As the legend continues, Slade manages to survive the brutal ambush by Killer Frost and his daughter Rose. With Alec kidnapped, Deathstroke may have to return to the "Everstorm," but he miraculously finds an old ally. As it happens, the two eventually team up and effectively turn things in their favor. Meanwhile, Heir to The Sea develops Arthur's hero's journey. Let's discuss further below!

From The Wreckage

As a reminder, the endless blizzard known as the Everstorm has cursed the entire kingdom. Consequently, this manifests as a monotone color scheme devoid of warmth and a zombie filled tundra at its harrowing center. Previously, the storm was so harsh, that it took Slade and Knight's of Steel's Batman to get through it, and even Batman had to tap out! Not to mention, Alec and his kidnappers take shelter out of the Everstorm's severity. Now, Slade must survive the elements wounded and alone. Fortunately, Slade finds unlikely aid in a suspiciously serendipitous encounter with his old partner, Wintergreen.

Years ago, Slade and Wintergreen were sellswords under the former king, Lord Maxwell. Apparently, Vandar hires the duo to kill the King, accidentally striking Nora in the process. Sadly, this confirms Slade's complete responsibility and guilt of the region's debilitating curse. Although, Wintergreen recounts this story in beautiful but torn excerpts, foreshadowing more to the story. Still, readers can infer Jarl Vandar began conquering the rest of the kingdom by force sometime after. Strangely enough, readers also learn that the mysterious narrator has been Wintergreen all along, parallel to Alfred's narration in Dark Knights Of Steel.

Kill The Magus

First and foremost, Wintergreen has a more badass introduction than Batman. However, Wintergreen is somehow in possession of modern weaponry. Namely, several machines, a bunker, and a flamethrower. Additionally, Wintergreen is heavily armored in a full body chrome bodysuit like the original Iron Man uniform or something out of Warhammer. Slade calls out the anachronistic armors, partially concluding that the blacksmith "spent twenty years" working on it. Specifically speaking, Wintergreen spends those twenty years digging under the Everstorm in hopes of killing Viktor. To accomplish this task, Wintergreen uses his mysteriously modern drill and suggests a solution for Viktor's abilities. Obviously, the reader can easily assume Alec is that solution.

With Wintergreen back in action, the duo easily tear through Rose and Frost. In fact, Slade and Wintergreen ambush the kidnappers in a great action set piece.  Especially the ominous way Wintergreen manhandles Frost on the page, and the way Slade intimidates his daughter from the deep shadow. Frost underwhelms in the fight and even strongly resembles DC villain "Silver Banshee." Anyway, both Slade and Wintergreen brutalize Frost, but surprisingly surrender to Rose in hopes that the truth will stay her blade. Incidentally, this is the same truth that ruins Adeline's relationship and tragically breaks Slade's partnership with Wintergreen.

Heir To The Sea

This issue focuses on Arthur's hero's journey and ultimate coming of age. Previously, Manta's forces track down Martha and Johnathan but the other knights come to the rescue. With Arthur's secret out in the open, the family reluctantly decide to train him. Worryingly, this includes having "the talk" with Arthur, as he suddenly proclaims, "I know what I am." All in all, the whole ordeal has vast religious parallels, even illustrating Arthur's godlike connection with sea creatures, drawing comparisons with Jesus or John The Baptist. Not to mention, Arthur's tale takes a lot from the biblical stories of Moses, his heritage, and destiny.

As for Thomas and Martha, they spend most of the narrative grieving the loss of their "perfect life." Partly, this is because they must train Arthur to eventually leave them. Like before, time passes a little too quickly, and Arthur is a man before you know it. In many ways, this disrupts the overall flow and consistency of the narrative, making it feel disorganized. Additionally, Thomas and Martha spend another big portion of the book torturing King Shark. Shark serves as a writer's convenience, charged with dumping lore about Manta and Arthur's true nature. Ultimately, Heir To The Sea synopsizes Arthur's story too quickly to really connect with Thomas, Martha, or Arthur himself.

Recommended If...

• You're already into Dark Knights of Steel.
• You are a fan of Wintergreen!
• Swords & Sorcery in the DCU sounds like a good time.

Overall

Overall, it was a fun chapter. I was really excited by Wintergreen's inclusion in the story and admired how cool this portrayal makes him seen. Even though, personally, the modern elements lessen my immersion. Tirso is still a decent artist to have on the book, but the backstories are far more interesting than the monotone. Furthermore, while I don't like the convenience of Wintergreen showing up, the duo's humanizing conversations, action sequences, and overall plan are the coolest part of the book so far. Let's see where it goes.

Score: 8/10