Tomb Radier: Sacred Artifacts #3 is written by Casey Gilly and published by Dark Horse. Artwork is by Antonio Di Caprio, colours by Eren Angiolini and letters by Andworld Design. Main cover art (left) is by Di Caprio.
Tomb Raider: Sacred Artifacts #3 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
Lara, Carter, and Anna depart for the Italian island of Sardinia. But it’s not the white sand beaches and pristine turquoise waters that bring them to this Mediterranean paradise. A dangerous legend, an ancient civilization, and the mysterious Postulant are somehow connected—and at the heart of it all is a stolen artifact which may hold world-altering power. It’s up to Lara to reclaim it before a secretive and familiar cult unleashes its true potential!
Review
It’s time to re-enter the world of Dark Horse Comics’ Tomb Raider: Sacred Artifacts today. Lara’s world is getting ever more complicated as the Postulant remains seemingly one step ahead. Casey Gilly’s tightly woven narrative could be hinting towards a traitor in their midst. But as Lara, Carter and Anna head to Italy for the next stop on their globe-trotting adventure, could the tables be about to turn?
I’m really enjoying how serialised Gilly is making this Tomb Raider adventure. Yes it’s a four-issue series meaning we’re now almost at the finish line. But each issue has felt like a different level in the game that is Sacred Artifacts. Once again this month we have a well rounded chapter which moves the overarching story forwards, teasing enough to get us through to the finale. Though at this stage if you are reading and not invested then why not!?
Picking up in the immediate aftermath of issue #2, Lara and Anna attempt to deal with Carter’s injuries following the Postulant’s last attack. An interesting point in Gilly’s writing continues to revolve around Lara’s detachment from her own everyday life. Anna’s place in the action continues to challenge Lara but what’s particularly interesting is how she reacts. With Carter injured Gilly is afforded the opportunity for Anna to show just how much she cares. But rather than that emotional outpouring triggering a similar reaction from Lara, it simply causes her to observe how jaded both she and Carter are. The journey to accepting her place has really been the slow burn of the series which is rewarding for long-time Croft fans.
But just because there’s a whole truckload of character moments doesn’t mean there is a lack of tomb raiding going on. Once the adventure tracks over to Italy the pace really picks up ready to thrust us into next month’s finale. There’s plenty of exposition thanks to Anna’s understanding of Bulgaria and now we’re beginning to understand the kind of power the Postulant is looking to capture by stealing the daggers. In the spirit of Tomb Raider storytelling there’s not a huge amount afforded (yet) to the idea of who the Postulant is. As with all the classic games the story is far more about Lara’s adventure and stopping the threat.
I am utterly convinced that Gilly is trying to convince me not to trust Anna. What I can’t tell (and that is a good thing) is whether this is pure subterfuge or not. It could lead into a devastating twist for Lara and Carter in the finale. Or Gilly could be entirely toying with my preconceived ideas that in this type of story there’s generally someone who turns out to be a mole who betrays our hero. The fact I can’t tell which way we’re going is actually quite exciting and testament to how well written the story is. If this were a Tomb Raider game we would know the outcome but going into the final issue right now I have no idea.
As for setting up that finale, I had anticipated a little more development on the main plot thread than we got this issue. But I can’t argue with the perfect placement we find Lara in when we hit the final splash page. We’re perfectly placed for a showdown between Lara and Postulant. Should that confrontation turn out to be the final showdown then the fourth issue should also have plenty of room to allow Gilly to wrap up Lara’s emotional arc.
I’m pleased that Sacred Artifacts has held a consistent creative team throughout. The consistency in the artwork, particularly for a shorter series, has been really pleasing. Once again this month’s script offers Di Caprio a variety of different locations and setups. It’s great to see Lara back in the classic outfit this issue, particularly leading into the finale. Right across the series I feel like Di Caprio and colourist Eren Angiolini have really hit the perfect pitch for a contemporary Tomb Raider story. So I think fans who revisit this book once it’s collected will really dig how it brings Lara’s world to life in such an energetic and engaging manner.
Verdict
Tomb Raider: Sacred Artifacts continues to prove that Tomb Raider belongs in comics. Gilly’s careful balance of character work and globe-trotting adventure keeps the pages turning, leaving Lara perfectly poised for what promises to be a thrilling finale.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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