‘Assassin’s Creed Last Decendants: Locus #3’ Review

Written by Ian Edginton | Art by Caspar Wijngaard | Published by Titan Comics

This series has been great fun through its first two issues, with an interesting scenario and cast, sparkling dialogue, and some fun little touches. Last issue we were left on quite the knife edge when the main character, Pinkerton agent Tommy Greyling, was run through by a Templar sword in the final panel. This raised an interesting question as to what sort of trauma does the modern day descendant Sean, currently in the Animus and experiencing all this, suffer? Tommy of course has been trying to locate a Piece of Eden, gaining along the way the assistance of two Assassins, Henry Green and Evie Frye, plus Inspector Abilene (of Jack the Ripper fame) and Sam Clemens (Mark Twain to you and me), and being pursued by a female Templar assassin.

We start with Sean, in the infirmary after the shock of last issue but willing to go back in to the Animus, albeit with gentle persuasion. Again we see hints that the fact Sean has the ability to walk through his ancestor, unlike being wheelchair bound in the ‘real’ world, is affecting his judgement. Is Sean addicted to going in? His friend Nat thinks so. She also has very serious doubts about what is going on here in general. Let’s keep our eye on Nat. Turns out we don’t have to, as it seems that Sean’s other friends also have serious misgivings about what is going on around them. For now, they are content to just watch.

Back in the past Tommy has escaped death after all. He was wearing one of those new fangled bullet proof vests, and it stopped the blade though he cracked a rib or two. On to the British Museum to stop the Templars taking that Piece of Eden then. After negotiating a Templar orchestrated police strike, and assorted dead bodies, they catch up with the female assassin just as she finds what she was seeking. A gun battle ensues, with Tommy chasing after the mystery woman. The issue ends with the nineteenth century equivalent of a car chase. Far cooler of course, as it is a horse and carriage chase through the streets of London.

I’m genuinely sad the next issue is the final one, as this has been great fun. The main Tommy Greyling story arc is interesting by itself, but throw in the extra goings on in the present with Sean and his friends, and it’s almost an embarrassment of riches. Unlike last issue, this issue gave almost equal time to both Tommy and Sean, switching between the two as and when the story required. More action than dialogue this issue too, but that suited the tone of this issue, just as the more dialogue heavy story last issue suited then. Top writing again from Ian Edginton.

More of the same from artist Caspar Wijngaard, but when that ‘same’ is art perfectly suited to the story being told that is all you really want. I personally think he looks his best when drawing the period detail, as he has a great eye for costume and buildings back in the day. Solid art though, and good storytelling, though perhaps slightly too conventional and orthodox at times. No experimenting with panel size and angles here.

Ian Edginton definitely has a good handle on what makes Assassins Creed as a concept work, and has crafted a nice action adventure tale set in his corner of that universe. I am curious to see how he can possibly wrap up all those dangling plot threads in the final issue. Fully confident he will do it of course, but not sure how.

This series looks like being over far too soon.

**** 4/5

Assassin’s Creed Last Decendants: Locus #3 is out now from Titan Comics