Once again, Glass gets a whole lot done in one issue.

He opens with the captives, who have their own flashback–which relates to the story of Karic and Pilot (sort of). The captives get some closure, then it’s off to resolve the cliffhanger with Pilot under attack from a fellow Templar.

Here’s where the issue gets confusing. While Karic stands in for the reader when discovering things, there’s so much new information–new information he can’t understand–Glass often leaves the reader spinning around to try to make sense of things. Karic doesn’t spin because he’s just a kid, which actually makes the reader spin more as Karic’s somewhat to read.

But then Glass even has time to go back to the captives and introduce the capital city and its political intrigue into the issue. He even textures it with regular folk.

Finally, the doozy cliffhanger wallops both Karic and the reader.

A 

CREDITS

The Prophecy, Part Five: Truth Behind the Lies; writers, Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan J.L. Glass; artist, Oeming; colorist, Wil Quintana; letterer, James H. Glass; editors, Judy Glass and Will Swyer; publisher, Image Comics.

Trippy might be the best word for this issue. There’s a lengthy hallucination, mystical sequence as the finale, but Glass is constantly spinning the reader around before it. Actually, having a dream sequence is the most straightforward thing he does this issue. Everything before is much less so.

First, there’s the resolution to the previous issue’s cliffhanger. Maybe it was a test for young Karic, maybe it wasn’t. Then there’s Pilot (Obi-Wan or just Don Juan) taking him on practically a vision quest, or at least a vision hike, and it’s exceptionally confusing. Set to all the lectures and descriptions is Oeming’s fantastic nature art.

Then comes the final twist (before the actual dream sequence) and it’s set during a fight scene between Pilot and another Templar, where maybe Pilot’s not who he’s says.

Somehow Glass doesn’t just get away with it all, it gets better as it progresses.

B+ 

CREDITS

The Prophecy, Part Four: The Readers of the Wheat; writers, Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan J.L. Glass; artist, Oeming; colorist, Wil Quintana; letterer, James H. Glass; editors, Judy Glass and Will Swyer; publisher, Image Comics.

This issue is a little busy. First, Glass showcases a rat battalion as they return home. They’re hunting. Nasty guys, these rats. It turns out some of the cast from the first issue has survived and are now prisoners of the rats, so Glass turns the focus to them for a while.

Of course, he had a cliffhanger to resolve with Karic and Pilot–Luke and Obi-Wan–and he gets to it nearly halfway through. They have a lengthy resolution to their problems and it’s a rather neat one but then Glass proceeds to work towards another cliffhanger.

If I’m counting right, the issue has one cliffhanger resolution, one soft cliffhanger for the prisoners and another hard cliffhanger for Karic. It’s just too much, even if Glass does pace it all beautifully. The emphasis on revelation and action means not enough character development.

Still, Glass and Oeming have momentum.

B 

CREDITS

The Prophecy, Part Three: Black Aniaus; writers, Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan J.L. Glass; artist, Oeming; colorist, Wil Quintana; letterer, James H. Glass; editors, Judy Glass and Will Swyer; publisher, Image Comics.

There’s a lot of information in this issue. There’s a recap of the last issue and there’s a big history lesson of the Mice Templar world. That history lesson is rather confusing. Glass brings in a lot of names and ideas–the Oeming art is really good for these sequences. But it’s still a long history lesson.

The comic now follows a young novice and his mentor. I can’t remember the names. They’re mice, obviously. Glass does a great job with the kid, who’s trying to deal with the death of his friends and family and the enslavement of his townspeople. The comic tracks the two of them on their journey. There’s a little about the new settings, but never too much

Glass and Oeming are clearly invested in Templar. The enthusiasm wouldn’t be enough but Glass has that strong character development and excellent plotting going too.

It’s impressive stuff.

B+ 

CREDITS

The Prophecy, Part Two: In the Beginning…; writers, Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan J.L. Glass; artist, Oeming; colorists, Wil Quintana and Cris Peter; letterer, James H. Glass; editors, Judy Glass and Will Swyer; publisher, Image Comics.

The Mice Templar is a heavy book. This first issue is double-sized, which is both good and bad. It’s good because Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan J.L. Glass are able to get the whole story done, but it’s bad because it’s too much at once. Glass has time to introduce the cast–maybe not make them all familiar to the reader, just because there are so many–and make the reader enjoying spending time with the cast.

Then the rats arrive and the comic goes from something cute–it’s about medieval mice after all–with danger to something dangerous without cute. By the end of this first issue, the cute factor is gone. Glass and Oeming–especially Oeming during the battle scene–show themselves to be ruthless and violent.

It’s a kiddie title with nothing kiddie about it.

Glass does a great job texturing the setting with details; it’s a wrenching read for a first issue.

B 

CREDITS

The Prophecy, Part One: The Calling; writers, Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan J.L. Glass; artist, Oeming; colorists, Wil Quintana and Cris Peter; letterer, James H. Glass; editors, Judy Glass and Will Swyer; publisher, Image Comics.