As the first year of Timothy’s return comes to a close, the Magic hits the fan while plot threads finally reach their climax before closing out on an ominous note. Kat Howard, Tom Fowler, and Brian Churilla work together and bring this epic conclusion to-a-head. Feeling not only his life but the life of his loved ones in danger, Timothy makes the ultimate decision setting the stage for a much more sinister future. Standing strong as a premier title for the Sandman Universe, this title continues to weave the past with this new future and defy expectations at every turn.
As Timothy discovers his father locked in a magical stupor, the young wizard finds someone he thought to be his mother. As they ravage his room in search of a magical tome. With her identity proving to be false, Timothy uses his Magic to expel the doppelgänger before it disappears. From one treachery to the next Timothy is met by a school bully telling him of a magical battle taking place on campus only for him to be trapped by the opposing forces. Left with no other choice, Timothy takes the life of his adversary to save his friends. Seemingly remorseless, the chapter closes out, leaning heavily toward the evil Timothy potential future.
Tom Fowler continues to do the layouts for the series, this time around Brian Churilla and Craig Taillefer do the majority of the finishes. Previously the quirky and highly rendered artwork of Fowler solely on pencil duties has been lost as his layouts are finished to a far less realized standard. The differences between one page to the next are unfortunately quite noticeable, but Marissa Louise attempts to bring the artists into closer approximation with her great colorwork. While the heart remains, it’s as if a beloved tv show lost some of its budget between episodes.
Kat Howard raises the stakes while defying reader expectations and taking Timothy Hunter to unthinkable corners of his mind. With potential futures seemingly falling into place, Howard is completely using every piece of the previous runs. To create something brand new and exciting yet still oddly familiar. As Howard continues to play with the past and future, Timothy continues to develop and make for an incredibly refreshing take on the young Merlin.
Albeit far less rendered and detailed than previously, the series continues to raise the stakes and make for a genuinely entertaining and engaging read for old and new fans alike. In what could be marketed as Harry Potter for adults, the title can easily garner affinity from a younger audience as well with its lack of forced cursing or overly-detailed violence. Closing out this first year on an absolute jaw-dropping note, issue #13 will sure to be another explosive chapter for the young wizard and the creative team alike.
Grade: B+
