I’m back after way too long. I’ve decided to try my hand at comic commentary roundups again. At the moment I have eight titles I’m currently interested in writing about, though I’m reading way more. Though I may add or remove comics from this list depending on how much they interest me. I’ll decide on a week by week basis. I’d also like to return to writing more articles, but one goal at a time.
I’m going to shoot for a Sunday/Monday update for these roundups. If I do an article, that would be a mid-week update perhaps once or twice a month. Unfortunately, I have a lot going on in, but I haven’t forgotten about this side project.
Africa | Page(s): 319 | Patreon
Africa and Mondo make it back to Hyena Hill after stealing a large piece of meat from the resident African Wild Dog pack. Even though Africa is thin from a lack of food, and Mondo is a growing kit, they prioritize Safari eating first. Our old cheetah isn’t looking good months after his encounter with Bes’s pride. The cheetah’s bruised front leg has morphed into a blackened limb. Worse yet, Safari isn’t hungry and insists Mondo and the hyena pups eat the meal instead. Africa is visibly perturbed by his refusal to eat.
Unfortunately, it looks as if Safari is preparing to say goodbye. Often times, animals on their last legs refuse to eat, and his front leg is all but dead. It’s a shame too, as I love the dynamic Africa, Mondo, and Safari all have. It would be amazing to see more of the family unit they’ve formed. Knowing Arven and her penchant for telling story through flashbacks, it’s entirely possible for this to happen, even if our favorite cheetah passes away in the present. For now, let’s just enjoy seeing everyone alive, though clearly not well.
The Order of the Black Dog | Page(s): Issue 26, page 28| Patreon
Issue 26 “The Unearthly Kingdom” is quickly wrapping up. This issue has been a slow burn overall, as Agent Jackson has been gathering intel on the underground facility designated to study The Black Idol and keep revelations of the old god hidden from the public. Notably, he focused in on Okpara, a high ranking official at the facility. The Order of the Black Dog has also been focusing on her action, as almost a co-protagonist of this issue. In the last few pages of this issue, shit has hit the fan as Okpara and Jackson’s opposing goals have violently collided.
Jackson suspects double agents in the underground facility and suspects Okpara is helping them somehow. In turn, Okpara insists that Jackson has no jurisdiction over her. He easily swats down her arguments and in desperation she attacks him. The agent deflects her attack and uses a stun gun to subdue her. Surprisingly, this undoes her holographic disguise (which was hidden from the audience too) to reveal she’s actually a Kae-Kariin. To refresh your memory, these are the ancient lizard people first revealed in Issue 11. They were sent to Earth to study the Black Idol, learned its true secrets, and for whatever reason they left Earth or their populations were decimated. It’s surprising to see they’re not as ancient history as Issues 11, 12, and 13 would have suggested. The ending to this issue is going to be exciting, and hopefully we learn if Okpara actually existed and was replaced, or if she was a Kae-Kariin the entire time.
Repeat | Page(s): 143, 144, 145| Patreon (N/A)
After having reunited with the Dawn, Sol faints. Tilter is confused, but is quickly getting used to the Sun being acquainted with unconsciousness. As the young wolf sits on his unconscious protector’s body, Planter, the servant of Bor, the plant god, speaks to Tilter. The mouse explains that Sol being apart from the Dawn for so long as caused him to faint. At the same time they leave a fruit offering for both wolves to enjoy, and reveal that although the Dusk and Lun know about Tilter, the young wolf has the Sun’s protection.
Meanwhile, Sol and the Dawn have a heart-to-heart talk about putting and end to the cycle of bloodshed between the Sun and the Moon. Sol is starting to realize that his actions were cruel, and although he wants to live as a normal wolf, Lun would never allow this. Most of this comic has been Lun and the Dusk making Sol miserable for abandoning their duties. Nevertheless, the Dawn attempts to argue that they simply need to try harder to permanently immobilize the Moon. After all, Sol and the Dawn are linked, and the latter knows that Sol simply wanted to live a simple life with Babble– which is now impossible as Lun allegedly killed Babble.
I’m still not entirely convinced Babble is dead. Not at least without actually seeing their body. Still, I’m curious where Sol and Tilter will go now that the Sun god has had his servant returned.
To Catch a Star | Page(s): 291, 292, 293| Patreon
After Blaze shares the tale of how she and Flare started the Supernova, and how she was punished for helping “unworthy” Nova, she asks Hearth what he thought of the story. He responds in general agreement that the Supernova were right to chase the unworthy Nova away, but they went too far with Blaze’s punishment. Plus, the actions of the Supernova won’t matter in the long run, because once they collect the Sun and all the stars, they’ll wish for a new world. Blaze isn’t impressed, stating the Supernova will only save themselves, and Hearth naively retorts that all Nova will be saved. She then presses him again to ask about the Dusky, specifically Backlash whom he’s befriended. Before Hearth can elaborate on why he doesn’t consider the young Dusky to be his friend, Backlash returns with Cloud and the conversation ends there.
Backlash tells Hearth that he’s ready to leave at any time, and the Supernova simply pouts. His nervous tic shows as he plays with his hair and passively-aggressively asks his Dusky companion why they shouldn’t just stay with this current pack of Dusky and Nova. Backlash is determined to get back to Shadow and Lupi, which annoys Hearth for reasons unknown.
I don’t mind the budding friendship between Hearth and Backlash, as they have a lot in common. Both come from packs with abusive practices, and are young, bratty, ultimately kind, and idealistic. Of course, the Dusky had his character growth arc by traveling with Lupi and Shadow, combined with seeing more of the world. Hearth is pretty stunted, but it’s obvious that he’ll likely change his views on the Supernova as he gets to know more rejected Nova, and kind Dusky. (That’s if Shadow doesn’t tear him a new asshole once they all reunite.)
Speaking of the Supernova and Dusky, I’d like to see the group dynamic if (likely when) Sunny reappears in this story. It’s likely Sunny will be relieved to learn Backlash is alive after kicking him off a cliff, and will hopefully apologize. Of course, Lupi and Shadow again my have other thoughts.
Tofauti Sawa | Page(s): 366, 367 | Patreon
Sahara and Silver lightly trade barbs. Silver noted that most lions see him week because of his pale mane, and that the hyenal also found him to be weird in looks. She counters with the fact that pale lions are rare and more importantly, Silver is unusually kind-hearted. As a retort, he notes that she is unusually brave for a hyena. She stops, likely remembering the events that lead up to her losing her entire clan. Silver notices Sahara’s unease, and before he can ask, she quashes the subject stating that it’s time to leave. Confused, the lion wonders why she’s in such a rush.
Sahara and Silver’s alliance has just begun, but they make an interesting duo. Sahara is solely interested in the pale lion’s help so that she can essentially use his kindness as a weapon. As observed a few pages back, she tests him against a zebra that’s about to attack. He dives into to rescue her without hesitation. No doubt, he’ll be a good ally or distraction against her quest to kill Kwame’s cubs. Of course, Silver doesn’t know any of this and figures it is easier to roam with Sahara, versus being a lone nomad. The lion isn’t dumb, and I wonder if he’ll figure out that the hyena has a plan, even if he can’t quite put his paw on what it may be. Or perhaps Sahara will slowly have a change of heart in regard to weaponizing Silver’s kindness.
The Realm of Kaerwyn | Page(s): Issue 20, pages 58, 59, 60 | Patreon
Lorelei continues to antagonize Niixa and Endymion at the rifting machine. The drifter is now firmly working for Sisari and wants the pair, along with Callee to venture off-world to Raekarta– Creedmoor to be exact. The plan is to turn everyone into werewolves for reasons, but before that can happen, Niixa is granted a spell to transform her into a human, and Callee’s lycanthropy is removed. Endy and Niixa berate Lore for her heel turn, but she’s enjoying the power she has over them too much to care. As they prepare to leave, she orders Tunc, who’s still a werewolf to kill Niixa’s father if he finds his way to the rifting machine. This understandably leaves Niixa upset.
Something is going on with Lore, and I suspect it’s not just that Sisari is compensating her for the assistance. As shown a few pages earlier, the blonde-haired drifter is under Sisari’s influence, but still has control of herself. This makes me think that Sisari’s spirit is inhabiting Lore’s body, much like she did with Endy in Issue 8, “Fool’s Errand.” That said, I suspect Lore is either posing as a double or triple agent, as Issue 19 “In a Bygone Age” has shown that Lorelei is willing to deceive others for the greater good. I suspect that is what’s happening here, but the cast and the audience may not know just how for quite some time.
What Lurks Beneath | Page(s): 641, 642, 643 | Patreon
Tragedy has struck as Tusk has given birth only to discover she was only carrying a single kit. Worse, the kitten was born sickly and Sturgeon fully expects him to pass away within a few hours. Hake joins Tusk as they absorb the news, and he tries to console her. He calls her strong, but Tusk shoots right back that he’s also strong. Not only because he’s there for her, but because she knows he would have been a great father to the kittens and was looking forward to meeting them. They both break down in tears, as they finally confess their love to each other. Meanwhile, Sturgeon sets off with Wahoo to lead him to Krill’s new resting place. She’s hopeful that Tansy was able to complete the grave digging job, and a paw print in the sand confirms it.
There’s not really much to say here as Tusk was already prepared to not have her kittens survive. Yet, the audience and Hake hoped against hope that she’d have a healthy litter. Her son was born alive, but it’s unclear if he’ll actually manage to pull through, despite Sturgeon’s prognosis. I’m hoping things won’t turn out so dark, but the fact that he has not started feeding is not a good sign.
As for Sturgeon, I hope her plan to show Krill’s dead body to Wahoo doesn’t backfire. That depends on if Tansy was even successful moving him from his sandy grave into the official graveyard. If Wahoo learns of Krill’s death will he blame a Daisy? Will he reveal he knew about Krill’s assassination plans? Or will things go off the rails? Sturgeon’s original plan to have Krill attack Trout, but stop him before the queen could be injured didn’t exactly work out. We’ll see if she has better luck now that Tansy is aiding her to a degree.
A Doe’s Salvation | Page(s): 172| Patreon
As Absaroka chats in private with Sierra Nevada about her training to become the next matriarch, the older deer actually reveals the truth about the mountains. They can’t talk, and it’s been a long time since the matriarch has been able to speak with them. Dejected, Absaroka begins to lament that all the sacrifices she made may have been for nothing. Sierra insists that she’ll be leader and that’s good enough, but our protagonist simply wanted to follow the will of the mountains.
This chapter confirms what Sawtooth alluded to in chapter 5, IE., that it was unlikely the mountains were actually real. Although Absaroka has steadily had her faith eroded between her talks with Sawtooth and Snowy, the revelation from the matriarch simply shatters it. I’ll be curious to see if she can hold it together long enough for Sierra not to become suspicious of her. I do wonder if Abs will even end up taking the job of Matriarch, or if something will cause her to flee the mountains. The story isn’t far from the end (a few more chapters), but I love how much more mystery seems to be left to discover.
Kargo and Ferah reunite for the first time since his death. Ferah wonders how Kargo is alive again, and he reveals Rogio brought him back from another realm. She also asks about his paint, but he dodges the fact that bounty hunters are still (probably) looking for him. The paint is supposed to disguise that fact, but the paint job is less than stellar. She wonders if her old friend will be joining her at Whispervale Tribe, but Kargo instead tells her he’ll be staying in the Meteor Tribe with Roamer and Rogio. Finally, he actually tells Ferah that he loves her, and it’s something he should have done sooner. She responds in kind and they both embrace. Roamer looks on with a less than happy expression.
Honestly, this reunion between Kargo and Ferah is quite rushed, as it feels like the event could have been at least another page. Ferah hasn’t seen her best friend since she ran away from his funeral pyre. In turn, Kargo doesn’t ask her much about her life in Whispervale. He simply saw her in the distance having fun with Felidae and made assumptions. Granted, he’s not wrong, but you would think they’d be a bit more curious, not having seen each other for ages. Or at the very least, taken a few more minutes to chat with each other. Instead, we have a “hi, and goodbye forever, possibly,” situation. On the upside, at least Kargo and Ferah confessing their feelings for each other was nice. Mind you, they’re the only platonic couple in this comic, as no one else can seem to be friends.
Even though Roamer’s expression is hard to read, I’m sensing jealousy on his end. If he had stayed together long enough with Kargo perhaps he would have said those words to Roamer as well. He certainly never got such a confession from Rogio– which is unsurprising, as their relation is built solely on sex. To be honest, Roamer and Kargo still have better chemistry together, and I suspect Roamer is feeling this as well. If you’re fearing that a poly-ship between Roamer, Rogio, and Kargo might be in the works, you’re probably correct to worry.
On Hiatus :
Golden Shrike | Page(s): | Patreon
