MERLIN & HECTOR #3, from Red 5 Comics on December 29th, 2021, begins a small war as Merlin and Hector form an unlikely alliance with the Plagues to save the town from the Slipskins
The Details
- Written By: Rodolfo Santullo
- Art By: Jok
- Colors By: Mey, Jok
- Translation: Chris Ortega
- Letters By: Altercomics Studio
- Cover Art By: Jok
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: December 29, 2021
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Was It Good?
MERLIN & HECTOR #3 is a whimsical take on the hero’s journey. Everything about this issue works to develop Merlin as a fully-realized character, force him to grow to overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, and lay the groundwork for future stories with a mix of curiosity and mystery. It’s amazing how successful a comic can be if you start with a solid foundation.
Merlin, through this quaint battle for a small town, evolves in two key areas. First, the forces of magic visit him in his dreams to reinforce the idea that Merlin has great magic within him. It’s the call of Fate or Destiny, and the talking animals of his dreams help Merlin to come around to accepting magic and to open his eyes to his potential. A character is more relatable when they accept the unbelievable with a little push.
Second, Merlin is not a natural fighter but he takes a leap of determined faith to participate in the battle against the Slipskins. Santullo pushes Merlin to step outside his comfort zone for a greater good, and you can see the maturity it instills in him during the battle compared to where the character was in the first issue.
From a pure story and character-development perspective, this is an outstanding issue and a great way to end the first arc.
On the art, it suits this material to a tee. There’s always a concern when a very stylistic artist is tasked with drawing action sequences, but Jok pulls it off well with a movement style that matches the character designs without being too stiff or awkward. This is a different sort of comic than you’re apt to find in a superhero-dominated industry, but in all, this title is a pleasant surprise.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
If you’re not sure why a battle is about to be fought, first catch up by reading our MERLIN & HECTOR #2 review.
We begin with a sleeping Merlin being visited in his dreams by talking animals. They re-affrim he’s destined for magical greatness but he has doubts. In the dream, Alana, in her cat form, explains she and her uncle need rescuing in real life from the Slipskins who’ve invaded the town. She then offers Merlin insight into the history of his parents and why he’s known among the magical folk.
Hector wakes Merlin up in the morning when it’s time for the battle to begin. The battle plan is simple. Working with the Plagues, the group plans to attack the Slipskins as a unified front to either kill them or drive them from the town. Merlin’s job is to rescue Wilbur and Alan before they’re executed for treason against the Slipskins.
We conclude the issue with a battle mostly going according to plan, Merlin showing he has more than one trick up his sleeve, and a glimpse at the future.
Final Thoughts
MERLIN & HECTOR #3 is a surprisingly solid and well-constructed origin story for the world’s most famous wizard with a finale for the current arc that shows the character growing by leaps and bounds. The super-stylized art is not typical comic book fare, but it suits the material perfectly for a story that finishes as strong as it started.
Score: 9/10
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