THE BATTLE OF THE BARDS

A skeleton learns more about who he is and who he was.

In this third offering in the graphic series Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo, reanimated skeletal troubadour Rickety is working with his troupe (including best pal Goo) on a dramatic production that they hope will win the Battle of the Bards competition. Unlike the others, Rickety’s heart isn’t truly in it; he’d rather play his lute and sing like the flaxen-haired heartthrob bard (but overall jerk) Percival Dante. Upon meeting Dante, Rickety encounters and is instantly enchanted by Canta, a beautiful human singer who is also competing. Rickety’s performance at the battle flops, causing a rift with his friends. Unbeknownst to the aspiring thespians and singers, trouble lurks below as a rogue order attempts to unleash the nefarious Gloom King upon the kingdom of Eem. When help from a secret faction arrives, friends and enemies must unite in hopes of saving their beloved homeland. Throughout the previous volumes, Rickety has questioned who he may have been; this one offers long-awaited answers. In perhaps the most swashbuckling of the series, Parks and Costa have filled their vibrantly colored panels with intrigue, epic battles, and espionage. While narrative threads are neatly resolved, there is certainly room for subsequent adventures. The characters are a mix of imagined beings and humans depicted with a variety of skin tones.

Satisfying and exciting.