In Review: Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #2 LEGEND MEETS LEGEND. STEEL MEETS THE DIVINE

Synopsis: LEGEND MEETS LEGEND. STEEL MEETS THE DIVINE. THE SWORD OF VENGEANCE ANSWERS A HIGHER CALL.

Solomon Kane is no stranger to the impossible, but the mythic storm gathering in the heart of India may be his greatest test yet!

Guided by a mysterious black-maned lion, Solomon Kane is drawn to India and a confrontation between the warrior queen Rani Durgavati and the mighty Mughal Empire. But the coming battle is more than a clash of armies. Ancient powers are stirring, gods and demons walk among the living, and Kane’s arcane Atlantean staff may hold the key to it all.

The Story

Picking up on events from the last issue, Gondwana is preparing for war as Ramih Khan and Asaf Khan unite their armies against Maharani Durgavati. Despite the danger, Durgavati refuses to abandon her kingdom, while Prince Vir also vows to remain and fight. Tensions escalate within her court after diplomatic efforts to secure Emperor Akbar’s protection fail.

Meanwhile, Solomon Kane continues travelling through India, guided by a mysterious black-maned lion. The creature leads him to Jahaz Mahal, where he is welcomed by Qara Bahadur Khan and unexpectedly reunited with Abramo and Diamanta. As Abramo examines Kane’s ancient Atlantean staff, Kane recalls receiving it from N’Longa. Troubled by the feeling that an unseen power is directing his journey, Kane uses the staff to seek N’Longa’s counsel.

Elsewhere, the murdered Lopesh has returned as a corpse inhabited by a malevolent vetala. The issue ends gruesomely when a disgraced Mughal soldier is fed to the ravenous creature.

Artwork

Patrick Zircher, who also wrote the comic, does a fantastic job with the interior artwork. I loved the panels showing Solomon Kane walking alongside the mysterious dark-maned lion, with the vast desert landscape stretching out behind them and suggesting that they have been on a long journey. I also loved the character drawing of Lopesh, particularly the panel in which he is hanging upside down inside Ramih Khan’s tent. I think Lopesh is going to make for a really interesting character as this story evolves.

Overall

Another enjoyable chapter in this latest Solomon Kane story. Zircher does a great job of balancing the narrative among such a large cast of characters, and I love that many of those involved in the story are based on real figures from Indian history.