Tomb Raider 4 review

It makes sense that the first storyline in Gail Simone’s Tomb Raider run closely ties to the 2014 video game reboot of the franchise. The first three issues have various survivors from the game being attacked and/or kidnapped by a cult with ties to the Solari, the villains from the game. The last issue was mostly action with the Solari cult chasing Lara Croft and Captain Rayes through the streets, while Sam was kidnapped. That’s pretty much where this issue picks up, with the other survivors gathering together to rescue Sam from the very island they hoped never to see again.

This is a bridge issue, mostly existing to connect issues 3 and 5 together. That said, it’s still a good one. There’s a lot of character exploration in this week’s entry. Jonah shows his dedication to the other survivors when he leaves the hospital against his nurse’s recommendation. The reluctant Reyes agrees to join the rescue effort, although only after her daughter “doesn’t” give her a look. Even Sam, who’s been kidnapped, shows bravery and perhaps the best spoken line in the comic. There’s still action of course, continuing the survival theme from the game, but the real focus is on the relationships between the survivors. That and they’re far more prepared than they were in the game.

The art by Nicolas Daniel Selma is great. Characters’ expressions show the concern they have for each other. Lara appears very angry when her apartment is ransacked, and Sam’s grin while intimidating her captors is kind of awesome. There’s a lot of environmental detail as Lara approaches the island of Yamatai, with rusty ships in their shallow graveyard, and even an Endurance cargo crate (the endurance being their crashed ship from the game).

Being a connecting issue, this is the weakest of the series so far. Even so, it has enough character development, action and amusing moments that it’s still a good read. The final page cliffhanger is simply awesome. While half of the enjoyment of this storyline is noticing all the references to the game, this is still worth trying out if you’re interested in an adventure comic yet haven’t played Tomb Raider 2013. If you enjoyed the game, you should check it out even if you don’t usually read comics.