ADVANCE REVIEW! The Mercenary Sea #4

The latest entry for this new franchise has arrived, but should fanboys and fangirls take a chance and pick it up? Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

“MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN”

Stranded in a Chinese fishing village, Jack and company must rescue the British spy “Top Hat,” who’s been captured by Japanese soldiers.

There’s a lot of reasons why comic enthusiasts should rush to their local comic shop and purchase this series. From the strength of the creative team and the personality they deliver on a monthly basis, this is a prime example of a worthwhile buy. The Mercenary Sea is a high adventure tale that may be waterlogged but it’s not limited in its scope and for that reason it absolutely deserves your immediate attention.

There’s just something naturally infectious about our primary cast, especially Captain Jack Harper. Through Kel Symons and his literary prowess, the entire release work as a simple and yet competent journey that feels like a natural adventure book. There are two components that help single this out, the first is that the overused tropes that fans of the genre are used to are either absent or don’t feel forced. Secondly, the dialogue between the characters is fluent and understandable, to the point that there actions become believable.

What really sells this entire concept is the consistently awesome and wholly original works done by Matthew Reynolds. His style is unique, as followers are quick to notice, once you open up a comic that from the first page to the final panel carries a vibrant atmosphere with kinetic motion underlying each sequence. It’s a rarity to peruse and imagine something that looks so good you can just picture it animated, but that’s exactly what happens here. To sum up: if you need one reason to take chance on this title the art’s it.

The Mercenary Sea #4 doesn’t move the narrative ball that far but it continues to offer a compelling narrative that’s engaging. So whether you’re already on board for this ride or just getting into it this release simply comes recommended.