So it comes. With the release of this issue, we begin what is dubbed as the final year of this series. That likely means with two more arcs, along with a few specials, this series will be officially wrapped up. This is bittersweet, since this has been a great series, but now we finally get the answers we’ve been waiting a long time for. There’s been a lot of speculation about how this series is going to play out, and to finally be on the precipice of reading it is very exciting.

As for the issue at hand, it’s a pretty energizing start to the final phase of this series. We don’t get as many answers as we get more questions, but even now, years into this series, we’re getting to see what happened at the very beginning of this story, and how this pact for the gods to come back, live two year, and die came to be.

This issue had some major revelations, as well as a lot of talk about the very heavily laid plans that have been sitting around for ages finally being paid off.  The biggest change has been seeing a bit of a reset for a few characters who go back to the original status quo, despite the changes that have occurred.

Kieron Gillen has promised that many of the questions that have been lying around for a while will be answered, as this story comes to a close. In year four, it’s about all we could ask for, since a satisfying ending is likely a lock. This is a great start to the final year of this series, and while it is just the opening salvo, it’s a sign of good things ahead for the series.

Jamie McKelvie needs to stop. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it a thousand more times. McKelvie is one of the best artists in the industry at the moment, and his work with Matthew Wilson is nothing short of stellar every time. These two could, have, and will likely again draw scenes of two people sitting in a room and make it look dynamic. There’s so little more to say about this team of creators, because no one, except maybe the artists themselves, want to hear one person tell them that these creators are brilliant, over and over again, despite how true it is.

This is the first in the final year of the series, and while it didn’t make a tremendous narrative impact, it did something better for an opening issue: It set the stage for something good. This series has always been graced with a fantastic ability to pace itself, and this issue, while a little slow, did exactly what was needed to continue to keep readers hooked, month after month.

Creative Team:  Kieron Gillen (writer), Jamie McKelvie (artist)
Publisher: Image Comics
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