At the end of the last issue Mikey and Brennan found themselves up against a Diviner, which wanted Mikey dead since God King Lore is using him as a vessel. This issue puts the reader right in the middle of the action. Before we get into all of that, Rya rests up at Wendy's house (Mikey and Brennan's mother). Wendy is slowly coming around to the idea that Mikey spent some time in another world and that the barbarian is actually her sun. It's hard not to come around when you're sitting next to a woman with giant wings though. We catch some final moments between Rya and Mikey before he "saved Terrenos," which he totally didn't.
On the flip side, Mikey and Brennan are fighting a Diviner who shows everyone the day Mikey lost his innocence. It's all about the first time he killed something, even though Mikey believed that heroes don't have to kill. The way these flashback scenes are delivered in this issue works exceptionally well. They're a part of the main story, not just a transition between scenes. Mikey killing his first living being is pretty emotional and brings the reader closer to the character.
From there, we're getting a pretty sweet fight with a very fulfilling conclusion. Writer Joshua Williamson really has this issue paced out exceptionally well. He knows how to keep the reader hooked in for the long haul and present a compelling and intriguing piece of fiction that engages the reader in a way most comic don't.
While the writing is very strong, it's really the art that gives this book its essence. Artist Andrei Bressan and colorist Adriano Lucas create a beautiful piece of art and Bressan does a wonderful job with establishing the world these characters are in. Lucas' colors really complete the piece as well. As great as the art looks, it's Lucas that really adds emotional depth to the the battle going on as well.
BIRTHRIGHT #10 gives readers a deeper look into what happened to Mikey while he was on Terrenos. There's a nice end cap between his early days there and his final days. Williamson, Lucas, and Bressan make one heck of a team and deliver, conceptually, an amazing story. The execution matches it with a high level of quality as well. This is a series you need to check out. Pick up the trade.