Brides of Helheim #4
Oni Press
Written by: Cullen Bunn
Art by: Joelle Jones
Brides of Helheim #4 is by far the most action-packed issue so far and it’s as epic as you’d expect. Raevil has unleashed the Valkyrie to fight Rikard and the poor love-struck girl is now a vicious warrior. Hang on to your seat and enjoy this latest installment of the embattled draugr as Cullen Bunn and Joelle Jones let out all the stops in this wall-to-wall ass kicking issue.
A conflicted Rikard has to hold his own against the Valkyrie without hurting the girl underneath whose been transformed by Raevil. It’s a brutal battle fought on land and in the air.
It’s a spectacle brought to wonderful life by Jones’ beautifully designed panels that put the combatants front and center. The minimal backgrounds keep the focus where it counts – on the fighters. Her linework is superb as usual and the choreography is fluid and impactful. Except for a couple of confusing panels the issue is virtually perfect.
From a narrative standpoint, the story takes some curious turns especially the ending that could be viewed as strategic or something more. Raevil is raising an army to defeat Rikard which definitely mounts the tension going into issue five. Will it be too much for Rikard to handle? Will he get help from the Valkyrie?
All good questions but we’ll have to wait until next month for those answers. In the meantime, enjoy Brides of Helheim #4, the most exciting comic book out this week.