is the best of any Mad Cave title. The coloring and shading create rich textures that truly stand out, particularly on the backgrounds. To be fair, there’s a strong digital element to the art that’s impossible not to notice, but after reviewing hundreds of comics, this is the best example of digital done right I’ve ever seen.
This comic looks great, reads great, and it gets the blood pumping for more.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Whoa there! Not so fast. Don’t go into battle without preparation. Start by reading our KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #12 review.
We begin with Ishbaal and Eleazar discussing the impending war with Metatron and the Giant Army. Eleazar wants to fight, to earn his place, but Ishbaal advises against it as Eleazar’s life is too important and must remain protected as a descendant of King David.
When their forces arrive at Babylon, they find the entire region in flames and nearly everyone dead at the hand of the Giants. A lone, nearly-dead general informs them Matatron has gone to Mount Sinai for the Scroll of Seven Seals. Suddenly, the Giants emerge from the smoke and flames to take down the arriving forces.
Ishbaal asks Michael and the Archangels to intercept Matatron at Mount Sinai while the forces of David remain to deal with the Giants. In a baller move, Ishbaal walks onto the battlefield and calls out the Giant King for solo combat. The prize, if the Giant King wins, is the return of Goliath’s sword which Ishbaal possesses.
The rest of the issue is a one-on-one battle that completely satisfies, followed by an army-against-army melee for the ages. We conclude with the Archangels arriving at Mount Sinai.
Final Thoughts
KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SUN #13 is an exciting, fast-paced, and action-packed comic. The character work is sophisticated yet accessible, and the art is some of the best Mad Cave has to offer. This issue is a strongly recommended pick.
Score: 9.5/10
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