Titan’s terrific trio (11/9): Mummies, assassins, warriors, oh my!

Wednesdays are the best days for comic fans, because each week brings a slew of new issues for beloved series. We’re going to try something new and discuss a weekly roundup of Titan Comics titles you should check out each week. Winter is coming, and it’s time to let it go, so let’s talk about a re-imagining of a beloved horror classic as well as the debut of a manga spin-off for Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag and the wintry first issue of the expanded Dark Souls universe.

The Mummy #1 (Writer: Peter Milligan, Artist: Ronilson Freire)
Ever since 1932, The Mummy has been a perennial horror franchise, and thanks to a collaboration with Hammer Comics, Titan has released the first issue of The Mummy. Steeped in Egyptian lore, the story follows Angelina Kostenko, an unwitting pawn in an unlikely ritual; a sacrifice to Osiris is needed for a group of men to remain immortal, and now it’s Angelina’s turn to undergo this procedure. Having narrowly escaped a sex trafficking ring with her life, Angelina starts to relive flashbacks of previous sacrifices and ancestors, and must find a way to escape the clutches of those that want to kill her, as well as ancient Egyptian gods and creatures.
While the comic’s pacing could use some work, it does a brilliant job of mixing horror and action elements together, and creates a supernatural thriller that’s entertaining from start to finish. The art style has gritty colors and evokes the kind of terror that the old 50s horror movies had, which is a great throwback to the films of The Mummy franchise. If you want some classic mummy action and thrills, this debut issue awaits!

Assassin’s Creed Awakening #1 (Writer: Yano Takashi, Artist: Oiwa Kenji)
With Vampire Hunter D: Message from Mars and the excellent Attack on Titan anthology, we’ve seen a great mashup of Japanese manga translating to Western comics. However, we’ve also seen the opposite, and that’s the direction Assassin’s Creed Awakening goes. A supplemental arc to Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, the issue chronicles Edward Kenway’s journey as he becomes a pirate-turned-assassin. The first issue seems to be a prequel to the whole affair, as we get to see a new character in the modern day experiencing the Animus for the first time. Due to the swashbuckling subject matter, the story feels like an American version of One Piece, but judging from Kenway’s character in the game proper, it may steer in another direction. The manga style is great, with the panels complementing the action and dramatic scenes very well. From the looks of it, this miniseries will deal with Kenway’s origin story before being an assassin, and it’ll be fun to see some pure pirate plundering with a bit of hidden blades mixed in. While this issue is over before anything big happens, it’s a great set up to an exciting six part event.

Dark Souls: Winter’s Spite #1 (Writer: George Mann, Artist: Alan Quah)
Prepare to die (with excitement!) at another Dark Souls tie-in. This series follows Andred of Ithvale as he is captured and forced to fight in the kingdom of Winterspite. When a weapon made from the soul of his ancestor is stolen, Andred plans to seek answers while finding a way out of the combat prison he’s in. The first issue highlights an introductory battle with a brutish monster and establishes the battle-hardened nature of the protagonist. The art style is surprisingly the most colorful of the three, with much detail to the issue’s antagonist due to smooth coloring of the character. The issue really captures the feel of its source material, and is comparable to some of the epic fights that the series is famous for. The end creates more tension and higher stakes for the protagonist as he faces an even greater foe in search for a way out of Winterspite.

Are you planning on picking any comics up this week? Send in your comments below!

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