The end is here for Green Valley, a series that’s now on its ninth issue and ninth month. It has been a long journey–and this last issue is longer still, clocking in at 40 pages–but can Max Landis and Giuseppe Camuncoli wrap this time travel story in a meaningful way?
Writer: Max Landis
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Publisher: Image Comics
So what’s it about?
The official summary reads:
MINISERIES FINALE GIANT-SIZED final issue! The knights of Kelodia were once the finest in the land, until they faced the wizard of Green Valley. Now, their epic, time-bending quest comes to a close in this extra-sized issue, and history will never be the same again.
Why does this book matter?
How can you argue with an extra sized issue for the same price?! This story has been completely insane in the best of ways. It has tied medieval knights into a time travel story in interesting and new kinds of ways. It’s also all about friendship and finding meaning when you think you have none.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
The t-rex might have tiny arms, but those are swimmer legs!
If you were upset with the lack of action in portions of this series fear not, because there’s tons in this issue. Berwald is currently shuttling through time on the time machine, Ralphus is back in time before his kingdom was destroyed and Gulliver is attempting to outlive a t-rex that wants to eat him. There’s a lot going on in this issue, with each character going up against some incredible threats. Max Landis pens a well written issue in part because it flows so nicely. It’s very clear what they’re up against to start and each character’s journey has an appropriate end.
There’s also a story within the story in this issue, with everything seemingly at an end halfway through the book. In a clever twist, Landis has the far future characters pop into the story here (they only appeared once in a past issue) and drop a massive question mark into the book. It increases your anticipation and makes the final pages a surprise, even if you could have guessed how it would all end. It’s a nice nod to our heroes and gives the final pages a bit more oomph.
There are also a few nice moments between these knights, which is needed given they were ready to kill each other last issue. There’s a brotherhood bond going on and Landis writes it well through dialogue.
Camuncoli draws another stellar issue, this time with some incredible digital effects that make the time machine scenes look believable. Through the use of blur and light, Camuncoli makes these scenes stand out and feel extra epic. There’s also a neat way flashbacks are shown, with a yellow glow that dissolves at its edges. This enhances the panels of Ralphus reacting to the memories that run parallel to them. This issue, and really the series as a whole, proves Camuncoli can draw characters very well.
Cool way to visaulize the flashback.
It can’t be perfect can it?
Though the longer issue is appreciated, it seems a bit unnecessary given how slow it plods along. There’s a clarity to the issue that would have suffered with a faster pace, but it seems to take its time unnecessarily with scenes. This of course allows Camuncoli to visualize the story more, but with nothing said or the basic idea coming across well anyway, it ends up slowing the pace.
Is It Good?
This is a good ending with a surprise or two thrown in. Everything wraps up well and there are some visual tricks that make key scenes really stand out. Green Valley makes a statement about time travel stories in a story that’s entertaining and very well plotted.
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