It’s Seven Swords versus Six-Six-Six in a duel with the literal Devil! Your Major Spoilers review of Seven Swords #5 from Aftershock Comics awaits!
SEVEN SWORDS #5
Writer: Evan Daugherty
Artist: Federico Dallochio
Colorist: Valentino Bianconi
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Editor: Mike Marts
Publisher: Aftershock Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 26, 2022
Previously in Seven Swords: The true nature of Cardinal Richelieu’s quite literally diabolical plan has been revealed, and now the Seven Swords must square off against an infernal nemesis the likes of which they’ve never encountered before. Even the most cohesive team would be hard-pressed to stand up to the taunts and temptations of the Devil himself. How can our heroes unite to slay Lucifer in the ultimate contest of swords when they can barely keep from killing one another?
A BATTLE OF STEEL…OR OF SOULS?
Seeking vengeance for the loss of his brother Musketeers, D’Artagnan has gathered the seven most skilled swords of the age (Cyrano de Bergerac, Captain Blood, legendary soprano Mademoiselle Maupin, Sister Catalina, Don Juan, and the man who was under the infamous Iron Mask) to assassinate Cardinal Richelieu. His quest gets much more complicated when Faust (Yes, that Faust) steps out to confront them. Richelieu, it seems, has led them not only into a trap, but into his arena, where a crowd has gathered to see the deaths of the Seven Swords. Faust is possessed by Lucifer himself, and the legendary artifact that D’Artagnan worried would give his old enemy power is his blade. Maupin is first to fall for her sin of vainglory with a glowing sigil appearing on Lucifer’s blade. Don Juan’s lustful ways doom him next, followed by Cyrano’s gluttony, and each adds a number to the list. As Ahmed, The Man in the Iron Mask, falls for his prideful ways, a gloating Lucifer forces Richelieu to explain to D’Artagnan the truth: His task was to gather not seven soldiers, but his seven generals of hell. By the time the truth comes out, Sister Catalina’s envy and the pirate Captain’s greed have felled them, leading D’Artagnan alone.
A FUN BOOK (WITH A LITTLE RESEARCH)
Seven Swords #5 is, on the face of it, an action set piece, with little glimpses into the mind of our semi-historical protagonists, and my first read-through left me thinking it was a pretty okay comic book issue. My second pass came after I read the previous issues of the series, which moved it from pretty okay to really good, and before my third pass, I did the necessary research on the characters. Once it was clear how much love and attention to detail had gone into Seven Swords, I couldn’t help but enjoy it a little bit more. Dallochio’s art is a big part of that, with unexpectedly detailed panels and strong storytelling. When the numbers start to appear on the hilt of the Devil’s sword, it’s clear to the readers what’s happening, but the Swords don’t have as clear a line of sight. Characters like Cardinal Richelieu and Captain Blood are put to great use here, using archetypical aspects of their portrayals and actually surprising me (partly by using a classical take on the seven cardinal sins.) The story ends in a satisfying manner, but still has enough unexpected moments to keep me from feeling like I saw it all coming, while the last panel implies that the story may not be over quite yet, calling back to previous issues brilliantly.
BOTTOM LINE: I RECOMMEND YOU GET THE TRADE
All in all, Seven Swords #5 is a really great wrap-up to a creative, well-conceived story, delivered with lovely art that clearly depicts a chaotic battle and a hypothetical journey to Hades in an entertaining way, all held together with some really fun character work that a reader only gets when they do their research, making for a well-deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. There doesn’t have to be more of this story with this ending, but I kind of hope there is (and so do Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.)
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SEVEN SWORDS #5
A sort of shared universe of 175th Century literary and quasi-historical characters, Seven Swords ends up being a lot more than I expected, from the detailed art to the nuanced story, and the ending that leaves the next part open to interpretation and/or sequel.
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Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.
1 Comment
One correction. The “Man in the Iron Mask” was Faust, not Ahmed. Ahmed was the man that D’Artagnan initially thought killed his mentor and was a member of the Broken Brothers. They “capture” him when they rescue Faust. Of the Seven, Ahmed is the only one that I am completely unfamiliar with. I also think it’s interesting that Cyrano, D’Artagnan, Mademoiselle Maupin, and Sister Catalina were actually real people that larger-than-life fictional stories grew around.