Titan Comics 2016
Written by Ian Edginton
Illustrated by Caspar Wijngaard
Coloured by Triona Farrell
Lettered by Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
The Order of the Templars has sought the betterment of humanity for centuries, guiding it through wars and peace, famines and feasts. Via the Pieces of Eden – advanced relics left behind by a mysterious precursor race – the Order seeks to create a perfect world, one governed by discipline and unity. Tommy Greyling, a nineteeth-century Pinkerton agent, has discovered the location of one such piece – his search leading him across the Atlantic Ocean and deep into the heart of a twisted murder mystery…
With this being the third series in the franchise I sometimes forget who the bad guys are supposed to be. Though Ian has a way with words and it’s quite clear from the moment Sean is being questioned about what he saw when he traveled into the body of his relative Tommy Greyling who the bad guy is. I can’t believe his name wasn’t used once in this either and if it was I totally missed it but ya know what that’s okay it just keeps adding the equation that he’s not to be trusted. Abstergo may be a company or his name but either way i’ve a feeling it’s a ruse to get these kids all of whom were probably hand picked for their connections to the past to be used by the Templars under false pretenses. I do enjoy a good story where that’s the basis from the start and then when the revolt comes and more subterfuge is in play it just becomes that much more interesting.
Sean’s an interesting character and from what we learn through his own interactions and the faceless voice talking of him it’s clear that he’s going to be a huge part of this story. Not just because of the Animus and his relative. What an interesting dilemma too, to have had an accident that cost him the use of his legs and yet when in the Animus he’s fully functional again it really must be both a blessing and a curse. The supporting cast so far, a young woman who also has this internship and is wary of the way they use them shows potential. The characterisation is strong and well executed as we get clear pictures of who these characters are.
I love seeing the past as it’s represented here. The way they spoke with an elegance and grace that’s missing from today’s vernacular is refreshing. I really wish we’d stop trying to shorten words or conversations and go back to using proper English and expanding the vocabulary accordingly. Plus there’s a little mystery here as we try to figure out where artifacts and useful tools are hidden and the people assisting and standing in the way of locating them. It’ll take brains as well as brawn to do what Tommy has to do and it’s fun to see how that’s playing out so far.
The interiors have a traditional more minimal comic book style to them. By minimal I am referring to the use of backgrounds which seems to be a lost art in terms of fleshing out scenes and showcasing the larger picture. I like seeing backgrounds to let us know the type of world they lived in and how they lived it’s the little things that make the story seem larger than it is. The flow of the story though the use of page layouts with angles and perspective are nicely done. It could benefit from a tad more attention to detail but again minimal style. It does a nice job though of bringing us the drama through the action that we need.
This franchise keeps growing and expanding and it’ll be interesting to see where this faction lies in the grand scheme of things. For something created off of a video game I have to say that it’s certainly eclipsed that and formed a new life of it’s own here at Titan Comics.