Mouse Guard: The Black Axe #5 (of 6) Advance Review
By Dan Horn
August 7, 2012 - 16:18
Archaia
Writer(s): David Petersen
Penciller(s): David Petersen
Inker(s): David Petersen
Colourist(s): David Petersen
Letterer(s): David Petersen
Cover Artist(s): David Petersen
$3.50 US
Release Date: August 8, 2012
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Mouse Guard: The Black Axe is an elegantly written and sumptuously illustrated anthropomorphic legend. Writer and artist David Petersen adeptly marries a dense lore, akin to that found in Brian Jacques' furry fantasy novels, with a strikingly textured and unique visual style. Archaia's Mouse Guard has alway been one of the more beautifully rendered books on the shelves, but The Black Axe series really ups the aesthetic ante. Issue five in particular displays some incredibly powerful imagery coupled with a naturalistic and utilitarian bent.
While Mouse Guard: The Black Axe is certainly a fun read, it's not all lighthearted. There's quite a bit of humanity in Petersen's mice, and you'll find this book tugging at your heartstrings. Petersen's narrative, while exploring the themes of friendship, family, and duty, has a surprisingly mature voice that rings at times cynical. In this way, Mouse Guard: The Black Axe is a fully realized epic; layered and profound; intensely personal. It's a book that provides a compelling and dimensional experience for readers of all ages, and it's an excellent companion piece to Petersen's other Mouse Guard volumes.
Click here for an Archaia preview of Mouse Guard: The Black Axe #5
Rating: 9/10
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