THE HEXILES #6, by Mad Cave Studios on 4/16/25, concludes the harrowing adventure of the Kreel siblings when they concoct a plan to defeat Athalia before Hell claims their souls.
Credits:
- Writer: Cullen Bunn
- Artist: Joe Bocardo
- Colorist: Manoli Martinez
- Letterer: El Torres
- Cover Artist: Joe Bocardo (cover A)
- Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
- Release Date: April 16, 2025
- Comic Rating: Mature (gore, language)
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of THE HEXILES #6:
Plot:
At the end of The Hexiles #5, the Kreel siblings learn their only chance to stave off damnation is to make a boon. The witch of the castle, Athalia, is too powerful to defeat, so the siblings look for a way to kill two demons with one stone.
The solution? The Kreel siblings stealthily kill as many demons in the castle as possible and consume their blood to amp up their powers, taking a page out of Athalia’s playbook. During the climactic battle, the siblings hold their own and score enough blows to push Athalia back. The victory arrives when Athalia, at her weakest point, admits she wanted to consume the Kreels to become powerful enough to overthrow her demon masters. When the confession is made, the demons honor a secret boon the Kreels made with them to stave off damnation in exchange for exposing Athalia’s plot.
Artwork and Presentation:
Joe Bocardo’s heavily shadowed, gruesome art is a great choice for this miniseries through the depiction of uniquely rendered characters, grotesque demons, and plenty of blood. Admittedly, Bocardo’s style won’t work in every genre, but it’s a solid fit in a horror story.
Art Samples:
Character Work:
Hats off to writer Cullen Bunn for creating a wide array of supporting characters who each have a distinctive voice and mannerisms to match. If the audience had been given more time to spend with each character, their personalities would have deepened the emotional impact of the story.
Structure:
Cullen Bunn’s twist ending is the kind of clever thinking we’d like to see more often. When the entire miniseries is predicated on the idea of “How will they escape their fate?” it’s a big plus for the reader to see how they do it, not see it coming, and witness the escape executed well.
Strongest Point(s):
The strongest point of the issue is the siblings’ “bad idea” which turns out to be a brilliant idea, leading to a sufficiently climactic and satisfying conclusion.
Weakest Point(s):
The trouble with having a “bad idea” that turns out to be a brilliant idea is that we couldn’t tell you which Kreel sibling named it because we barely know who they are by name. Bunn’s pacing for this miniseries is improved over the prior minis he’s produced for Mad Cave, but the pacing works against this story because there are too many supporting characters to track in too small a space.
Final Thoughts:
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
THE HEXILES #6 ends the miniseries on a satisfying note, leaving the door ajar for a follow-up. Cullen Bunn’s finale uses a clever idea that pays off beautifully, and Joe Bocardo’s art style is a great match for this kind of horror.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.