Orcs and humans have formed a treaty to fight a third race, but even so, the world is falling apart in The Hunger and the Dusk. G. Willow Wilson and Chris Wildgoose’s fantasy epic continues this week with its fifth issue, and it delivers big time on action. There are also some cracks forming in the Last Men Standing crew, especially when the entire crew is put to the test to save one of their own who has been kidnapped.
The Hunger and the Dusk #5 opens with the Last Man Standing leader Cal worried about Mikil, one of his men who has been tracking a Vangol but hasn’t made it back to camp. His crew is small, but agile in battle, but even so, Cal won’t leave his man stranded. It’s something the Vangol are counting on, and the central conflict of this issue.
Intercut with the recovery of Mikil are captions that detail the dangers of fire and how it spreads. Wilson makes the point that the dangers we see coming are sometimes the hardest to stop. The series has always had a touch of commentary concerning global warming, and it’s pretty obvious it’s a similar argument. Similar to the last issue, these captions bookend well by the end of the issue, giving it a singular focus.
Wildgoose is a master at clothes and costumes.
Credit: IDW
In between those bookends is a ton of great action. When the action kicks into gear, Wildgoose loosens things up to allow you to soak up the enemies and heroes dodging arrows and slicing with their swords. The layout is energetic too, with slanting panels creating a sense of chaos in battle. There’s a particularly cool page with a Vangol upside down, as we see him from the perspective of Mikil.
Fans of fantasy will feel fed reading this, from the various fighters to the visuals. This series is wholly original, yet features tropes of fantasy that will satisfy your expectations.
Outside of the action, the central conflict is between Cal and Tara, who don’t see eye to eye with Cal’s leadership. He’s putting his entire crew in danger, while Tara doesn’t see the logic in threatening their lives. Wilson does a good job interlacing Tara’s point of view on how to be tactical due to her orc background. She’s also a healer, and sees the security of many should always supersede the few. It’s easy to see both sides.
These two and their argument blow up in the final scene, which leads to a cliffhanger that should put everything the orc and humans have done so far in danger. Her reaction doesn’t quite feel earned, however. She’s in tears, and the scene could use a bit more from her perspective. She comes off as a bit brash in her actions when Cal’s plan does actually work. More depictions of her outrage in battle, or some loss on the good-guy side could have helped push her over the edge, but instead, she makes a choice seemingly out of the blue.
Anyone in need of action will be satisfied with The Hunger and the Dusk #5. The fantasy tropes are strong with this one, thoroughly delivering for any fan of fantasy in all its forms.
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