Dark Ark #5 Review

Heaven...must be missing an angel

Written by: Cullen Bunn
Art by: Juan Doe 
Publisher: Aftershock Comics
Release Date: 31 January 2018
Reviewer: Andrew McAvoy 


Those Vampires. Always up to trouble. Shrae managed to fend off their attack in the last issue of this book. But those bloodsucking fiends and their attempted coup have drawn the attention of more powerful forces...let's see how a little heavenly intervention will play out this issue.


This book is so clever. Just when you thought it couldn't get any more crowded on Shrae's Dark Ark who turns up but a bunch of angels? They've only gone and mistaken Shrae's Dark Ark for Noah's well...Ark. Thinking Shrae is Noah they start to quiz him about why he has summoned them. The old Sorcerer struggles to come up with a plausible story eventually fobbing them off with some claptrap about calm seas.

Poor old Unicorns. They get wind of the angels on board the deck and start thinking that events have turned in their favor. They make a break for it, but...too late. Only old Shrae is left on deck. Then he toasts them for nearly blowing his cover. C'mon Unicorns! The man managed to play the part of Noah perfectly and convinced the angels, and then you turn up and almost ruin it? Toast! Anyway, and with that the Unicorns are no more, lost to the world forever.

The rest of the book sees Shrae have a little bit of a conference call with old Satan (presumably). They do a little "Kylo-Rey style Skype" session and decide that if Noah had summoned Angels, and the Angels hadn't gone to that Ark, then Shrae's act has left Noah still in peril. Now Shrae must set out to help Noah's Ark. After all, if Noah fails, so does Shrae.

Bits and Pieces

That's it for this book until Volume Two hits in May. I have to say that it really has been a treat to accompany Shrae on his journey so far despite his ghastly company on the Ark. The storytelling has been compelling and the art is very unique, with the colors really used in a different and interesting way. Each issue has developed the story, but I think that this issue has been the highlight of the run so far. I'm looking forward to picking up the story again in a few months time.

8.9/10