The penultimate comic, issue #4, in the Charlotte de la Cruz story arc has arrived, and with the series going from strength to strength, it has become something to look forward to each month. All Titan Comics need to do now is continue the Assassin’s Creed tale’s momentum and keep the reader hooked in for the grand finale. The question is… can they do it?
Sure they can, but not without a little stumble along the way.
I’ve come to expect the presence of a well placed cliffhanger and so, when the previous comic left us watching our master Assassin, Tom Stoddard, being caught in a jam once again, it came as no surprise. After he reconnected with the presumed dead nurse Querry, the writers slapped us in the face and put Tom in danger; something which he may or may not survive! The power within the girl is also now in the wrong hands, thus leaving the Templars in a dominant position of triumph. Meanwhile, in the modern world, the gang are all arguing about whether a man named Joseph can be trusted.
One of the many reasons this series keeps you on your toes is the fact that because these are mostly memories of an 
ancestor, the impending doom genuinely could mean the end of that character. Hence, seeing Tom all tied up with very little chance of survival is believable and works for creating doubt in the mind of the reader. Although he’s known for being a real badass, Mr Stoddard reveals an extra layer to his personality this time around; a softer side that shows that even Assassins have a heart.
I mentioned there being a bit of a stumble in this issue and no prizes for guessing it’s in the real world, where Charlotte and the gang’s story progresses. It could be the mundane environment and artwork, the repetition of whether Joseph is a traitor or not, bland dialogue or something else, all I do know is that if it wasn’t for the inclusion of a pop culture reference that piqued my interest momentarily, these parts would’ve completely lost my attention. Without spoiling too much, there may be bigger sections of the modern day in the next issue… which could be a worry.
Due to the locations that our main characters are situated in, the artwork generally doesn’t offer much eye candy. Fight scenes were well drawn as always, ensuring that the moves can be visualised in your head with ease.
The fluctuating pace of this issue meant that every so often my mind drifted shortly before being dragged back into the action and drama. This can be put down to some extremely well placed unpredictable twists and turns that hooked me back in an instant. Story-wise there was actually more advancement in Charlotte’s side of the story and that may mean she’s heavily featured in the final episode; for better or worse.
There were occasions where this felt like the end of a series, something which could leave the last issue lacking. Issue #4 almost lost my attention a few times but yet again it ended up delivering just enough excitement to entertain, whilst leaving the reader with a customary cliffhanger that came out of nowhere.
You’ve come this far, so I’m sure you’ll agree it’s worth giving the conclusion a shot.
