Taarna: The Last Taarakian #3 Review

By Matthew PetersonMarch 3, 20213 Mins Read

An army marches for universal domination, and only the last Taarakian stands in their way. Your Major Spoilers review of Taarna: The Last Taarakian #3 from Heavy Metal Publishing awaits!

TAARNA: THE LAST TAARAKIAN #3

Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Christian Rosado
Colorist: Jessica Kholinne
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
Editor: Joseph Illidge
Publisher: Heavy Metal
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 24, 2021

Previously in Taarna: The Last Taarakian: Taarna, the lone protector of the multiverse, and her new ally are pushed to their limit to save a planet from destruction, while the chaotic leader called Urcuss takes his army to destroy everyone standing between them and the ultimate weapon for their lord and master, Kako! This is the story of a millennia-old battle between godlike beings, with all sentient life caught in their path.

IF CONAN WERE A PLATINUM BLONDE

After last issue’s reveal of Kako (the green jewel formerly known as the Loc-Nar) and Urcuss, the finally-named leader of the zombified barbarian horde she fought in her film outing, Taarna has been thrown into combat against a giant monstrous uniclops. The creature is quickly dispatched, leaving her to deal with Shaan, a survivor of Urcuss’ last attack. The oncoming army is met by the Last Taarakian with her sword and her faithful bird… thing, and she does much better this time than she did on film, ending on another big cliffhanger moment to set us off into the second half of the miniseries.

REALLY BEAUTIFUL

We get a new artist this issue, which results in thicker outlines, but the same remarkable use of space and kinetic action sequences that I’ve come to expect from this book. Previous attempts to revive this character have felt more derivative than this, and the use of Urcuss (y’know, the guy with the helmet that she completely kills in the film), and his evil over-orb feel like positive developments. The action is incredible throughout the issue, with the wonderful coloring adding to the visual spectacle, especially when it comes to Taarna’s hair. There are some limitations to having a main character who is so terse throughout her adventures, but the lack of dialogue is balanced out by the fight choreography.

BOTTOM LINE: STILL IMPRESSIVE WORK

In short, Taarna: The Last Taarakian #3 isn’t quite up to the excellent impression made by the first couple of issues, but even a new artist doesn’t change the beauty of the comic and even if parts of the story feel familiar, it’s well crafted and successful in conveying the menace of our new/old opponents, earning 4 out of 5 stars overall. I’m really enjoying looking at every issue of this book, and would recommend it to fans of high fantasy, of the movie ‘Heavy Metal’ or those who are just all about being hacked with large swords.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.