RAI: THE BOOK OF THE DARQUE #1, by Valiant Entertainment on 5/29/24, returns to domestic bliss when Rai, Momo, and Raijin meet their new neighbor, but not all is as it seems.
Credits:
- Writer: Dan Abnett
- Artist: Emilio Utrera
- Colorist: Exequiel F. Roel, Mariano Morales, Ludwig Olimba
- Letterer: Marina Leon, Ezequiel Inverni
- Cover Artist: Toby Willsmer
- Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
- Release Date: May 29, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 34
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of RAI: THE BOOK OF THE DARQUE #1:
Plot Analysis:
Valiant fans, Rejoice! Rai is back under the deft writing hand of Dan Abnett with a new adventure that builds on the past, looks to the future, and gives you plenty of surprises in the bargain.
In RAI: THE BOOK OF THE DARQUE #1, Rai, Raijin, and Momo enjoy a blissful domestic life in a suburban home. While Rai and Raijin play catch, they catch the attention of their new neighbor, Ray (Bloodshot inside Alice Klane’s body). Rai invites Ray over for Dinner to welcome her to the neighborhood.
Momo is oddly suspicious of Ray’s presence, but the meal goes as well as expected with Uncle Fusion present. However, tensions quickly escalate when Raijin and Rai ask if anyone knows anything about the Howling War. Momo excuses herself to the kitchen after being disturbed by the question.
The family follows Momo into the kitchen to check on her. She laments the prospect of having to wipe everyone’s memory again if everyone doesn’t stop asking about the Howling War. Uncle Fusion immediately chimes in that the Howling War is an ages-long conflict between the forces of Technology and Magic. Now that the cat is out of the bag, Momo transforms into a multi-limbed monster and launches an attack.
Ray responds with deadly force, holding Momo off long enough to allow the others to escape.
Later, Rai, Raijin, and Uncle Fusion trudge aimlessly through an overgrown forest to consider how long they’ve been unknowingly held prisoner by “Momo.” Raijin reasons that the Technology side of the war wants Rai and Raijin because they each hold within them an Offspring that could enhance the power of the Technology leader, Bloodfather. The Magic side, called the Darque, wants Rai because he’s a powerful warrior hybrid of tech and organic materials.
The trio continues to run and fight their way through the forest when attacked by Bloodhounds and organic traps. Ultimately, Uncle Fusion is possessed by the Darque and launches an attack to force Rai to submit to the Darque.
Character Development:
New readers unfamiliar with Rai’s corner of the Valiant Universe get a surprisingly thorough crash course on all the players, the world, each character’s personality type, and the stakes of the present conflict. Granted, there’s too much happening all at once to give each reader deep exposure to any one character, but it’s a good start.
Artwork and Presentation:
Emilio Utrera’s artwork is pretty darn good. Rai looks like Rai, the action scenes are energetic, the monster designs are suitably imposing, and the overall visual appeal is solid.
Art Samples:
Pacing and Structure:
Abnett’s pacing and structure are a mixed bag. The comic is weaker in the first third to half, but once the twist happens, Abnett’s pacing picks up, and the plot makes much more sense.
The pacing and structure are off because the opening sequence plays off like characters stuck in a dream with no memory of how they got there or why. In an ongoing series, this wouldn’t be a problem because the readers are already grounded and would experience that same sense of disconnect as the character. Here, it doesn’t work as well because we haven’t seen a Rai comic in a very long time, so there’s no way to tell if the comfy suburban life is or isn’t natural.
Thematic Exploration:
Thematically, you could say this issue forces Rai to live out that old adage, “Stuck between a rock and a hard place.” The Howling War has enveloped the world, so if Rai sides with Technology, he sides with his old enemy, Bloodfather. If he sides with Magic, the Darque would enslave Rai to use him as a weapon and destroy his technology-based friends and family. In effect, Rai is in a no-win scenario.
Final Thoughts:
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RAI: THE BOOK OF THE DARQUE #1 quickly re-introduces readers to Rai as an unwitting pawn in a world-encompassing war. Abnett’s script gets off to a shaky start, but the art is solid, and the story improves once the twist lands midway through.
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