There are some fascinating themes at play in Scion... family, politics and racial ethics are among, and they bring a sophisticated atmosphere to the book. At the heart of the story, though, is a struggle of conscience. The chief protagonist is forever balancing obligations. He juggles commitments to his family, to what he has been taught is right and to a thrist for revenge. All of these diverse elements and more converge to make a compelling tale with an emphasis on characterization that easily overcomes the more alien and haughty aspects of the property.
With his friend and aide Skink in tow, Ethan travels east into the territory governed by the Raven Dynasty... a dangerous prospect, given he is a Heron prince, and the Ravens are at war with the Herons. But Ethan is out for blood, looking to avenge his brother's death at the hands of Bron, the Raven prince. Meanwhile, the King of the Ravens is concerned about his elder son Bron's cruel nature, and he ponders the question of which of his children would make a worthy successor to the throne.
Cheung's pencils are stunning. The level of detail in this book is amazing, yet the simple faces for the various characters maintains a tone of innonence as well. The same can be said of the colors. Both dark and bright hues are used to establish different moods at different points in the story. Furthermore, the colors really bring out the intensity of the energy that the superhuman characters exude. Cheung stands out as the greatest strength of this title, and I have to admit that I was disappointed to hear this week that he'd be leaving the title in the coming months.
I also enjoyed the visual variety that this Traveller Edition provides. We get a taste of George Perez's richly detailed, expressive and exciting artwork. Di Vito's contribution also shows a great deal of promise. He maintains the same level of detail and imagination as the other artists, but his style needs to develop more. The storytelling is capable, but the artwork doesn't stand out as unique either.
It was a pleasure to revisit these earlier chapters of the Scion saga, as one can see how much Ethan has grown over the course of the last three years. The most unexpectantly fascinating figure in this portion of the story, though, is King Viktor of the Raven Dynasty. There's a wisdom in the character that makes him likeable, and for a short time, he manages to cross the line between antagonist and protagonist.
