Corpse Knight mixes magic, the mayhem of 1429 France, and a father-daughter bond that can’t be broken, but how long can the magic last? That’s a question Michael Chaves and Matthew Roberts explore in issue #4. Foy is on the hunt for Joan d’Arc to heal her father, or at the very least reverse the curse that keeps his undead body alive. The last issue revealed how he’s alive at all, but in the face of Christianity that Joan d’Arc holds dear, what chances does he have for forgiveness?
Corpse Knight #4 opens with Foy and her father riding horseback right towards a siege. We learn that Joan and her men are trapped by the British, but Foy will do anything to get to her. That includes fighting an army as best she can.
In the opening sequence, we see her take on men with all of her 70 pounds max, while her father steps in with close calls left and right. It’s hard to believe these two really could turn the tide, but much of their effort happens between pages. Aside from their gaining advantage after a full-page spread, there’s also a jump cut that awkwardly goes from Foy proclaiming they’ll win with smarts to seeing her being held by a British soldier. Either this book was missing a page, or it was meant to be comic relief; she was captured so quickly.
Once the story shifts to inside with Joan, the question arises if Joan d’Arc will help a child, and eventually, what she makes of Foy’s undead father. The result is a shock, leading to a cliffhanger so striking that it paints the creators into a corner, leaving you dying for the next issue. How does this story move forward? It’s a bold choice.
The art by Roberts is great as always, with gory highlights throughout as Foy’s dad jettisons eyes and slices arms off. A double-page layout of the siege of a castle is great at showing the scale and size of the army. Meanwhile, Joan has an interesting look, with solid character acting. The armor she wears practically makes her a superhero, and she stands out amongst the men that she leads.
Similar to the first two issues, Corpse Knight #4 is short on plot progression, basically made up of three scenes. Given the brevity of Foy seeing a massive army, and then somehow turning the tide, one could see her employing more cleverness to make that win more believable.
Corpse Knight #4 delivers an unforgettable final page and another excellent showcase for Matthew Roberts’ artwork, but uneven pacing holds it back from reaching its full potential. The emotional core between Foy and her father remains compelling, and Joan of Arc immediately commands the page whenever she appears. A few abrupt transitions and a siege sequence that skips over how a child and a zombie could win a fight against an army leave you wanting. The cliffhanger alone is enough to make the wait for the finale difficult, but this chapter isn’t quite as satisfying as its ending suggests.
