TALES FROM THE CAVE (ONE-SHOT), from Mad Cave Studios on 9/27/23, delivers three tales from Mad Cave’s most critically acclaimed titles when Battlecats-to-be begin a test of worthiness, Athena takes a godly break to faster human relations, and Sheriff Blackthorne investigates rumors of a murderous witch.
The Details
- Written by: Keith Frady, Rachel Pinnelas, David Hazan
- Art by: Riccardo Checchi, Marco Tortella, Shane Connery Volk
- Colors by: Marco Pelandra, Marcello Iozzoli, Luca Romano
- Letters by: Renato Quiroga, Andriy Lukin, Justin Birch
- Cover art by: Shane Connery Volk, Luca Romano
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $5.99
- Release date: September 27, 2023
Is TALES FROM THE CAVE (ONE-SHOT) Good?
TALES FROM THE CAVE (ONE-SHOT) is an engaging anthology issue that gives readers a taste of Mad Cave’s best titles with three shorts set in the worlds of Battlecats, Hunt. Kill. Repeat., and Nottingham. For readers new to Mad Cave, you get a peak into their respective titles through the eyes of up-and-coming creators with a unique view of the properties.
Overall, each short ranges from good to excellent, with David Hazan’s Nottingham story earning our top marks for best of the bunch. Any time you can get your hands on an anthology comic where the least good short is still pretty good, you know you have a winner on your hands.
On a side note, the cover implies all the shorts are horror or Halloween-themed. They are not. Only Hazan’s Nottingham short has a horror element, so plan your Halloween Holiday purchasing accordingly.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s TALES FROM THE CAVE (ONE-SHOT) About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
As with all our anthology reviews, we describe each short and what did or didn’t work.
Not All Cats Go To Heaven
Three Battlecats-in-training venture to the Gardens of Solitude to prove their worthiness before the great Lion God. Driven by faith, pride, and friendship, the three must confront a warrior in their way before the test of worthiness can begin. Or has it already begun?
Keith Frady’s subtextual take on the Battlecats lore explores what it means to believe and how belief can sometimes be its own virtue when proof is desired. The Battlecat’s mix of distinct personalities helps to sell different perspectives on the same event, and the art is solid.
Spearhead
Athena attends the Assembly, a collective of representatives designed to improve communication between humans and the Olympian gods. When Cicero the Owl uncovers a plot by the humans against Athena, the meeting comes to an abrupt end.
Spearhead fits comfortably within the Hunt. Kill. Repeat. world created by Mark London, but it’s not clear what point his short is trying to make. Athena looks down on humans, and the human sentiment to resist the Olympian gods is growing, but other than expressing sentiment readers of the series already knew, this short doesn’t appear to have a point. The art is fine, and the pacing is good, but there is no plot.
The Witch Of Winter Hill
Four mysterious deaths lead Sheriff Blackthorne on a hunt for a so-called witch who resides in a lonely shack on Winter Hill. When the Sheriff questions the woman about her prophecies and exploits, he soon learns the curse of a spurned man can be just as deadly as an evil eye.
David Hazan’s return to Nottingham is head and shoulders the best short of the anthology. The murder mystery is intriguing, and Shane Connery Volk’s art is as good as it’s ever been.
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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TALES FROM THE CAVE (ONE-SHOT) serves as an excellent anthology of Mad Cave’s best titles and a testing ground for up-and-coming creators worth watching. All the shorts have positive points, but Hazan’s Nottingham short is the best of the bunch.
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