By Alex Grecian, Riley Rossmo & Ivan Plascencia
Finally! Image releases the latest issue of Rasputin after a hiatus. Immediately, readers are shown future events that were teased at the end of issue five. Rasputin seems to be thrust into events that force his supernatural hand once again. The main story of this issue though, returns to where the series left off: Grigori with a bullet to the head, dead. The only way to find out what happens between these two-time periods is to read it!
How Alex Grecian writes the titular character is so mesmerizing. He suffuses him with such melancholy and regret that it’s heartbreaking, yet fascinating. Ivan Plascencia really sets the tone with the moody, dramatic color palette. Never in a million years would anyone have believed Rasputin to be portrayed as a tragic, sympathetic character in such an earnest manner. Grounding this story in historical events only serves this purpose and makes it more engrossing. It allows Riley Rossmo to really depict some iconic imagery.
The cover alone speaks to the haunting nature of the character and the narrative. A minimal use of color with great detail in shadow and perspective. It’s a fascinating contrast to see Ivan Placencia’s colors used in the future backdrop versus the Galician Borderlands. Both settings have Rossmo’s signature rough, rugged style, but Plascencia is able to differentiate them powerfully. The magic Grigori uses still has such an ethereal, yet dangerous design to them. This complements the theme that everything has a price–equivalent exchange as Fullmetal Alchemist would put it. Characters’ natures come out so eerily through Riley’s eye renderings, even in the spirits. Again, this brings heart to the material and ultimately adds to the intense nature of this book.
Issue six is what fans have been waiting some time for and this creative team, no surprise, delivers. Who would have thought having a comic about Grigori Rasputin as an anit-hero would work so well? I applaud Image for publishing such a risky concept and for the creators for following through with amazing execution. It’s highly recommended that newcomers pick up the first trade and this issue. It’s so engrossing that it will be a quick read and for current fans, this is a no-brainer. Get to a local comic shop or online and pick this up. It’s well on its way to being another revolutionary Image title!
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