‘Assassin’s Creed Last Decendants: Locus #4’ Review
Written by Ian Edgington | Art by Caspar Wijngaard | Published by Titan Comics
Next year is a big year for Assassin’s Creed, with the movie coming out and probably another game or two, so the job of the comics, prose books, statues etc is to keep the brand active, and keep it popular. The Assassin’s Creed comics have not disappointed, all have been telling good, solid stories and making sure they have their own well defined identity. This series has been especially good, telling us the story of Pinkerton agent Tommy Greyling, and modern descendant Sean, and having along for the ride Henry Green and Evie Frye (the Assassins from the Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate game), plus Inspector Abilene and Sam Clemens. It’s been great fun so far, as Greyling hunts for the Piece of Eden he is seeking. All good things must come to an end though, and hopefully this final issue will live up to the previous three.
We left Tommy last issue in a horse and carriage race through the streets of London with the female Templar, and the first few pages see her escape yet again ,leaving Tommy battered and bruised. Cut back to the present, and a disappointed Sean being told he will no longer be needed as this avenue of investigation is now being closed, the assumption being that Tommy never found the Piece. Sean is naturally disappointed, but living in his ancestors shoes has at least taught him a valuable lesson. He had been feeling sorry for himself, being confined to a wheelchair, and been using the Animus as a way to walk again. He has realised this is all wrong, and that he needs to re-focus his life and try harder.
Sean and his friends though are a clever bunch, and tell Isaiah they think he has given up this line of enquiry too quickly. They think Tommy didn’t lose, and Isaiah is persuaded to allow Sean in one last time. Sean was right, and Tommy deduced what ship the Templar would be on to try and escape back to the U.S, and confronted her once again. Tommy and Alice engage in a pretty philosophical discussion about the Assassin/Templar conflict. Alice tells Tommy they are both being used but at least she chose her fate, and that from her viewpoint he is the villain. It’s all just a matter of perspective. Alice chooses to throw the Piece of Eden into the sea, and sacrifices herself by jumping in. She warns Tommy to watch his back.
Ian Edginton managed to wrap things up very nicely, and Tommy Greyling is one of my favourite new characters of the year. Tough, no-nonsense, straight talking, how could you not like him? I also suspect with the way the issue ended that we may not have seen the last of Tommy…or even perhaps of Alice, the feisty Templar agent. On one level, having all four issues ultimately be a wild goose chase could be seen as pretty disappointing, but luckily the story was deeper than that. The blend of past and present was nicely judged, and descendant Sean wasn’t just tacked on as afterthought, he was as important to the story as Tommy. Edginton wrote strong, multi dimensional characters that made this series a great read.
Caspar Wijngaard again proved why he is on this book, delivering solid art that looks especially effective back in Nineteenth Century London. He draws a fine mustache it must be said. The panels are always nicely laid out and easy to read, and the characters move from panel to panel with ease. The art has a weight to it that some artists lack. Very nice stuff.
Although this particular series has now finished, hopefully this isn’t the last we see either of these characters or of this creative team’s work in the Assassin’s Creed world.
**** 4/5
Assassin’s Creed Last Decendants: Locus #4 is out now from Titan Comics.
