Tom Taylor and Daneile Di Nicculo’s C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table has been a very fun all-ages adventure from DC, full of charm, wit, and just enough peril to not completely scare off younger readers. This tale of a group of kids gaining the powers of the sentient weapons of the Knights of the Round Table has had a very “Saturday morning cartoon” vibe, so much so that I wouldn’t be surprised if Cartoon Network comes calling to create an adaptation based on it. With the finale in C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table #6 hitting this week, the stage is set for the final battle, and threats yet to come.
As Fel confronts her father (SPOILER ALERT- President of the United States), he quickly deduces that her arrival is meant to be a distraction for her teammates. Under the thrall of the legendary scabbard containing the spirit of Mordred, Fel’s father is dead-set on accruing as much power as possible, no matter the cost. As the two square off, it allows Kevin to finally make use of his staff and transport the rest of C.O.R.T. into the White House to take down the President once and for all!
Like previous issues, Tom Taylor’s script is perfectly suited for readers of a particular age. While not as involved or detailed for comic reviewers pushing 40 like myself, C.O.R.T. shines best as a comic that is perfectly suited for the YA crowd. There’s enough high drama and stakes that will make young readers thrill, but any adults reading along may be hung up on the actual breakdown of how Fel’s father, who hasn’t been in the picture the entire series, is the President and yet Fel and her mom have zero Secret Service protection (I get that they’re divorced, but come on). Naturally this can be narratively waved away by how evil Fel’s father is, but the idea of Mordred corrupting him isn’t as fully fleshed out as I would have liked, as there’s some real drama there that could make the fight hit harder even for younger readers.
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Despite that, Taylor’s script is chock full of excellent character beats and moments for the members of C.O.R.T.. Every character gets a great moment in the final fight, and Conor’s reunion with his grandmother is a fantastic emotional moment that hits effectively because of the moments we spent with them earlier in the series. I won’t harp on the fact that we barely know the other members of C.O.R.T. again (lord knows that’s been my only real issue with this series), but I will say that as great as it was seeing them all let loose with their weapons, it would’ve been even better if we knew anything about them beyond their names and weapons.
Daniele Di Nicuolo has been C.O.R.T.‘s secret weapon since the first issue, and the promise of that opening soccer scene there pays off beautifully here, as we get not one, but TWO great splash page moments for the C.O.R.T. kids. The battle with the White House security has a fluidity that you’d find in your favorite anime, and Di Niculo gives the different weapons their own personalities in ways that are truly great and add to the differences of these inanimate objects. Mordred’s snakelike snarl is a great design choice, and makes this piece of knight’s armor truly feel evil. Di Nicuolo and Taylor’s ending page for the book also brings us a great sense of closure if this is to be the last issue of the series.
But I have to be honest: I hope it’s not! C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table has filled a pretty big void in DC’s publishing stable, and being the only all ages title that isn’t Scooby-Doo Team-Up adds a variety to their publishing line that has been sorely needed. The comics industry needs to take more chances with titles for a wide variety of ages, and I hope C.O.R.T. has the success to keep going, as it’s been a fun series overall and I’m very curious to see where it all goes from here.
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