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Battlecats: The Hunt For the Dire Beast Review

Written By: Mark London

Illustrator: Andy King, Michael Camelo

Colorist: Alejandro Giraldo, Julian Gonzalez

Lettering By: Miguel Zapata, Christian Ospina

Published By: Mad Cave Studios

Release Date: Single issues are out now, TPB out on the 25th July 2018

 

In the medieval and mystical realm of Valderia, felines rule the land. The King orders his loyal warriors, known as the Battlecats, to defeat and retrieve the head of the menacing Dire Beast. There is more to this story as the mini-series continues, as the history of the Empire is explained including how the Kingdom was formed, the achievements and downfalls of its rulers, and the dark secrets that it hides.

The world debut of Battlecats throws the reader straight into the action, as the characters are tasked with an almost impossible mission. In Issue #1, we get a quick introduction to the five warriors personalities. Although Mekkar, the bard, seems like an untrustworthy and somewhat foolish companion, his demeanor quickly changes when the fighting begins. Each member of the Battlecats is fierce in their own right and can certainly hold their own in battle. However, the most intriguing character that caught my attention was the soccoress Vaela. There seems to be some interesting backstory surrounding her character, one I wish was a bit better explored. With that in mind, Battlecats is a series that definitely needs to be expanded upon. It has successfully created a new world that desperately needs exploring for the sake of the readers.

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There are more enemies involved than just the Dire Beast, although we have only barely scratched the surface with them in this series. The characters shown are regarded as proven warriors and trusted by their King, who has ordered them to defeat a legendary Dire Beast that has been causing much trouble within the Kingdom. The timing of the King’s request is unusual, as the Dire Beast has been causing harm for many years before the King became too concerned. There are many secrets at play here, and I do hope that the creators are planning on making this a full comic series in the near future.

Feline characters, standing on their back legs, clenching their weapons and dressed in armour. It already screams Thundercats to me from the outside, but so far it seems to be taking itself a bit more seriously. All are proven warriors, both professional and fierce when the time comes. The artwork reflects that; the panelling is also done well, making it easy to follow. The addition of magic into the story and the panels in which it is used are powerful. The high level of detail in those scenes is carried on throughout the rest of the issues. The artwork for the covers alone just pulls you towards this particular series when it sits there in the comic stands.

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Battlecats was brought to life by the team over at Mad Cave Studios, who were established back in 2014. Mad Cave Studios is an independent comic book publisher from Miami, Florida, who claim to be driven by madness to create uniquely compelling and diverse comics.

Make sure to check out their website (https://madcavestudios.com/battlecats-page/) for more information on their other series, as well as more info on the Battlecats world, with character profiles and even a map of the country.

Although all five single issues are available now to buy, the creative team over at Mad Cave Studios will be releasing these five issues as a combined TPB, packed with extra artwork and character designs. This stunning piece will be available to buy from July 25th 2018.

Battlecats is filled with action, not only beastly battles but dark secrets, uncovered pasts and a shocking discovery that could rip apart the Kingdom….and it’s warriors!

Overall: 8/10

 

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