RISE OF THE FILIPINO MEROVINGIAN #1, by Renato Clarete Tranquilino, begins the fight for humanity when a band of fighters who descended from Holocaust refugees prepares to face Mephista.
The Details
- Written by: Renato Clarete Tranquilino
- Art by: Randy Valiente
- Letters by: Randy Valiente
- Cover art by: Randy Valiente, Reginald Kira
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $5.91 (estimated)
- Release date: Available Now
Is RISE OF THE FILIPINO MEROVINGIAN #1 Good?
In RISE OF THE FILIPINO MEROVINGIAN #1, Renato Clarete Tranquilino takes readers on a decades-spanning battle between good and evil, based on the novel, The Merovingian. Tranquilino’s mix of Filipino-centric horror, real-world events, and the Biblical supernatural presents another side of the evil that men do throughout history.
Tranquilino’s tale introduces readers to The Merovingian, a generation-spanning group of humans dedicated to confronting evil in its most despicable forms. An ancient demon known as Mephista seeks to bring about the end of humanity by influencing world wars and instigating upheaval throughout history. Now, a growing collection of individuals with psychic sight recognize that great darkness is coming, and only the Merovingian can stop it.
For new readers, RISE OF THE FILIPINO MEROVINGIAN #1 borrows heavily from real-world events beginning in WWII and on forward. Also, the fantastical references borrow heavily from Filipino versions of the supernatural. Therefore, it helps to get a grounding in 20th-century history and the Philippines’s place in it.
What’s great about RISE OF THE FILIPINO MEROVINGIAN #1? Tranquilino’s story spans decades and continents for a sweeping epic that feels as big as it looks. Tranquilino introduces a small army of characters, events (both real and supernatural), and ideas to give you plenty of story for the cover price.
What’s not so great about RISE OF THE FILIPINO MEROVINGIAN #1? The sheer volume of characters and plot points are interesting, but there are too many to introduce properly in a single issue. Some characters, such as Simone, get enough panels to understand who she is, but other characters, such as Lun, appear pivotal at one point but barely appear in more than a few panels. This issue would have been better served to keep the focus on a smaller cast to start and then grow the cast as the series progresses.
How’s the art? Randy Valiente is hailed as a national illustrator for the Philippines, and it shows. Valiente’s line work, facial action, and eye for drama are fantastic.
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What’s RISE OF THE FILIPINO MEROVINGIAN #1 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a series of Holocaust refugees frantically escaping Nazi Germany in 1939. Some escapees make it to the last cruise ship leaving Hamburg, others die before they make it to the ship, and still others are tortured to death.
Mephista sits in wait for her demonic Nazi squad, known as the Nachteers, to capture anyone who can provide her with information to further her agenda of torture, murder, and chaos. In 2017, an investigative reporter named Simone wrestles with prophetic dreams she’s had since she was a child. Simultaneously, a man named Jun wakes from his own dreams, which have become more precise and warns of a great darkness growing in his country.
We conclude the issue with an evil request, an empty threat, and a father’s sternness.
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Final Thoughts
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RISE OF THE FILIPINO MEROVINGIAN #1 begins a grand tale of the supernatural spanning continents, world wars, and political upheaval in the Philippines. Tranquilino’s story about demonic influences in world events has gobs of potential, and Valiente’s art is excellent. That said, Tranquilino inserts too many character introductions and plot developments too fast.
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