In the penultimate issue of the series, we get a glimpse into the Kingdom of Kalu.
It’s time to dive into The Karman Blade #3 by Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram ,Matt Hollingsworth & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Image Comics).
The Karmen Blade #3 from Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram ,Matt Hollingsworth & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Image Comics)..
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
I freaking called it!
The Stranger killed Anatta at the end of issue two, and his name has become a cautionary tale. The boy who dared to take the Karman Blade to slay Kalu is now of the desert’s sands.
The Stranger, though, enjoys a life of indulgence at the top of the kingdom, where he falls in love with one of Kalu’s daughters, Sheika Day. She becomes pregnant with his child, and the kingdom rejoices over its newfound heir.
Kalu is not a trusting god, especially of The Stranger, and he lets Death stake her claim to not one, but three of the couple’s children.
The solution? The Stranger must take the Karman Blade and slay Sheika Day’s twin sister, Sheika Night, so Kalu will bless the couple with twins who are destined to rule over light and darkness.
In the ensuing fight, The Stranger accomplishes his mission, but not before Night reminds him that he cannot escape his destiny. It’s here that the realization slowly creeps in about who The Stranger is, but not to himself.
The issue ends with The Stranger confronting a faint whisper in the desert winds below the kingdom, where he learns his name and what’s become of the world that hoped he would finally bring water to this dead land.
Anatta has failed. And again, I called it.
Of course, The Stranger was Anatta.
read last issue’s review!
Issue three gives us a peek into the inner workings of Kalu’s kingdom and family. You learn very quickly the lengths he will go to ensure loyalty, worship, etc. He’s willing to let his daughter’s children die to spite Anatta, something he, of course, manipulates from the shadows. The seemingly idyllic kingdom is soaked in blood, and Anatta has now become part of it.
The Karman Blade blends so many fantasy and supernatural elements that it can become a bit convoluted at times. Van Poelgeest’s writing, as poetic as it is, does not care whether you can keep up. Ditto for Bertram’s art. Both demand our attention, and it’ll still be open to interpretation.
None of this is a knock.
I’m finding joy in trying to figure out why things are the way they are in this series. How does the Karman Blade manipulate time? How is The Stranger, or Anatta, not dead after killing his younger self? It helps that Ian Bertram’s art is this disturbing, dreamy, psychedelic trip, one I can’t take my eyes off of.
FINAL GRADE: 9.3
Anatta’s journey in the penultimate issue of the series has taken a time-bending turn, one that’ll leave you scratching your head on a first read. But read it again, and the work you put in to understand what’s going on will pay off.
if you're reading it, Let me know your thoughts on The Karman Blade #3 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!