The new creative team does a fine job of picking up where Ron Marz and Jim Cheung left off and forging ahead in a new direction that maintains familiar themes and addresses outstanding plotlines. The plot is moving ahead surprisingly quickly, though, and the plotting seems to lack the complexities and emotional resonance I've come to expect from this book. Edginton and Ross bring the notion of a world of wonder at war to life quite well, but the execution of the more emotional elements teeters on the edge of being ham-fisted.
As the Heron and Raven nations rebuild after warring with one another, Ethan and Ashleigh, the children of the two dynasties, bask in the peace and fellowship that's arisen among the Lesser Races now living on Tournament Isle. Though there is a peace treay in place between their two kingdoms, Ethan worries about an outstanding threat -- invasion by the armies of Tigris. As if on cue, the Tigris forces launch a two-pronged attack. Once again, Ethan finds himself torn between his new responsibilities and his familial obligations.
I'm struck by the fact that CrossGen's "key issues" -- strong jumping-on points, which are important for ambitious series such as this one -- lack visual pizzazz. The standard cover design for the key issues is bland. The white background with a single character in a typical pose that tells one nothing about the story just isn't effective. That's certainly the case here. Even the colors are ineffective. Look at the energy eminating from Ethan's hand. It's barely distinguishable from the blank background. The cover logo is presented in a standard font. Nothing on the cover pops; nothing grabs the eye.
The interior art tells the story clearly and captures the grand scope of the plot and setting. Ross's work here reminds me a great deal of Eduardo Barreto's style, and the artist's take on the main protagonist seems to be more bulky and grown-up than Cheung's, putting me in mind of John Buscema's work on Conan and Thor. Still, Ross's work is lacking in the detail and impact that Cheung brought to the book.
Edginton picks up on the familial and romantic plotlines from Marz's run on the title, but the quiet exchanges among the characters just aren't as convincing here. Mind you, that makes sense. One has to give a writer time to get to know the characters. The war plot is an exciting one, and the action reminds me of the wonder on display in Kurt Busiek's Arrowsmith. Furthermore, Edginton provides a thoroughly accessible read here. One need not have read any of the previous 39 issues to follow along here.
