Crusader (TPB)

Title: Crusader (TPB)
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Writer/Artist/Colorist: Matt Emmons
Letterer: Andriy Lukin
Price: $ 17.99 US
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Website: madcavestudios.com/
Comments: This book collects issues one to four.
  A Knight Templar is shown carrying out his duty. He just presses on doing what he knows to be right.
  The art is done to show this Knight Templar as a man of commitment. The art is rough looking.
  The Knight intrudes on a ceremony of the dark arts and finds himself not where he was. In this new place, he is attacked by cute-looking creatures who want to kill him. Their battle is short-lived.
  Grimbel becomes the Knight’s guide in the Beastlands which is a primitive place. He is a cute little creature.
  The Masters in this place send out Pilgrim to find this new being the Knight Templar. Pilgrim does seem threatening although all he does is walk and a little more. This issue does set up a few things and leaves lots unanswered. Things do need to be explained better in the coming issues this issue has enough to get you slightly interested. The whole thing needs to be told as more realistic to make you believe it.
  The Knight Templar sounds impressive and with his dedication he is.
  Pilgrim catches up to the Knight Templar and the Knight cuts his head in half and cuts him up more than drowns him. Pilgrim continues following the Knight. 
  In a stronghold the Knight Templar and Grimbel and their stay there does not last. They do pick up a few more followers though. 
  The Templar Knight acts in such a way that he comes across as mentally not all there. He has an attitude that will make you hate him. 
  Pilgrim comes across a group of eighteen warriors. Pilgrim slowly goes through most of them and then leaves. The ones left alive and the Knight Templar will follow and face Pilgrim's masters. 
  The Knight Templar other than the armor he is wearing and the look it gives him has few redeeming qualities. 
  The living red staues look as if they could be made of blood. The three head villians are not overly threatening. The Knight Templar takes on these villians his sword does sing its song of death. 
  The characters are ones that could shine if used properly and in a well told story but neither of those occur here. The Knight Templar was just wondering around. 
  How did this Knight Templar get to this world? Who were the eighteen warriors? How did Pilgrim become undying? Who were these three Masters of evil? Some explanations were needed. 
  A Templar Knight could make for one really great character. 

Richard Vasseur