AHOY is back with another issue of Ash & Thorn that’s simply packed with content. This issue, readers get the next installment of the Ash & Thorn series along with another edition of “Pickle’s Pantry” by Mariah McCourt and Soo Lee. On top of this, there are three short stories: “Redhead” by Martyn Pedler, “Color” by Carol Lay, and “Strike Anywhere” by Kirk Vanderbeek. As always, it’s a lot of content crammed into one single issue, but that’s AHOY Comics for you.
The Good
Things are ramping up for Lottie in Ash & Thorn as the apocalypse grows closer. In the opening issues, the tongue-in-cheek tone of the book could almost distract readers from the seriousness of the “end of the world” problem Lottie and Peruvia faced. Now that we’re past the midpoint of the series, however, the conflict is seriously ramping up.
Last issue things got a little trippy, and Soo Lee’s fantastic artwork did a great job of showcasing the strangeness of the dreamscape. Similarly, things get almost Lovecraftian this issue. Soo Lee depicts the monster of this series so well it’s hard not to stare at it despite how creepy and eye-y it is.
Perhaps it’s a lockdown thing, but more comics should come with baking recipes. It’s certainly a missed opportunity by many.
The shorts that come with this issue are all fairly moving. “Strike Anywhere” and “Redhead” deal with similar themes, but “Color” really strikes the current feeling of life in the COVID world. All three stories have an uneasy vibe, but each ending is different. Most comics don’t come with three short stories, let alone three good ones, so AHOY really knocks it out of the park with Ash & Thorn.
The Bad
There’s really nothing to say. Honestly at this stage the only negative things are entirely subjective to the series itself. But if a septuagenarian’s quest to save the world isn’t your cup of tea, you’ll likely know by now.
The Verdict
Ash & Thorn is still a fantastic series. It feels like Soo Lee’s art gets better each issue, but it might just be that the plot gets more exciting every month that Lee is given more to play with. The extras seal the deal with this. Ash & Thorn #4 is a steal for the price and everything from main chapter to short stories is worth the read.
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