This twisted story arc featuring the return of the once amnesiac Samhain continues here, but is it really something that’s worthy of your money and time? Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

“FINAL,” Part Two

The most twisted and persistent slashers Cassie has ever faced are back. And they’re on the hunt, ensuring that everyone Cassie and Vlad have ever saved become the victims they were intended to be! Someone dies! Actually, a whole lot of people die!!

The title of this romp is quite appropriate as the feeling of dread the narrative brings about is only matched by its intent execution.  The creative team is presenting a straightforward but intense tale that sees lots of deaths and kidnappings in the wake of a power grab.  Trust me, longtime fans have a lot to sink their teeth into with this release as Cassie Hack and Vlad take a bit of a back-seat to the destruction going on around them.

Tim Seeley handles the script and the longtime author finds a way to attack every single safe place that’s been built for our beleaguered protagonists.  When the killing starts the audience feels the various losses and the proverbial danger that’s surely building as this saga enters its next phase.  In the end the series writer sacrifices people to accomplish a simple enough goal but the reward, despite some pacing issues, is that we get to see some very human reactions as dark revelations progressively bubble to the surface.

Elena Casagrande‘s latest issue is even better than her last one.  Her unique design sense seems to be well-suited to this world as she expertly crafts simplistic panels that evoke a minimalist tendency while embracing each character’s unique designs.  From the pencil strokes that form the backgrounds to the steady hand that brings life to this world it’s very clear at this point that this series artist is off to an exceptional start.

Hack/Slash #21 is an excellent issue that offers quite a set-up for next month’s outing.  Recommended.

4/5