Writer & Artist: Patrick Zircher
Colorists: Pete Pantazis & Patrick Zircher
Letterers: Richard Starkings & Tyler Smith
Editors: Chris Butera & Matt Murray
Cover Artists: Ivan Gil, Rafael Kayanan, Patch Zircher & Nicola Scott
Publisher: Titan Comics
Price: $4.99
Release Date: June 4, 2025
While serving his monarch as a privateer, Solomon Kane inadvertently kills scholar and explorer Paolo Laurenti. The Puritan abandons his post and travels hundreds of miles across Italy to deliver an ancient relic to Paolo's brother-in-law. Abramo Bensaid realizes the snake sculpture is a counterfeit. The antiquarian's daughter, Diamanta, finds a treasure map inside the snake's head.
Rolando Zarza, a Knight of Malta, funded Paolo's expedition to the African country Ndongo. Now, he travels with his right-hand man Nico Cassani, Abramo, Diamanta, and Solomon Kane to Africa. Will they discover riches Paolo wished to hide from his employer? Can the fabled Serpent Ring of Thoth-Amon imbue its holder with prestige and power? Let’s grab our flintlocks and rapiers, leap into Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring #3, and find out!
Story
Fifty-three days after leaving Venice, Father Goncallo leads the group along the Kwanza River. While the priest has told them the Ndongo burned the San Mancos Mission, Solomon and his companions don't realize that the Jesuit died in the fire. But Solomon distrusts the priest, and Abramo suspects a foulness in Father Goncallo. The Jesuit leads them toward his former mission. From there, they will travel to a Ndongo holy site.
Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring #3 boasts a treasure trove of dialogue and narrative. Patrick Zircher's story takes us on an epic journey into the heart of undiscovered Africa. The points of view shift to reveal what drives each adventurer. Like H Rider Haggard's sagas, Zircher's story also delves into the supernatural power coursing through this ancient land. As the characters probe each other's boundaries, the Serpent Ring of Thoth-Ammon links them. And Sha-Kabet, the Priestess of Set who killed Father Goncallo and left a lookalike in his place, vows none of them shall have it.
While seeking an ancient treasure, Abramo Bensaid and his daughter Diamanta shine in Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring #3. Venetian society trapped the Jewish antiquarian and his daughter in a vice. Freed of their constrictions, Abramo and Diamanta realize a better future may await them elsewhere. And Diamanta is falling in love, not with the foppish Nico Cassani, but with Solomon Kane. It's a feeling the Puritan shares but dares not return. Solomon robbed Abramo of a brother-in-law, Diamanta of an uncle, and both of a protector. Worse, he lied to Abramo and Diamanta about Paolo’s death. And like the abominable skull Mbondu found, lies have a way of sinking their fangs into you.
Art
Rolando Zarza and Nico Cassani’s Van Dyke beards evoke attractive sex symbols who care little about those they ravish and abandon. His features framed by his full beard and cap, Abramo watches over his precious daughter. With a pistol stuffed in her sash, Diamanta does nothing to encourage Zarza and Cassani’s affections with her modest pants and blouse. And while they inhabit different spectrums, Solomon Kane and Father Concallo’s stern demeanors suggest predators, leery of sharing the same territory.
Pete Pantazis and Patrick Zircher apply a soft palette to daytime backgrounds, bringing the characters forward to contest differing viewpoints. Yellow, orange, and mauve fill the sky when the party reaches the blackened structure of the former mission. Brown and green fill panels as Abramo’s musings merge with the ancient sect ruling this land. But red shines most powerfully, painting clothes, filling headdresses, and splattering scenes in Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring #3.
As Solomon Kane ventures into a wilderness filled with sacred sites and living colossi, Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith reveal Solomon Kane's thoughts with black uppercase letters in ivory boxes. Uppercase dialogue in white balloons and boxes grows bold for intonation, enlarges for volume, and rarely shrinks. Giant colored words accompany gunfire as Abramo utters words once spoken by a Pict warrior to his king. Thanks to Titan Comics and Heroic Signatures for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
As Father Goncallo leads treasure hunters into Ndongo, his novice reminds them of his country's heritage. After stealing and killing in his Queen's name, Solomon Kane wants to protect Mbondu’s country from similar depredations. But he may not have a chance when the worshippers of an ancient cult attack in the magical, mystical, and murderous Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring #3.
Rating 9.8/10
To look inside see my preview of Solomon Kane: The Serpent Ring #3.
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