Ask For Mercy #4 by Richard Starkings and Abigail Jill Harding (Comixology Originals 2023)

Welcome to an all new edition of Parlay points, the comic book review blog to the ODPH podcast!

For this entry, Season Four of the wildly imaginative story mixing fantasy, sci-fi and many other influences has really made an impact over at the Comixology Originals line. Ask For Mercy: The Circle of Time #4 by Richard Starkings and Abigail Jill Harding showcases the saga of Mercy and the fascinating directions her story takes her in the battle against the evil Kroach. After last issue, readers were left with quite the cliffhanger. Let’s jump into this latest chapter & see where the adventure takes us now, shall we?

Ask For Mercy: The Circle of Time #4
Creative: Richard Starkings and Abigail Jill Harding
Credit: Comixology Originals

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

If new to this series, a group of monster hunters have recruited Mercy’s services in the fight against evil. The previous seasons have taken mercy on quite the ride. Season Four began with a stop in Rumania, before time jumping to 1997 where a young “Becky,” who is revealed to be a younger version of Mercy (along with allies Ratmir and Jill Anderson) are waiting at the home of Becky’s Grandmother. Unfortunately, the group is looking a a twenty year wait. However, readers don’t wait as the story shifts to the planet Tertiarus and its’ protector Alizarine.

During that time, Tertiarus hasn’t fallen yet. Alizarine and (adult) Mercy are captured by sky pirates led by Absolm Mooncrow. Mooncrow knows what kind of price Mercy would command and how the the Pantheon of Tertiarus would read his actions. Like all good plans, they are not easy as his ship becomes under attack. Mooncrow, Mercy and Alizarine form an uneasy alliance to handle the attack but not before long, the double crosses begin.

This issue jumps in with Mercy drawing a blade to Mooncrow as Alizarine is in danger after helping the pirates deal with their threat. Only when cooler heads prevail, everyone is freed from their immediate dangers on the ship. That said, there is no time to celebrate their win. Mooncrow’s ship flies in the direction of what is the biggest Kroach thus far. Mooncrow announces that the creature is the Harvester, the end all-be all of the Kroach.

From here, readers get a quick tutorial of the impact this creature has. During this talk, a revelation is made and one no one will see coming! What character is connected to the Deathless of the Kroach the most? It’s a great reveal and one that drives the majority of this issue. The flashback sequence features many levels to how determined one is about defeating this evil and at what cost? From that points’ conclusion, someone makes a move that changes the dynamic between these characters forever. It’s a drastic move, but then again, these are drastic times. Excellent final moment to end this issue on.

Starkings sets up a great origin story for the threat of the Harvester. One the connection is made to readers of the major character to the deathless, the book’s mood changes accordingly. That character’s motivation to save Tertiarus has never been in question, but the methods shown in their plan provides a sense of desperation and guilt more than brave heroics. The tragic tale of the Deathless was balanced out very well by the reaction to this reveal. The Pantheon of Tertiarus keeps getting shown in different lights, which Starkings does a masterful job in presenting.

Hardings keeps the fantasy imagery rolling with this issue. The full-blown page shot of the Harvester gave readers a direct message of how serious this threat is. The moment when the Deathless’s connection is to one major character played out perfectly. From the shock on that character’s face to the travel back to a more prosperous time in Tertiarus, Harding delivers on the emotion of the moment and the ultimate despair of accepting failure. The final act pulls no punches as the desperation spreads even more to the ending visual to carry thru to next issue.

FINAL POINT: Ask For Mercy #4 takes a small detour into the past but the future pay-off hits big! Starkings and Harding keep readers on the edge of their seats as the strong storytelling and incredible features an unveiling of a best thought plan’s failure spiraling into a reckless move to write a wrong. You definitely want to check this issue out on new Comic Book Day!

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Thanks for reading.

ASK FOR MERCY: THE CIRCLE OF TIME #4 (COMIXOLOGY ORIGINALS)

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