EARLY SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: Black Knight Curse of the Ebony Blade #4: Death Metal

Well, kids, it’s the next to last issue in this series, and author Sy Spurrier isn’t going to let the action stop right up until the final panel. Spurrier also gives you a history lesson but don’t worry, it’s not a history lesson with names of dead people and a bunch of confusing dates. Nope, this is all about King Arthur, his children, and the havoc that the Ebony Blade has wreaked throughout history. It’s really quite fascinating and even more impressive is that as heavy and involved as this gets, it never takes away from the main story of Dane Whitman. And that story is outta control!!! Talk about intense! Blood, guts, magic, mystery, surprise, and a shocking exit you won’t believe. The story starts at a fast pace ad never slows down to catch a breath, but that doesn’t stop it from being an excellent story in itself, and one that is really well written. Spurrier has gone above and beyond for this series, and you can tell how committed he is to tell this story just by reading this issue. It’s a vital chapter of the series and at the same time, if someone happens to pick this up as their first exposure to the Black Knight, Spurrier gives enough of a back story that they won’t be lost. 

Artist Sergio Devilla is back (there’s something so awesome about having the same artist on multiple issues) and he’s swinging for the fences. He’s got a LOT to do this issue, and it all goes off without a hitch. I’ve gotta send some love to the colorists on this issue, Arif Prianto, Chris Sotomayer, & Andrew Crossley because they show the world exactly how talented they are. There are multiple scenes in this issue where the colors are muted and they do a fantastic job to give those scenes a mood all their own. Simply put, this issue is artistically outstanding.