THE OBLIVION TRIALS #4, from Source Point Press on September 28th, 2022, concludes the arc as Kiko faces a series of “life or death” decisions that bring him before the Reaper once again.
The Details
- Written by: Brandon Chen, Fred Packard
- Art by: Anderson Carman
- Colors by: Anderson Carman
- Letters by: Zen
- Cover art by: Anderson Carman
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: September 28, 2022
Is It Good?
THE OBLIVION TRIALS #4 concludes the arc with the one thing that every comic reader looks for in a story of this type – a hero’s journey. Kiki, the protagonist, has weathered death, mistakes, grief, and regret. The Oblivion Trials give Kiko a chance to atone for his past and grow as a character. Not only does Kiko grow, but the last leg of his journey has more than one fist-pumping moment to cheer him on and end the arc on a high note.
Of all the elements we could point to in this comic as a positive, Kiko’s character growth earns the top spot. Given the choice, Kiko takes the hard path knowing that he’s doing it for the right reasons, unselfish reasons. At its core, the finale underscores the idea that this story is a morality tale honoring the value of virtue in classic form. Being selfless. Helping others. Fighting for what’s right. All the classic hero qualities are present to make this one banger of an ending.
The minor down point is Kiko’s final battle with Henry. It begins and ends too quickly, diminishing the threat Henry is supposed to bring to the story. Henry survives, fights, and hones his skills centuries before Kiko comes along, so to see the fight end in less than three pages is a letdown.
Carman’s art in this issue is a mild improvement over the previous issues. The pencils/inks are sharper, the panel compositions are more dramatic, and the coloring detail is excellent. Visually, this arc ends on a high note equal to the writing.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Read our THE OBLIVION TRIALS #3 review to find out how Kiko makes his big decision.
We begin with Kiko racing back to the cave where Emily and Harun are cornered by Henry, his men, and a lethal monster. Emily is hurt, and Henry’s men have abandoned him to the monster. Kiko decides to leap into action and aid Henry.
While Kiko is busy fighting the monster, Henry uses the chaos to escape with Emily. He takes her back to his camp, planning to make her suffer as he blames her for his death. Kiko soon catches up to the camp, with help from a magic rabbit, to find Henry waiting and Emily about to be burned at the stake.
We conclude the issue with a battle, death, and a selfless choice.
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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THE OBLIVION TRIALS #4 is a prime example of how to end an arc on a high note. Kiko’s character growth exemplifies everything readers want in a hero’s journey, and the art is the best it’s looked over the entire arc.
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