When the last issue came out, I was all over how great the series had turned out.  Despite some of the weaker storytelling points, I felt that the art style and storytelling had sort of melded to find a nice balance for this tale of Vikings.  But with the final issue of this “season” I find myself scratching my head at the storytelling.  It’s not that the issue was bad, per se, it’s just that the story felt rushed in every sense of the word.  It was almost as if Ivan Brandon wanted to allow the story to breathe, but forgot that he wanted the first arc finished by the fifth issue.  Honestly, the last issue would have been a more appropriate place to finish for a season, as it had an excellent twist and a great cliffhanger.  It may have allowed the characters to build up a bit more.  This issue, however, the character moments are sparse and a romance blooms from out of no where.  Despite all of that, I find that this series is a visual tour de force.  It is a damn beautiful book, and I love the artistic sensibilities.  From the varying styles for the different story elements to the complex page layouts, this title is something special to behold.  If the story elements can be cleaned up in the next season, look for me to continue praising this series.  As it stands, this was merely an okay issue.