Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle #5 - Marvel Comics

WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE No. 5, March 2022

Unapologetically throwing away any sense of covertness to Canoness Veridyan’s secret assignment on Siscia for an “all-out war” against the minor Imperial Mining World’s chaos-infested population, Torunn Grønbekk’s final instalment of “Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle” certainly contains plenty of pulse-pounding moments. Indeed, at one point on the planet’s surface, “behind enemy lines”, the Prince of Pleasure even opens up a literal gateway thronged full of Slaanesh’s most purple fiends, steeds and heralds in an attempt to thwart the formidable firepower of an Adepta Sororitas Immolator; “Was it overkill..?”

Happily however, all this mass destruction doesn’t stop the Norwegian author from reaching a conclusion to the Order of Our Martyred Lady’s mission, even if the revelation is that the entire celestial body has given itself over to the "Lord of Excess" purely because the miners unwittingly uncovered a small corrupted statue in an abandoned temple’s wading bath whilst digging underground. This arguably underwhelming disclosure is debatably made all the more disappointing when the planetary-wide revolt’s instigator, Crea, is simply shot in the head by Sister Superior Cassia whilst the gaunt-looking priestess is taking a refreshing dip in the pool’s chaos-contaminated water.

Equally as bemusing is the fate awaiting the traitor Origen, who having been the sole objective for Veridyan’s semi-doomed operation, is seemingly killed straight out of hand by Inquisitor Ander, just as soon as the heavily manacled prisoner is brought before him. Admittedly, the grim-faced member of the Ordo Hereticus doesn’t execute his former acolyte until the exact location of Slaanesh’s statue has been confirmed. But this information is already made partially available to Ander courtesy of Sister Dialogus’ deciphering of Origen’s encrypted letters.

Much more satisfying than this mini-series’ storyline is Edgar Salazar’s pencilling, which does a proficient job in depicting the utter carnage taking place on Siscia’s surface once the Sisters of Battle roll out their forces in full. In addition, the Mexican artist sketches a truly epic sacrificial demise for an encircled Tedra, who quite literally blows the guts out of the uprising by dousing herself in highly flammable promethium, and then calmly walks towards the nearest group of gun-toting chaos cultists.

The regular cover art of "WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE" #5 by Dave Wilkins

Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle #4 - Marvel Comics

WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE No. 4, January 2022

Having spent the best part of three instalments showing Canoness Veridyan slowly leading her squad of Adepta Sororitas through the corruption-filled corridors of the planet Siscia, Torunn Grønbekk’s narrative for Issue Four of “Warhammer: Sisters Of Battle” probably provided many of its readers with some sense of satisfaction by finally having the all-female infiltration team encounter their target, Inquisitor Acolyte. Yet whilst this meeting does a good job of illustrating just how much of a cursed heretic Origen has become during his time on the “minor Imperial Mining World”, it arguably does so in such a heavy-handed manner that it raises several questions as to why the ‘Daughters of the Emperor’ didn’t just try to extricate the treacherous Inquisitorial henchman en mass from this mini-series’ start..?

To begin with, having finally learnt of his agent’s betrayal, Inquisitor Ander immediately dismisses any need for the urgent secrecy upon which this entire storyline’s premise has debatably been based, and instead informs Canoness Preceptor Oris that she may now crush the Chaos-led rebellion with maximum effort. This complete U-turn is genuinely infuriating and whilst it supposedly makes the Orders Militant’s commander-in-chief “grateful for this moment when the politics and uncertainty fade into irrelevance”, it also means that Veridyan never needed to attempt so doomed a mission to begin with just a handful of warriors.

Likewise, it appears abundantly clear that Novitiate Ghita’s team had absolutely no hope of ever making it through their assignment undiscovered, when both the planet’s Governor and Origen were neck deep in the mysterious Crea’s perfidies straight from this story’s start. Disconcertingly however, the removal of such clandestineness isn’t seemingly communicated to the Sisters prowling underground, but that doesn’t stop them literally blowing up the chaos force’s headquarters in a highly visible effort to extract the acolyte from his mistress’ demonic side; “Milady. The Sisters of Battle are on the ground. Our forces are ready. We only need your order.”

Perhaps therefore, this twenty-page periodical’s most notable highlight is to be found within the layouts of Edgar Salazar. The freelance artist does an excellent job of drawing the mindless violence surround the Sisterhood during its skirmishes with Origen’s numerous minions, and surely must have raised a smile upon the lips of many a “Warhammer 40,000” fan with his sketch of Veridyan double knee-capping her ungrateful ‘charge’ after he foolishly attempts to escape by unsuccessfully strangling Tedra.

The regular cover art of "WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE" #4 by Dave Wilkins

Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle #3 - Marvel Comics

WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE No. 3, December 2021

Whilst there’s certainly ample going on inside Torunn Grønbekk’s well-penned narrative for Issue Three of “Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle”, it will probably be hard for some of this mini-series’ loyal followers not to feel a slight sense of déjà vu as this comic’s lead protagonists simply continue to travel ever “deeper into the tunnels of Siscia.” Indeed, a fair portion of this twenty-page periodical’s plot could somewhat harshly be viewed as consisting of little more than Canoness Veridyan’s squad once again gunning down a number of emaciated chaos sympathisers against the all-too familiar backdrop of some grungy-looking, subterranean city tunnels; “Are you sure this is the correct path, Novitiate?”

Mercifully though, for those readers able to persevere with this arguable repetitiveness, the Norwegian author still manages to include plenty of intriguing moments with which to keep any fan of “the all-female military force” suitably hooked, such as a tantalising flashback sequence concerning Canoness Selene’s confession on the planet Balta some twenty-three years in the past. These insights into the Emperor’s faithful genuinely help bring some extra depth of character to this comic’s central cast, and help demonstrate just why the tightly-knit crew have been able to outfight so extensively-entrenched an enemy as Milady Crea’s daemonic rebellion.

Furthermore, Grønbekk cloaks the harsh-talking Inquisitor Ander with a thoroughly dislikeable, yet wholly enthralling, shroud of secrecy. Clearly keeping his cards incredibly close to his chest, the member of the Ordo Hereticus absolutely reeks of distrust during his curt conversations with Canoness Preceptor on board the Retribution-class battleship, Fiery Heart, and in doing so makes it disconcertingly clear that Veridyan’s supposedly straightforward mission to merely “retrieve a lost Inquisitorial acolyte” from a heretical uprising is far from the actual truth of the matter.

Ably aiding Torunn with this book’s storytelling is Edgar Salazar, whose well-pencilled layouts certainly contain plenty of “no-holds-barred action” whenever the script requires it. However, it is debatably the Mexican illustrator’s touchingly tender moment portraying Cassia’s life-saving blessing from the Emperor himself, which is potentially the artist’s finest contribution to this particular publication. Surrounded by her aghast comrades-in-arms, the unconscious warrior’s seemingly fatal throat wound is astonishingly shown to miraculously close in unison with the gathering’s vocal prayers for the Master of Mankind to show mercy.

The regular cover art of "WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE" #3 by Dave Wilkins

Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle #2 - Marvel Comics

WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE No. 2, November 2021

Providing its audience with a disconcertingly bleak flashback to a time when Novitiate Ghita was just a small, blonde-haired adolescent running through the dangerous alleyways of Siscia so as to be with her pitifully disfigured friends, Torunn Grønbekk’s storyline for Issue Two of “Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle” certainly shows the stagnant human civilisation of the far future in the very worst of lights. But whilst such decadence will doubtless make some readers question just why the chaos-infested industrial planet is actually worth saving, it does help emphasise every small act of kindness which the Adepta Sororitas can provide for those colonists who prove worthy.

Indeed, by having her narrative focus upon such a small number of Sisters of Battle amidst such a massive, violent uprising the Norwegian author ensures that every decision, thought, and observation that the Emperor’s loyal warriors make are absolutely crucial to the success of their covert mission. This attention to detail really helps ramp up the tension as the tightly-knitted Kill Team find themselves being drawn deeper down the daemon-filled tunnels, and actually adds some palatable weight to the rulings made by the Canoness Veridyan; “We have two choices. Try to get through the main gates or take down the sentry gun.”

Likewise, there’s a definite sense of threat from even the most poorly-armed opponent, which forces the titular characters to choose their targets and opportunities wisely. This concern, even when facing three seemingly weaponless workers in a subterranean settlement imbues the comic’s atmosphere with a genuine sense of dread and foreboding, especially when the faithless begin making bizarre incarnations against the Emperor and transform together into a huge, grinning monstrosity from beyond the warp.

Edgar Salazar is also at the top of his game with this book’s pencilling, making it abundantly clear with his well-populated panels just how massive the heretical uprising is which the Adepta Sororitas are slowly infiltrating, as well as how uncomfortably tiny the loyalist penetration squad actually are. In addition, the sad demise of Sister Superior Cassia is heartbreakingly drawn and it is easy to see the anguish upon Veridyan’s face as she caringly cradles her dying friend’s fast-failing form.

The regular cover art of "WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE" #2 by Dave Wilkins

Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle #1 - Marvel Comics

WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE No. 1, October 2021

Announced in May 2021 by its publisher as “the start of the next phase of Warhammer comics at Marvel”, Issue One of “Warhammer 40,000: Sisters Of Battle” probably lived up to most Games Workshop fans’ expectations with its “no-holds-barred action, mystery, and daemons galore.” Indeed, the twenty-page periodical doesn’t even manage to last a mere handful of panels before it’s portraying a Magistrate and his fellow legal experts being flung to death from atop a high-rise building; “Your heresy will not go unpunished. Repent while you still can. Save your soul. You are about to die.”

Surprisingly however, Torunn Grønbekk’s narrative doesn’t concern itself with a large swathe of the Adepta Sororitas though, preferring instead to simply settle upon the self-contained exploits of eight Sisters of Battle, as they seek to free an Inquisitor’s acolyte from the chaotic planet of Siscia. Such a limited number of characters may well disappoint those hotly anticipating reading about the Ecclesiarchy's massed armed forces pitilessly subjugating a large-scale heresy using all the vehicles and wargear at their command. But it does mean that the Norwegian author is better able to imbue a few of the elite group with some pleasing personality.

In addition, it soon becomes evident that every casualty is going to be crucial to the success of Canoness Veridyan’s covert mission – an element which really helps to ramp up the tension once the team encounter their first potentially deadly obstacle in the shape of two men carrying Stub Guns, and are forced to dive for what scant cover the tunnel within which they are racing along can provide. This sense-shattering shoot-out also gives Grønbekk a terrific opportunity to contrast Novitiate Ghita from the rest of her fight-savvy comrades-in-arms and demonstrate just how much the female Progena of the Schola Progeniums relies upon her faith in the Emperor to see her safely through the day.

Similarly as rewarding are this comic’s layouts by Edgar Salazar, whose ability to imbue this “all-new action-packed adventure” with plenty of dynamism helps enormously with its storytelling. The expressions on the various combatants’ faces are particularly convincing in presenting people’s emotions, with the almost blissful look upon Battle Sister Elsbeth as she suicidally ignites a grenade whilst in the spine-breaking clutches of a multi-tentacled chaos spawn, disconcertingly haunting most of this book’s audience for quite some time afterwards.

The regular cover art of "WARHAMMER 40,000: SISTERS OF BATTLE" #1 by Dave Wilkins