Artemis & The Assassin #4 - AfterShock Comics

ARTEMIS & THE ASSASSIN No. 4, August 2020

Providing its audience with a highly anticipated flashback sequence to 261 B.C.E. and the ruler of Kalinga’s “bloody war against Emperor Ashoka’s forces” in order to provide Maya with a catastrophic origin story, Stephanie Phillips’ script for “We Don’t Ask Why” disconcertingly sees this mini-series’ storyline cross over the line from science fiction into science fantasy. In fact, this entire twenty-page periodical suddenly continually emphasises the supernatural disposition of both this book’s mean-spirited time traveller and her well-dressed, mysterious benefactor – who apparently is unable to die despite the best efforts of some Khopesh-carrying Ancient Egyptians.

Perhaps naturally, these forays into the supernatural provide this comic with some of its more action-orientated moments, most notably Isak’s aforementioned fracas in 2200 B.C.E. where the dapper-looking company executive rather nonchalantly cuts down a pair of Dutch Henderson’s bodyguards during his recovery of the anachronistic cowboy’s stolen bracelet. But considering that up until this point all the advantages the time travellers have ‘enjoyed’ over their historical adversaries have appeared to be technological advancements, this publication’s surprising revelation that they may be so much more is arguably somewhat discombobulating.

Indeed, the notion that Maya was somehow brought back to life using the secret knowledge contained within several antique tomes following her demise as an infant is debatably rather jarring, especially when her restoration by “the new leader of the Nine” apparently also imbues the archer with the swirling blue supernatural energies from which she can fashion her bow and arrows; “For generations, my people existed with the sole purpose of protecting the book… Until the dams broke. The water took everything I knew… It almost took me, too.”

Far less perturbing are Francesca Fantini’s proficient pencils, which definitely help imbue this comic’s more violent sequences with some additional savagery. Isak being almost cut in two by some deadly curved blades is a good example of this, with the action actually being presented via some shadowy silhouettes moving at great speed as opposed to a straightforward panel depicting the mutilation. Such a technique genuinely lets the reader’s imagination ‘fill in the gaps’, and potentially harkens back to the death of Anck-su-namun in Stephen Sommers’ 1999 film “The Mummy”.

Writer & Creator: Stephanie Phillips, and Artist: Francesca Fantini