– Spoiler Review –
While the formula gets a little thin in the series’ penultimate issue, Inquisitors #3 is still a good time.
Each issue we get a new Inquisitor or two on the job in the hunt for Tensu Run, and while it doesn’t offer too much depth to the ones who take center stage, it’s been fun to see them out in the field. In the third issue of Rodney Barnes’ Inquisitors, we get the looming Ninth Sister and the sly Seventh Sister, who mostly live up to their past appearances, but by the issue’s end this formula of hunt, find, and be defeated wears thin. When the Fifth Brother lost his arm and Tensu wanted him to report back to his masters, it made sense the two would part ways when the issue ended, but in issue #3 it’s far more abrupt with how things end, and it doesn’t quite make sense. At the end of the issue, both the Ninth and the Seventh are engaged with both Tensu and his fellow Jedi (maybe?) Pan Delesec, but the battle seems to end when Tensu injures Seventh Sister, even though Ninth and Pan are still fighting, and the issue ends with another proclamation from Tensu about how these Inquisitors must pass along another message to their master. Given the Ninth’s history of intimidating abilities, seen in the Jedi games especially, I can’t imagine the fight was simply over after that moment, so it felt jarring it would just all wrap up so neatly and get us to the finale. Other than this hiccup at the end, I still enjoyed the Ninth and Seventh’s appearances, as seeing them undercover at the start was a neat new surprise for the Inquisitorious, who rely more on a straightforward approach and hope citizens and their targets are frightened enough because of it, while they employed some tricky tactics to get Tensu to reveal himself. Having these two and Fifth last issue all fail does diminish the sense of stakes involved when the group shows up to deal with a Jedi, so hopefully one or more of them can be more impactful to help regain a little in the finale. If Vader truly must get involved to bring this story to an end, that won’t help matters and I hope, either way, we could get an Inquisitors series where they have a little more success.
Before the Inquisitors catch up with Tensu and Pan, it’s unclear where their third pal Uhron is, we see the pair debating the path forward. Tensu is eager to set up shop and begin training soon, picking an old, abandoned temple as a home for a new Jedi Order, while Pan is more concerned with Tensu’s survival and doesn’t think focusing on the future is worthwhile. It’s a good conversation for the two to have, but the lack of information on Pan, from his relationship to Tensu (like how did they come into each other’s lives?) to if he’s really even a Jedi in the first place, leaves these moments with more questions than anything impactful. There are still questions on how Tensu and his Master ended up separated, with her on the Jedi retirement ship afterwards, and I’m curious if the finale will find the space for resolution and maybe a glimpse back to give more context. It’s definitely what I’m more interested in for the finale than Tensu battling more Inquisitors/Darth Vader, but I’ll be glad to come back one more time for both, as the art team always impresses.
Speaking of those impressive beings, it’s Ramon Rosanas, with Guru-eFX on colors and Travis Lanham lettering! Whereas the team brought to wonderful life an abandoned city reclaimed by nature in issue #2, their approach in issue #3 to the abandoned temple Tensu and Pan explore was another stellar sense of place. The way the temple is shown, we’re seeing it more from Pan’s point-of-view than Tensu’s, as the former only sees the dark shadows and broken columns and not what it could be when full of life and light bringing the Jedi Order back. Shadows really drape over everything and Guru-eFX’s colors, a melancholy blue drapes over a golden brown light, as if the sun is setting on Tensu’s dreams, while Rosanas packs the panels with little cracks and broken areas and makes sure the two are often encompassed by big, empty areas. The opening disguises for the Inquisitors was also a highlight, as the Ninth tries to look pious and simple in the big, tan and dull robes, but her tusks and constant sneer give away the deeper menace under the cowl, while Seventh looks like she’d fit right in with the crowd around them, whether Canto Bight or a floating gambling ship, with the weird dangling thing off her head to her cape and large neck puff thing as well. Lanham gives their reveal a great announcement in a sound FX, a nasty looking one as the Seventh slams her dagger into their target’s hand, and the resulting next few panels are littered with more to denote the quick chaos they bring to the serene little gambling den, while the clean and large effect for when the Seventh chops the being’s head off has a nice weight of finality behind it.
Here are a few other things:
- The Inquisitors finale is out early October and NYCC takes place later in the month, so we might get some word then what might be next for Marvel for 2025 and beyond. Could it include more Inquisitorious-focused comics?
- Before we learn what’s next for Marvel, there’s the big The Battle of Jakku maxiseries on the way and I’m still betting Tensu Run is the new Inquisitor Luke will face during the series!
- With the sloth-like species introduced with Pii-lor in the first two issues and now this Eorgus looking more like a frog than someone like Turgle in Jedi: Survivor, I’m curious who is deciding to include these look-alike species. I like them, don’t get me wrong, just wondering if Barnes is directing this or if Rosanas has always wanted to and he decided to start here.
- There’s still one more 4-issue miniseries announced and on its way before 2025: Ewoks, which begins in October.
Inquisitors #3 might push the limits of the series’ formula, but it still leaves me anxious to see where its finale will take us.
+ Seventh and Ninth mostly living up to their past appearances
+ Art team bringing an intense sense of space and great action again
– Formula wearing thin
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Bluesky, Twitter @MynockManor, and Instagram @mynockmanor.