Review - Ragemoor #4

Inhabiting a residence hellbent on consuming you and bending you to its will is not exactly the idea of a good time. That's exactly the situation Master Herbert is surrounded by in Ragemoor #4, the last in the four-issue miniseries from Dark Horse.

Ragemoor #4 is written by Jan Strnad and illustrated by Richard Corben (with letters by Nate Piekos of Blambot).

Master Herbert spends the final issue grappling with a whole spate of emotions. It's month's after the third issue and he's still coming to terms with the deaths of his love, Anoria and Tristano, her lover. He's all to eager to simply be done with it and concede that Ragemoor "won."

He's also kept in the dark on his servant Bodrick withdrawing to conduct heinous experiments as a tribute to Ragemoor. As it turns out, Bodrick has plans for satisfying Ragemoor's hunger and it involves using Master Herbert, Tristano and Anoria to appease the stone behemoth.

The entire Ragemoor series has been nothing short of outlandish and disturbing and Strnad makes sure the final issue sends the series off with a grand finish. Considering most of the series takes place from the perspective of Herbert and his thoughts, it's a testament to how well he manages the characters that the story feels so full.

Ragemoor is a character itself, despite not really standing out as such. Herbert runs a gauntlet of emotions, akin to those that ooze out of an Edgar Allan Poe work. And Bodrick ends up being probably the greatest monster in the entire series. Again, a testament to Strnads story.

Corben's illustrations are equally unsettling. They're the type of illustrations that have this quality to them that you feel slightly uncomfortable viewing them. They're purposefully off-kilter, allowing the reader to fully feel the beast that is Ragemoor.

The fourth issue is a fitting finish to the series. It nicely ties everything up and even offers a disturbing conclusion that proves the residence will live on. Strnad and Corben did an excellent job conveying moods of fear, death and discomfort. It's a great series that's definitely worth a look.

Ragemoor #4 is in stores June 20 with interiors below.