Jeff Lemire and Mike Deodato Jr bring this modern age sword and sorcery tale to its epic finale, at least for now. This fast-paced barbarian pastiche surrounding two improbable friends shows that even language isn’t always a barrier, and no matter when life is at its worst, one can still pick up the pieces and move forward. No stranger to creator-owned titles, Lemire delivers the perfect vehicle for Deodato Jr to fully display his aggressive stylized pencil work and his unique design-oriented page layouts.
With the forces of evil making their way into the present day, The Mongrel King must wage war once again to save his “buddy.” A purely visceral display of violence, the King leaves no prisoners as he absolutely eviscerates the opposition to protect the last person in his life that he genuinely cares about. With the help of his friend, the two take down the evil King and make their way back to the past to close out this final chapter.
Deodato continues to demonstrate precisely why he was the perfect artist for this title. His choreography of action alone is enough to sell the title, bringing nothing less than spectacular work to each page. From his unique and design-oriented page layouts, his robust anatomy, even down to his digital screen tones while Frank Martin delivers a gritty color palette to match the visceral last act of the series.
Lemire continues to take more of the passenger role with this title, allowing more freedom in the art department. Building the perfect vessel for Deodato to roam free with a more straightforward story proves to be incredibly effective yet again. Compared to many of his other works, even currently on stands, a much more light-hearted cut and dry kind of story while still delivering subtle overtones. An artist himself, Lemire, allows for Deodato to take the reins and let the art do the talking.
Albeit ending on a bittersweet note, the two creatives have already promised a second volume in the works, this time taking place in the past. Deodato and Lemire were sure to leave a few threads open for sequel purposes as the two continue to world build and develop the volume(s) still to come. With fast-paced action and beautiful artwork, the four issues in their entirety make for a quick but fulfilling adventure.
Grade: B+
