Northlanders: Sven the Returned – Review

by Brian Wood (writer), Davide Gianfelice (art), Dave McCaig (colors), and Travis Lanham (letters)

For those that don’t know, Brian Wood’s Viking-themed Northlanders works in completely isolated story-arcs.  As a result, this trade actually functions more like an original graphic novel.  Wood has actually pushed for Northlanders trades to be without numbering for this very reason.

Sven the Returned is the first of these tales and in some ways, it shows.  Much as I felt regarding the first trade of Wood’s other Vertigo series, DMZ, much of this book reads like a bit of a feeling out process on Wood’s part, as he gets used to his own series.  While that’s not to say that the writing is sloppy, it does mean that everything feels a bit simpler and more straightforward than what Wood normally produces.  In fact, this book feels much more basic even than later Northlanders issues.  While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, the fact remains that most of this book feels like little more than a gloriously violent, historical actioner following a fairly standard revenge plot.  While it definitely does succeed on this level, I don’t think we would have been wrong to hope for more.

Worse still, for most of the book, none of the characters are particularly nuanced.  Sven himself is essentially the unstoppable badass warrior who also wins through having a sounder tactical mind than his opponent.  Meanwhile, although his battle expertise does lead to some engaging captions, Enna is not anything particularly unique.  The same goes for the tyrannical Gorm, his murderous henchman, and Sven’s old flame…who is pretty much as stereotypical an “old flame” character as you can get – a seductress who now belongs to Sven’s enemy.  Meanwhile, you have Enna, who spends the majority of the book as the typical silent femme fatale.

That said, despite this simplicity, there are nuances.  Sven’s use of Gorm’s superstition and religious beliefs to terrorize his nemesis is well-done, leading to one of the coolest, and goriest, scenes of the book.  The clash of the old with Sven’s modernity is a nice touch.

Now, at this point, this trade may sound like a mediocre book worthy of being passed over.  That may very well be the case for the first five issues of this eight-issue collection.  However, in issue six, the book takes a sudden, massive upswing in quality in a manner so ingenious, that it reminds us of what Wood is capable of.  Wood essentially has Sven call out his own graphic novel.

Sven, around issue six or seven, comes to the realization of how pointless the entire book has become thus far, in its typical Viking characters and standard revenge/money centred drive.  Wood thus turns the graphic novel on its head by essentially having Sven call the entire tale into question.  When he does, the intelligence and depth of the book skyrockets.  Sven becomes much more of an individual and far more unique as a character, while the somewhat bland plot of earlier is completely abandoned.  The simple revenge plot is dumped by Sven as being meaningless and small and the book suddenly takes on a completely different plot, one that is far more grandiose and ambitious, treating issues of nationhood, solidarity, and culture.  Gorm becomes an afterthought, and old enemies now become friends, as their stereotypical rivalry of earlier is done away with when their roles and relationships come to be redefined by a new plot.

It’s unfortunate, however, that Wood uses a little bit of deus ex machina to create such a shift in the book.  It takes the arrival of a greater enemy in an event that is just far too perfectly and conveniently timed.  But given how much the book improves subsequently, I can’t gripe too much about this.

While the story’s quality may be divided down the middle, I can however say that Davide Gianfelice’s art is consistently amazing.  I’ve always loved his work and this book bears his trademarks.  Oddly blending an indisputably cartoony look with harsh, realistic environments and a good amount of piss and vinegar, it’s a very strange mix that leads to a wonderful contrast and a perfect balance.  That such a cartoony style is able to carry such maturity and grittiness frankly baffles me.  Gianfelice’s sprawling splashes of Orkney landscapes are also an absolute marvel, evoking a sublime effect combining awesome barrenness and sweeping beauty.  Dave McCaig’s colouring is also perfect for Gianfelice, adding a sort of grainy texture to the entire trade.

Ultimately, this is a rather strange book.  It carves out a very simple action story with simple characters and a simple plot and bumps along as such for the first 60% of the book.  Then, in the last three chapters, Sven, and hence Wood, essentially dump this all in the trash, openly criticizing it for its simplicity, meaninglessness, and pointlessness before switching to a plot/conflict that is far more grand.  This doesn’t change the fact that the first 60% of the book are nonetheless nothing special, but I do have to admire Wood for his gall and what appears to be metafictional self-criticism, as a character takes apart his own story and builds a better one.

Grade: B

*This trade collects #1-8 w/ covers.  I also recommend hunting down #20, which is a one-shot revisiting Sven and Enna several years after the events of this book.

-Alex Evans

Greek Street #2 – Review

by Peter Milligan (writer), Davide Gianfelice (art), Patricia Mulvihill (colors), and Clem Robins (letters)

The Story: Eddie gets pulled in with the Fureys, a body goes missing, Lord Menon’s philandering ways come increasingly to light, and a monster stalks the streets.

What’s Good: Davide Gianfelice is the best thing going for this book right now. His artwork is simply gorgeous, animated, and impossible not to love. He has a style all his own, one that is very “cartoony” and affable, and yet paradoxically but undeniably gritty and ugly. It’s a remarkable mix that somehow works and works really, really well. It’s just amazing stuff that just has a really “likable” feel to it, if that makes any sense; likable despite the nasty stuff going on within the panels. His work on the facial expressions is nothing to scoff at either; Eddie’s traumatized expression in the hospital is absolutely haunting

This issue ultimately functions as yet another “stage-setting” book, despite the double-sized first issue.  Still, it is somewhat comforting to see Milligan begin to tie all of these disparate characters together, even if we don’t see the results of these connections just yet. At the very least, the isolation of the characters looks to be broken.

I also really enjoyed the use of the stripper(s) as the Chorus. This was one of the neatest recap pages I’ve seen in a book that isn’t Agents of Atlas. It’s really neat having a character break the fourth wall to give us a series recap in “real time.”

Many of the scenes function almost as tableaux and thanks in no small part to Gianfelice’s artwork, they are really beautifully plotted. From Sandy’s balcony dive, to the break-in at the Morgue, to Eddie’s stumbling into the hospital, many of the scenes have a really lyrical, majestic feel to them. They’re incredibly cool sequences with a hint of the surreal.

What’s No So Good: I’m going to come right out and say it: this book doesn’t make any sense. It’s impossible to read this issue without a lingering sense of incomprehension. As for the plot, it’s still murky at best.

While Milligan is showing moves to tie all of the characters together, right now things are just too damned separated and isolated. This, and the large number of characters, leads to me feeling like I barely know anyone, let alone feel emotionally attached.

Some of the characters are basically speaking in gibberish at this point, perhaps because we just don’t have enough info. We get another scene of Sandy babbling and the mysterious three women aren’t much better, talking to each other in riddles that we can’t understand at the moment.

Also, the strippers don’t work outside of the framing structure. They’re genius outside the direct action, but when Milligan thrusts them into the story, it’s off-putting, especially when mundane conversation gets interrupted by a clumsy, jarring line about “the old stories.”  Milligan basically rams his concept down our throats.

What’s worse, that very pitch, the mixture of Greek mythology and modern day crime-drama, isn’t working like it should. Instead of a cool fusion, I feel like I’m reading a gritty crime noir that has a horribly misplaced set of supernatural figures in it, as though a bunch of characters (the ghostly women and the monster) have accidentally shown up in the wrong comic. The supernatural just isn’t blending with the mundane, feeling very out of place and, yes, incomprehensible as well.

Conclusion: This book is currently confusing, as it reads like an ambiguous mess. There’s just not much here.  Gianfelice’s amazing work saves this from a worse grade.

Grade: C-

-Alex Evans

The Incredible Hercules #130 – Capsule Review

By Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (Writers), Ryan Stegman & Rodney Buchemi (Pencils), Terry Pallot (Inks), and Raul Trevino & Guru eFX (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I have a feeling that far sooner than later I’m going to begin trade waiting Incredible Hercules. While I really like what Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente are doing with the series (it’s consistently funny and consistently entertaining), it rarely leaves me feeling like I can hardly wait for the next issue.

The Story: Accused by Pluto, Zeus (accompanied by Hercules) stands trial in front of a jury of 501. Meanwhile, Aegis and Amadeus Cho travel the underworld in order to find Cho’s parents…

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: Steeped in the series’ trademark mix of mythology, humor, philosophy, and history, Incredible Hercules #130 is one of the most intelligent Marvel comics I’ve read in a long time. For those of you that can truly appreciate the layers of depth, the latest issue of Hercules is a real treat. The trial of Zeus is perfectly executed (it’s loaded with weighty themes), the artwork is totally solid (though occasionally cluttered or inconsistent), and the funny stuff keeps things fairly accessible for those that aren’t familiar with everything Pak and Van Lente throw into the story (there’s a LOT to digest).

Conclusion: The Incredible Hercules #130 is a MUST READ for history, mythology, or philosophy fans. It’s absolutely loaded with good stuff.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Thor: Reign of Blood #1 (One-Shot) – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Khari Evans (Pencils), Patrick Zircher (Pencils and Inks), Victor Olzaba (Inks), and Matt Milla and June Chung (Colors)

Thor: Reign of Blood is bloody awesome – quite literally! Continuing the story from Thor: Ages of Thunder, this one-shot relates tales from the early days of Asgard and Midgard. It begins with the story of how the frost giant’s witch daughter has plagued Asgard and Midgard with never ending snow and ice. As the gods attempt to rectify the problem, Loki continues to work behind the scenes to sow seeds of trouble. When the long winter is finally solved, Loki’s seeds begin to sprout. Yet another problem involving the Enchantress leads to every single man who ever died to rise again and plague Midgard until they are slain once more. Odin tasks Thor with this battle, so Thor must combat the undead amidst a deluge of blood.

I’ll let that soak in: Thor fights a seemingly endless skeleton army while it literally rains blood. That right there is reason enough to pick up this book. While this battle is also resolved (in an extremely awesome way, which I won’t reveal), we are left yet another problem at the end of this book, which looks to make this be the “Helm’s Deep” before the “Pelennor Fields” (for you Lord of the Rings fans out there). You can bet I’ll be back next time.

Of course, such a huge part of what makes this issue so entertaining is Matt Fraction’s writing. I have no idea how much of this is pulled from Norse mythology and how much is original, but his storytelling is simply impressive. The actual dialogue is extremely readable with more archaic speech mixed in for good measure. As you can see, the story is epic on the level of Beowulf, and the art matches.

Khari Evans’ and Patrick Zircher’s work is beautiful, frightening, and epic in all the right places. Perhaps even more amazing is their similarity in style. Evans pencils the entire first half, and Zircher the second, but unless you are specifically looking for the transition, it is hard to tell the difference. There is absolutely nothing to complain about in this issue. Anyone who loves stories like Lord of the Rings or Beowulf needs to do themselves a favor and pick this up. (Grade: A)

-M. Staples

Thor: Ages of Thunder – Review

By Matt Fraction (Writer), Patrick Zircher and Khari Evans (Pencils), Patrick Zircher and Victor Olazaba (Inks), and June Chung and Jelena Kevic Djurdejevic (Colors)

With Straczynski’s best-selling Thor series exploring Thor’s exploits in the modern day, this issue gives the reader a contrasting, and much needed, look into the epic past of the Thunder God. The story opens with a prologue reminiscent of the opening of first Lord of the Rings film, detailing “Norse geography” and an ancient battle between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants. From here, Fraction shows how a mere mortal from Midgard attempts to solve a dilemma that arose from the battle in exchange for a costly prize, and how Loki, god of mischief, through making a deal with the mortal, causes severe ramifications throughout a large portion of Asgardian history. Overall, it is a tale of trickery, consequences, and heroism.

As much as I wish I was a Norse mythology buff, I’m not. So I do not know how much of this tale was borrowed from the annals of Viking lore and how much is from the mind of Fraction, himself. But no matter how much of this material is original, Fraction presents it in almost flawless language. Most of the time I felt I was reading something akin to Beowulf, yet not so archaic as to cause occasional confusion. This story somehow manages to sound ancient and modern at the same time (if that makes any sense). There are a few lines that sound a little too modern, but those are few and far between.

The art was also perfect for the story and consistent throughout. Indeed, I was surprised when I looked back at the credits after reading the issue to see that the first and second half were done by two different artists – I didn’t notice a difference. More important than consistency though was the overall look, the pencils and colors were the ultimate match for the elements of this tale. There were several epic shots of Thor in action that I would love to have as my desktop wallpaper. All components together make this the most epic comic I have read since the Beowulf graphic novel by Gareth Hinds (also highly recommended). For fans of Thor, epics, or mythology, this issue is a must. (Grade: A)

-M. Staples

A Second Opinion

I’ve always loved Thor. The language of the character, the sense of urgency in his adventures, the gleaming spires of Asgard – I ate it all up as a kid and I still get a charge when I look back at the old stuff. With that in mind, I had some difficulty in reading this book. This isn’t the same character I know and love and therefore I wanted to dislike it. Yeah, verily, I wanted to trash it. I wanted to say, “What have they done to Thor?” But a funny thing happened on the way to this review, I got caught up in the story and accepted it as a variation on one of my favorites and I enjoyed it.

This is a darker, sullen Thor. A god of few words. He sneers at drunken kinsmen, hordes the golden apples that are a key part of the story and kills frost giants by hurling himself or Mjolnir through their heads. A blood-spattered Thor is not something I’m accustomed to, but I’m sure it will appeal to many readers. It’s sort of like Thor crossed with Conan.

What kept my attention here is the story. The story “was in the time before great and good Odin stationed Brave Heimdall at the mouth of Bifrost to guard the Rainbow Bridge” and therefore reads like something from mythology. The portrayal of the gods is appropriate, they are here violent, greedy and petty – a rough crowd. The story pulled me in and kept me turning the pages and ultimately I was satisfied.

The artwork is spectacular and fits the story well. The frost giants are very cool looking and the Asgardian setting looks suitably ancient. So if you insist on an old style Thor comic, you might be disappointed. But if you’d like to read a more “blood and guts” Thor, then this book is definitely for you. It won me over and I’m looking forward to the next chapter, Thor: Reign of Blood in June. (Grade B+)

-Arthur Cooke