The Mice Templar # 2 - The Prophecy • Part 2: In the Beginning…

Following up on the first issue of The Mice Templar, Michael Avon Oeming and Bryan Glass have spread out an entire new universe for fans into which they can delve deeper than before. Issue no. 2 has its share of battle action but not as much as the first; instead it focuses on the training of the young mouse Karic under the tutelage of Pilot the Tall. Readers are introduced to more creepy predators and legendary beings not to mention plenty of tragedy.

The subtitle, “In the Beginning” eludes to the backstory Pilot tells to Karic as part of his training as a Mouse Templar. When the Great Eye of Wotan split itself into two for the purpose of extending its sight over both halves of the world, the Nathair creatures rebelled by creating a catapult of defiance they named Dubhlan. The Nathair attack on the Eye created darkness and there began the Shadow Time. The Shadow Time brought new predators to the mice such as bats and owls which also fought each other for dominance.

Pilot’s storytelling presents Karic with a theory he had never heard before: that the warrior priest Kuhl-En, the greatest of all Templar is just a myth. As modern folklorist have tried to identify the true person that is King Arthur, Pilot the Tall believes that there is no one Kuhl-En and his revelation devastates Karic. Besides the natural Arthurian similarities, readers will definitely see parallels to other favorites like Star Wars when young Luke Skywalker learns about the Force from Obi Wan and then is faced with shattering truths along the way to becoming a master himself. Some would criticize this retelling of a warrior tale but The Mice Templar has unique elements that you don’t get in science fiction. Oeming and Glass have culminated so much Celtic mythology that may be new to comic fans.

This book continues to appeal to the fantasy audience but anyone who loves to see good bloody sword fights and root for the young hero will easily love this series. A useful bit of the folklore is included in the back of issue no. 2, written by Tim Daniel, with explanations about the Fish Gods, the Salmon of Knowledge and the correlations between Karic’s tale and several other classic Celtic stories.