Dune: House Atreides #6 - BOOM! Studios

DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES No. 6, April 2021

Almost obsessed with a detailed depiction of the savage events occurring inside the “embattled city of Vernii” on Ix, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s collaborative narrative for Issue Six of “Dune: House Atreides” provides this long-running adaption with arguably its most action-packed instalment yet. Indeed, the sheer sense of scintillating pace which emanates from Earl Dominic’s desperate attempt to hold back a veritable sea of savage Suboids from washing over his beloved civilisation must have had many of this comic’s readers wondering just how the ruler’s guest, Leto Atreides, was ever going to survive such utter carnage in order to eventually father the Kwisatz Haderach.

Enjoyably though, this twenty-two page periodical doesn’t simply hurl dynamic set piece after set piece at its audience ad nauseam either, but rather cleverly interrupts the insanity taking place upon “the ninth planet in the star system Alkalurops” with some similarly intriguing political machinations occurring within the Imperial Throne Room on Kaitain. Ambassador Cammar Pilru’s passionate pleas to the Padishah Emperor for help were always going to fall upon death ears considering that the treacherous Elrood is actually the mastermind behind the Ix workers’ rebellion. However, that doesn’t stop the dying ruler’s theatrical performance in front of his subjects from being any less gripping; “Interesting. But the Imperial Throne cannot be bothered with mere internal unrest… Oh dear, Ambassador. You are being overly dramatic.”

Just as well done is this publication’s ability to swiftly inject a bit of personality into some of the unexpected revolt’s lesser known combatants so as to better personalise the impact which the Emperor’s barbaric treachery is having upon the population. This extra attention to detail is most markedly seen with C’Tair Pilru, son of the Ixian Emissary to Kaitain, who is unluckily trapped amidst the ruins of his once elegantly-crafted capital, and quickly made aware that his “beautiful city” is now under the ever-tightening control of the Sardaukar-supported Tleilaxu.

Finally, this comic is also noteworthy for Dev Pramanik’s sumptuously coloured artwork and lavishly pencilled representations of the sheer slaughter taking place on Ix. It quickly becomes clear that despite their technology’s superiority, Dominic’s forces are being brutally beaten back by both the religious furore of their slaves, as well as through sheer weight of numbers, and the Indian illustrator does a cracking job of imbuing the Earl’s people with the necessary incredulity when facing such an unthinkably overwhelming defeat.

The regular cover art of "DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES" #6 by Evan Eagle