The swords and shields return with Dark Knights of Steel #10 finally hitting shelves. The Tom Taylor-written medieval-fantasy maxiseries comes back in full form, giving readers a chance to fill in some backstory as the stage sets itself for what is sure to be an exciting climax.
Following immediately after the big reveal at the end of issue #9, Dark Knights of Steel gives readers the backstory on the true villains who have been orchestrating events behind the scenes to divide the kingdoms. Without spoiling anything, it’s a heart-wrenching story of how fear and hatred can only lead to death and destruction, a crucial lesson for the leaders of the Kingdom of Storms, House of El, and Amazonians.
This issue dials back on the action seen in the previous issue and instead uses its page time to give characters a chance to breathe before the series concludes. Many heart-wrenching moments between characters continue to showcase the devastating effects of war.
The series’ ability to take characters who are already fantastical and transport them to a high fantasy setting without losing what makes the characters so special is its greatest strength. Tom Taylor might be writing a story with a talking green dragon, but he never loses focus on the story’s true message that we can overcome hate and bigotry by standing together, no matter how different we are. It’s a strong and clear message felt throughout each scene of the book.
Strong and clear is also the name of the game when it comes to art. Yasmine Putri makes every page feel full without being overpowering. The characters all feel distinct and exciting without feeling over-designed. In issue #10, Putri does great work in showing the horrors of war during the flashback sequence.
Arif Prianto accompanies the art with tremendous coloring work. There are several great moments throughout the book, but a particular page towards the end is a true standout. There are several multi-character dialogue scenes, and letterer Wes Abbot does a great job of making characters and their dialogue feel clear and distinct.
Across the board, the art team behind Dark Knights of Steel remains among the best currently on shelves.
Dark Knights of Steel #10 is the breather the series needed after the action of issue #9. No space is wasted, allowing characters a chance to grieve and recover from the battle, all while setting up the showdown that will be coming in the final two issues. The series continues to create a new and fascinating world full of characters who feel fresh and exciting, all while keeping their cores familiar. Issue #10, and the series as a whole, continues to be some of the most fun you can have between the pages of a comic.
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