With so much on the line for the animal tribes, are these twists and turns really necessary to hold the audience’s attention?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Zenescope:

The action/adventure series that has critics and fans raving about continues! As Bomani and Dewan form an uneasy alliance to search for Kaa the Python, the Tigers of the Shere and the Payari Elephants move closer to their final confrontation. But deep in the caverns under the Isle of Kipling, Mowglii uncovers terrifying secrets and monsters that will turn the tide of the upcoming war and change the jungle forever more.

There are a lot of possible interpretations for this classic franchise, but I have to say I instantly found myself enamored with this one.  Sure there are some rather wonky or even corny mechanics at play here but more important than that is the backbone of the narrative and the creative team has made sure that this one is indeed strong.

Mark L. Miller pens the script and the scribe knows exactly where he wants to send this narrative.  From start to finish he uses every tool in his literary chest to build the arc up will pushing it into whatever conclusion that’s surely coming down the road.  Despite how much fun I had thumbing through it, I found myself having trouble digesting some of the dialogue.  Sadly the intentionally spoken words from several of the animals eventually evolved into more of an annoyance than a legitimate quirk.

The art by Jorge Mercado is just as potent and charismatic as readers might expect at this point.  His pencil strokes imbue the narrative with a life essence that’s both fresh and chaotic, and when dealing with this type of tale trust me that’s surely a welcome thing.  I was especially impressed with the talent’s ability to map out the fight sequences without letting his own style overwhelm the senses.

Grimm Fairy Tales presents The Jungle Book: Last of the Species #4 is an excellent comic book that does more than enough to build up the forthcoming climactic issue.  Recommended.

4/5