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Review: Everborn: Prince of Arcadia #1

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Everborn: Prince of Arcadia #1

As a fan of history, I tend to be a harsh critic when it comes to historical dramas, especially when it’s a subject I’ve read a great deal about. My interest in history ranges from medieval Europe to pre-Meiji Era Japan. There are parts of history that I knew nothing about until someone decided to make a television show or movie about it. One such era and subject is King Henry VIII and the show was Tudors.

Before the show, my knowledge of this regent was purely cursory. He was the father of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary and his most famous phot was him in his later years, past his prime. What the show spotlighted was his genius as a visionary and his rather prolific love life interspersed with the shaping of a country. One of the biggest plot points was the rift between the royal houses and who has the true claim to the Throne Of England. In the debut issue of Everborn: Prince Of Arcadia, we find one such rivalry that pushes a kingdom to the brink.

We meet Prince Baldemar, the next in line to be King Of Arcadia, and a ruthless military leader, whose father, King Eirik, looks for peace to reign over his land. He confers with his advisors over strategy in their oncoming battle with Prince Godwin, whose father used to be king and looks to reclaim his birthright. We also meet Prince Godwin, an aging royal, who holds his men’s respect and is poised to take back the kingdom, don’t fight for money but because Baldemar and his men have wronged each of them. By issue’s end, both armies towards each other with a taste for equability that can only be satisfied by the spilling of blood.

Overall, an engaging and well-written narrative that shows where sleeping dogs lie so does long-held feuds. The story by Stephen A.M. Johnson is impressive and well characterized. The art by the creative team is truly breathtaking. Altogether, a story that will have readers itching to see how this fantasy epic with modern sensibilities continues.

Story: Stephen A.M. Johnson
Art: Francis Martelino, Nimesh Morarji, Philip Johnson, and Nikki Foxrobot
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Gates of Midnight #1

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Gates of Midnight #1

Looking at all of the genre television show now available, it’s almost impossible to think of a time when they used to be sparse. In the past, those types of shows usually were relegated to late night timeslots or Saturday afternoons.  Over the past few years , the entire philosophy around the genre changed, leading to a wholesale push on most major networks to introduce more programs  based on books, games, and comics. Material with built in audiences and fanbase. The announcement of a Showtime show based on the Halo franchise is not much of an eye raise anymore compared to ten years ago.

The reinvigoration of genre shows  has given the world some pretty great stories, one of them being the show Grimm. It delved into many grimoires and bestiaries from all over the world, and gave monster hunters new life. In the first volume of Gates Of Midnight, we get to meet someone very much like Nick Burkhardt but loads more interesting.

We meet Alice Raven Moon, a veteran who used to be a combat medic in Afghanistan, as she returns home to new York to find someone has killed her father. As she starts looking into her father’s murder, even more enigmas unravel before her eyes leading to finding out more about him than she could ever imagine, including a furtive being. As she gains an allie in Alex, she realizes she must become a Warrior Of The Gate, a secret order which protects the mortal world from monsters, as one bad decision leads her to finding out some less than unsavory truths about the guild.

Overall, a well-developed story which gives this genre some very complicated characters including its layered protagonist. The story by D Lynn Smith is harrowing, action packed, and engaging. The art by the creative team is breathtaking and vivid. Altogether, an excellent tale which grabs the reader from the beginning and never let’s go.

Story: D Lynn Smith
Art: Amelia Woo, Mirana Reveier and Nikki Foxrobot
Story: 10 Art: 9.8 Overall: 9.6 Recommendation: Buy