Showing posts with label Graphic Novel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Graphic Novel. Show all posts

Sunday, December 29, 2024

The Geeky Nerfherder 13th Anniversary & My 2024 Favourites

Today, December 29 is the birthday of this nerdy blog, beginning all the way back, 13 years ago on this day in 2011 with the obligatory introductory blog post.
 
From the start, the aim of the blog has always been to showcase inspiring, cool art and pop culture geekery, from poster art, comic art, book and magazine cover art to the artworks on view from the latest new contemporary exhibitions, and the artists that create them.
 
The blog is still a lot of fun to curate, even after all these years; discovering the latest cool art, cover art, print releases and gallery shows, showcasing art from some of my favourite artists in my long running 'Artist Spotlight' series (working my way through artists A-Z and currently at the letter R), as well as starting each day with an #ArtOfTheDay post - something random from the Geeky Nerfherder image archives.

Although I've stopped posting to Twitter/X, and now posting on Bluesky, I'm still active on the socials and they continue to gain new followers, even with the algorithms doing their best to limit any visibility and with the influx of AI slop (which I will NOT post on the blog or my socials), the number of followers is still in the thousands! WOW! Thank you so much!! It's always humbling and amazing to know that other people are also enjoying the artworks I'm posting and hopefully discovering new favourite artists along the way as well. But if you’re not already following, here are the links to my social profiles where I post to:
So that's another year almost done and dusted! There's still been enough good stuff to escape into a geeky and nerdy bubble with, despite everything 2024 has conjured up, and here are a few of my favourites from the past year below.
 

Friday, December 29, 2023

The Geeky Nerfherder 12th Anniversary & My 2023 Favourites

December 29
is the 12th anniversary of this nerdy blog, beginning all the way back on this day in 2011 with the obligatory introductory blog post. So, Happy Birthday Geeky Nerfherder!
 
The aim of the blog has always been to showcase inspiring, cool art and pop culture geekery, from poster art, comic art, book and magazine cover art to the artworks on view from the latest new contemporary exhibitions, and the artists that create them.
 
After all the years I've been doing this blog, it's still a lot of fun to curate; discovering the latest cool art, cover art, print releases and gallery shows, showcasing art from some of my favourite artists in my long running 'Artist Spotlight' series, and starting each day with an #ArtOfTheDay post - something random from the Geeky Nerfherder image archives.
 
I'm active on the socials and also sometimes post bonus content there, such as quicky reviews of the latest movies I have seen, and any nerdy #NewSwag that I add to my collection as well. The socials continue to gain new followers, especially Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram, even with the algorithms doing their damndest to limit any visibility, with the number of followers in the thousands! WOW! Thank you so much!! It's always humbling and amazing to know that other people are also enjoying the artworks I'm posting and hopefully discovering new favourite artists along the way as well. But if you’re not already following, here are the links to my social profiles where I post to:


You can also help support the blog by using these Affiliate Links when shopping online:
So that's another year almost done and dusted! There's still been enough good stuff to escape into a geeky and nerdy bubble with, despite everything 2023 has conjured up, and here are a few of my favourites from the past year below.
 

Sunday, September 03, 2023

#CoolArt: 'Snow Glass Apples' Graphic Novel cover art print by Colleen Doran through Neverwear

'Snow Glass Apples' by Colleen Doran, Cover art for the graphic novel adaptation of the short story written by Neil Gaiman, published by Dark Horse Comics.

11" x 17" print on luxe pearlescent stock paper, in a limited edition of 750 for $38 until Monday September 4 at 12am ET 2023, and then $45 afterwards.

Use code SGA5 at check out to get $5 off.

Profits from the print release will be donated to a kitten rescue in Brooklyn called Heidi Wrangles Cats, and an animal rescue in Baltimore called Barcs.

On sale now through Neverwear.

Thursday, December 29, 2022

The Geeky Nerfherder 11th Anniversary & My 2022 Favourites

December 29 marks the 11th anniversary of this nerdy blog, beginning all the way back on this day in 2011 with the obligatory introductory blog post. So, Happy Birthday Geeky Nerfherder!
 
The aim has always been to showcase inspiring, cool art and pop culture geekery, whether it's poster art, comic art, book and magazine cover art or art from the latest new contemporary exhibitions, and the artists that create them.
 
Even after over 10 years, it's still a lot of fun to curate; discovering the latest cool art, cover art, print releases and gallery shows, showcasing art from some of my favourite artists in my long running 'Artist Spotlight' series, and starting each day with #ArtOfTheDay - something random from the Geeky Nerfherder image archives. I'm also trying to add more reviews of the books and movies I read and watch over the year too.
 
I'm active on the socials and also sometimes post bonus content there, such as the #OnThisDay feature where I post some of my favourite films, books, comics and shows that were first released or published on a particular date, and any nerdy #NewSwag that I add to my collection as well. The socials continue to gain new followers, especially Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram, and especially since a certain person bought a certain micro blogging company, with the number of followers now in the thousands! WOW! Thank you so much!! It's humbling and amazing to know that other people are also enjoying the artworks I'm posting and hopefully discovering new favourite artists along the way as well. But if you’re not already following, here are the links to my social profiles:


You can also help support the blog by using these Affiliate Links when shopping online:
So that's another year almost done and dusted! There's still been enough good stuff to escape into a geeky and nerdy bubble with, despite everything 2022 has conjured up, and here are a few of my favourites from the past year below.
 

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

The Geeky Nerfherder 10th Anniversary & My 2021 Favourites

Happy Birthday Geeky Nerfherder!
 
December 29 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of this nerdy blog, beginning all the way back on this day in 2011 with the obligatory introductory blog post. 
 
From the start, the aim has always been to showcase inspiring, cool art and pop culture geekery, whether it's poster art, comic art, book and magazine cover art or art from the latest new contemporary exhibitions, and the artists that create them.
 
Throughout those 10 years, the Geeky Nerfherder has been a one man band, just me, Andy B, and it has certainly come a long way since 2011. Even after ten years, it still continues to be a lot of fun to curate; scouring the internet & social media for the latest cool art, print releases and gallery shows, showcasing art from some of my favourite artists in my long running 'Artist Spotlight' series, and starting each day with #ArtOfTheDay - something random, mostly comic art, from the Geeky Nerfherder image archives. I'm also trying to add more reviews of the books and movies I read and watch over the year too.
 
I also post bonus content on my socials, such as the #OnThisDay feature where I post some of my favourite films, books, comics and shows that were first released or published on a particular date, and any nerdy #NewSwag that I add to my collection as well. These accounts continue to gain new followers, with the number of followers now in the thousands! WOW! Thank you so much!! It's amazing and humbling to know that people are also enjoying the artworks I'm posting and hopefully discovering new artists along the way as well. But if you’re not already following, here are the links to my social profiles:

As always, a big thanks to everyone that drops by the blog and/or follows me through the various socials I post to. I hope that you continue to enjoy my posts of cool art and pop culture geekery.

You can also help support the blog by using these Affiliate Links when shopping online:
So that's almost another year in the books, with 2021 has almost come and gone! Despite all the craziness that has gone on in the world over in the last year or so, there has still been enough good stuff to escape into a geeky and nerdy bubble with, and I've listed a few of my favourites from 2021 below.
 

Monday, August 23, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Orion's Outcasts' by Éric Corbeyran & Jorge Miguel

'Orion's Outcasts', a two volume series adapted and written by Éric Corbeyran and illustrated by Jorge Miguel, is my second foray into the science fiction worlds of Julia Verlanger / Gilles Thomas, the pen names of Eliane Grimaître, one of the most celebrated French authors of science fiction of the 1970s, and is an enjoyable return.

Set on the planet Orion-XB12557 in the 'Retroworlds' universe, a term the the Galactic Federation calls worlds that have regressed into a more primitive and isolationist way of life, Kolhen, a warrior tricked by a seducing temple priestess, is imprisoned and sentenced to slavery where he meets Tryana, witness to an offworlder trading in outlawed weapons, and together they find a way to escape their captivity. They soon meet a mysterious blonde woman, who’s armed with strange and powerful weaponry, and collectively, they band together to help stop the arms dealer's meddling.

This is a quick and fun read. As with my previous encounter with Verlanger's work, the graphic novel series 'Retroworld' (my review here), I found the world building to be pretty good, giving you sense of the culture, politics and environments of planet Orion-XB12557. The character development isn't as well fleshed out as the world seems to be, as we don't get much of an exposition into the backgrounds of the main characters, but the story's fast paced nature breezes along with decent (and sometimes violent) action and plot set pieces and is enough to keep you interested and drag you along for the ride.

The art by Jorge Miguel is impressive and really suits the story and the setting. The characters and the world they inhabit are very detailed, but not overly so. I also liked the use of colour, giving the different locales and scenes a distinct personality and standing out across the comic panels.

'Orion's Outcasts' hooks its sharp world building claws into you quickly and together with the impressive art and simple, but fast paced story, is an exciting read that's worth picking up if you fancy reading some Sci-Fi adapted from one of Europe's most celebrated authors.

Available at:
and other comic and book stores.

Monday, July 05, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Retroworld' by Patrick Galliano, Cédric Peyravernay & Bazal

'Retroworld', is a two volume series written by Patrick Galliano and illustrated by Cédric Peyravernay & Bazal, adapted from 'Horlemonde', by Julia Verlanger / Gilles Thomas, the pen names of Eliane Grimaître, one of the most celebrated French authors of science fiction of the 1970s.
 
I must admit, as although I love sci-fi, their names have not come across in my reading before, but the cover art of this adaptation did intrigue me. Never judge a book by its cover they say, but it is what catches my eye.

The set up for the series is as follows; Humans have scattered and occupied the known universe for so long that many worlds have forgotten their Earthly origins. The planets which still retain the memory of their beginnings have banded together, forming a Galactic Federation, whereas the rest are worlds that have regressed into a more primitive and isolationist way of life - the Retros. The Federation deploys its best agent, Marce, with a vital mission to help one of these retro worlds advance and evolve. But when he gets caught up in political machinations, on a world with brutal living conditions, and fighting against deadly creatures, the mission proves to be more difficult than first thought.

With the stage set in the first few pages, we get into the story. And it's a story that doesn't feel particularly original, as it hits a few familiar genre fiction story beats and tropes, but it doesn't need to be unique. It just needs to be entertaining, and I definitely found it that. Even though there seems to be a lot going on, the story pacing had a sense of urgency about it, helping push the narrative forward, but didn't feel too rushed, in my opinion. The character development isn't too deep, however, but you still got a sense of their motivations, especially from our main trio of Agent Marce, Jatred and Orval. The world building however, was pretty good. Most of the story is on the Retroworld of Almagiel, and through the pages of both graphic novels we get to see quite a bit of it. The different environments, peoples, political factions and gangs, plus the killer wildlife! It gave the world a real sense of depth especially with Peyravernay's artwork, which for me, the quality never faltered at all over the two volumes, giving it a consistent visual feast for the eyes. I've seen some comments say that the artwork is a bit too busy and compact, but I found it suited the story just right. 

'Retroworld' is an exciting, fast paced read that feels familiar, but there is enough in it's execution for you to savour and keep you engaged throughout.
 
Available at:
and other comic and book stores.

 

Tuesday, June 08, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Millennium' by Richard D Nolane & François Miville-Deschênes

'Millennium', is a five part series written by Richard D Nolane and illustrated by François Miville-Deschênes, that follows Raedwald the Saxon and Arnulf, collectors and sellers of Holy relics, as they travel across Europe investigating reports of demonic creatures, strange lights in the sky, as well as a sinister conspiracy that threatens the Continent’s entire political and religious structure.

Billed as 'The Name Of The Rose' meets 'The X-Files', 'Millennium' was a really enjoyable read. A medieval mystery series with some very fantastical twists and turns throughout.

Set in the year 997, the series begins with the brutal ambush of a Royal carriage convoy, where all were killed except for one horrifically maimed survivor. Our heroes, Raedwald and Arnulf, happen to discover on the massacre, but when they later run into the King's men who decline to answer Raedwald's questions about the convoy, and demand that the survivor is taken to a specific hospice, this sparks an interest in Raedwald that there may be more to the ambush than at first it seems.

Although part of a series, each volume also feels like a standalone episode, with Raedwald and Arnulf off on adventures around Europe, using their brains and brawn respectively, to investigate mysteries that have elements of the fantastic, from holy relics to aliens, as well as meeting some quite memorable characters along the way too. But as they investigate these seemingly individual mysteries, they end up uncovering more pieces of the puzzle in the greater conspiracy. It's a series that is definitely more of a slow burn, than one that is action-packed, but I liked that about this series. Sometimes a slower pace is needed, as the clues are uncovered and more layers of the conspiracy are dicovered, the whole picture begins to slowly reveal itself amd it draws you in deeper, just like any great detective series.
 
'Millennium' is an engrossing read set in the medieval past with a fantastical conspiracy woven throughout each volume, with artwork by the always fantastic Miville-Deschênes!
 
Available at:
and other comic and book stores.

Monday, May 31, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Zaroff' by Sylvain Runberg & François Miville-Deschênes

'Zaroff', written by Sylvain Runberg and illustrated by François Miville-Deschênes, is billed as an unofficial sequel to Richard Connell's 1924 short story, 'The Most Dangerous Game', (which was later adapted into the 1932 RKO Pictures film of the same name, starring Joel McCrea and Leslie Banks), that features a big-game hunter from New York City who falls off a yacht and swims to what seems to be an abandoned and isolated island in the Caribbean, where he is hunted by a Russian aristocrat.
 
Although it follows on from the original, 'Zaroff' is still a standalone story, so like myself, there is no need to have any knowledge of the original material.
 
The story picks up 8 years later with Sanger Rainsford, the big game hunter from the original story, having survived his encounter with Zaroff, and now in New York addressing the media of his experience. The media is generally unbelieving of his tale, except for a mysterious woman listening with intent in the gathered crowd.
 
General Zaroff, having escaped the original island, now lives on a remote island off the coast of Venezuela. A new hunting ground where he can continue his deranged hobby of hunting people that become stranded on his island. But ever the sportsman, he does give his quarry a 'sporting' chance, however, by equipping them with weaponary and if they can escape his clutches for three days, they are free to leave. But when one of the General's victims is a Boston mob boss, his daughter and a group of mobster heavies arrive on the island looking for revenge. But there is more at stake than just the General's life.
 
This was a thrilling read. Runberg has crafted an exciting story that turns the evil villain of the original story into the protagonist. He's still a cold and calculating character, but with the tables turned, you kind of root for him to pull through the hunt. It is helped with the way Fiona Flanagan and the mobsters are portrayed in the story, who are definitely playing up to their antagonistic roles. 

The story starts off strong, hinting at what had gone before and laying the seeds for what's to come, with some good exposition. There isn't much plot to it, as when you boil it down, 'Zaroff' is just a cat-and-mouse chase / hunter-becoming-hunted story, but it's written in such a way that even with the lack of substance, you are still engrossed in the story and the pace of the storytelling is just unwavering, as you get swept up into the chase, and never really runs out of steam as you turn the last page!
 
The artwork by Miville-Deschênes is simply stunning. As always! As such, it suited the story very well and was easy to get absorbed in the life-like details in the comic panels that bring out the vividness, and lushness of the jungle, as well as the brutal and horrific. It's got to the point that any graphic novel with artwork by François Miville-Deschênes is to savoured!

'Zaroff' is a thrilling read with beautifully rendered artwork, that once the chase begins, is unrelenting and full of suspense, tension and horror! A must read!

Available at:
and other comic and book stores.

 

Monday, April 26, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Madi: Once Upon A Time In The Future' by Duncan Jones, Alex de Campi & Various Artists

'Madi: Once Upon A Time In The Future', from the minds of Duncan Jones, Alex de Campi and a whole host of awesome comics artists that includes; Dylan Teague, Glenn Fabry, Duncan Fegredo, LRNZ, Eduardo Ocaña, André Araújo, Simon Bisley, Rosemary Valero-O’Connell, Tonci Zonjic,  Pia Guerra, James Stokoe,  RM Guéra, Chris Weston, Rufus Dayglo, Annie Wu, David Lopez, and Christian Ward, plus colourists Matt Wilson, Nayoung Kim, Chris O’Halloran, Adam Brown, Jacob Phillips, Raúl Arnaiz, Giulia Brusco, Sergey Nazarov, Kelly Fitzpatrick, and Lettering by Alex, is a cyberpunk road trip set in the near-future.

Madi Preston, is a cybernetically augmented mercenary, part of J-Squad, a merc special ops unit that freelances their unique ability to be remote controlled by specialists while in the field. But when their latest mission ends with the death of one their crew, Madi decides she’s had enough. But in order to pay back the debt she still owes, she takes an off-the-books job, and when the piece of tech she’s supposed to steal turns out to be a child, and she suddenly blacks out... she finds herself on the run from everyone she’s ever known.

I'm a big fan of Duncan Jones' movies, with this being the third and final story set in the same 'Cinematic Universe' as his 'Moon' and 'Mute' movies (the 'Mooniverse'), the graphic novel takes the familiar elements and themes from those movies, especially from 'Mute' I feel, and adds a dash of 'Blade Runner (2049)', 'Ghost in The Shell' and CD Projekt Red's recent 'Cyberpunk 2077' video game, blending everything together and reworking it into a brand new story, that was a joy to read!

Originally a screenplay, 'Madi' is a 260 page graphic novel, that was funded through a Kickstarter campaign (with exclusive hardcover art by Yuko Shimizu and softcover art by Duncan Fegredo & Jacob Phillips), and is published through Z2 Comics.

The pacing of the story definitely felt like it could have been movie instead of a graphic novel. The story kept me engaged all the way through, with its action packed intro, and all the way through to its exciting conclusion. Even when the story slows the pacing down, there's still more than enough to keep you interested in wanting to find out what happens in the end. The excellent group of characters, especially the main three of Madi, Ted and Dean as they embark on the road trip trying to outrun their pursuers, really helps draw you into the story and root for them.

As good as the story is, the main talking point of 'Madi' is the artwork, with a venerable who's who of the comic industry working on the pages throughout the graphic novel. But with the amount of artists involved, you might think that the clash of differing art styles when transitioning from scene to scene would be jarring and take you out of the story. Not so for me. It looked like the story was carefully divided up in a way to minimise this. And it works really well, with the change in artist helping with the shift in tone of what is happening to the story on the page.

I really enjoyed 'Madi: Once Upon A Time In The Future'. It's lively and energetic, with a hard as nails BAMF female lead kicking ass from start to finish. A graphic novel that is a spectacular feast for the eyes in a beast of a book!

Available from Z2 Comics, Forbidden Planet, Waterstones, and all good comic and book stores.

Monday, April 19, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Wanted Lucky Luke' by Matthieu Bonhomme

'Wanted Lucky Luke' by Matthieu Bonhomme, published by Cinebook, is both a reimagining and homage of the iconic and charming gunslinger, known as the 'man who shoots faster than his shadow', created by Belgian cartoonist Morris in 1946, a tribute and affectionate parody of the mythic Old West.
 
The volume opens with our titular hero riding peacefully on his faithful steed, Jolly Jumper, until he is ambushed by an unknown attacker. A quick gunfight ensues, but the assailant manages to get away, leaving behind a Wanted poster with Lucky Luke's face on it. Soon after, he saves a lone wagon beset by Apache raiders. After driving the attackers off, Luke finds that the occupants of the wagon are three lovely young women! Three sisters on their way to start a new life, and who all find the lonesome cowboy . . . quite interesting. But with the Apache's still on his trail, and others looking to claim the bounty, Lucky Luke is most definitely a wanted man!
 
Although I have heard of, I've not read any 'Lucky Luke' stories before, so I didn't really know what to expect. What I did read though, I enjoyed immensely! A homage to the old Western movies and serials, filled with gunfights, sleazy bandits, saloon brawls, strong resilient women and plenty of suspense. 
 
Bonhomme's art style works very well, with a minimal colour palette rather than full colour panels. The colour scheme manages to bring the panels to life and suits the story very well, giving it a basic look, but one that is still full of plenty details that will arrest the eyes.

It's an excellent read, filled with classic Western tropes, but still feeling fresh and exciting, and a few surprises along the way, yet still respecting the classic original comics.

Just like Lucky Luke in the story, this should be on your Most Wanted lists!

Available at:

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Throne Of Ice' by Alain Paris & Val & Saverio Tenuta & Notaro

'Throne Of Ice' is a four part heroic fantasy epic set in a mythical pre-glacial Antarctica 10,000 years ago - long before it becomes a frozen wasteland we know of today. 
 
The premise isn't an original one, it's one that has been told numerous times before in classical literature through to modern times - a scheming Royal aims to rule the kingdom by killing the current ruler and putting their son on the throne, but the illegitimate son is smuggled away before they are discovered and killed, and is then mentored over the years before coming back to fulfill his destiny and reclaim their right to the throne.
 
There is a reason why this plot is so familiar, it's because it works, classic hero's journey type stuff. And it does the job here, carrying the plot along at a decent pace in a good story, but unfortunately it's a very familiar one that doesn't really seem to step out of first gear and stand out from other similarly told stories. The development of the characters suffered as a result for me, as they did seem a bit flat and two dimensional at times however, meaning that I wasn't too invested in some of them.

The lore of this mythical Antarctica is quite interesting though, not heavy handed info dumps but just enough to pique my interest of the world. The glimpses of the other kingdoms and tribes, as our hero travels the continent to fulfill his destiny, and even ancient Atlanteans hinted at for good measure, all add to the story and world building, which I liked.
 
The artwork, by three different artists over the course of the 4 book series, is pretty good, consistent and fits in with the storytelling. There is violence and nudity, although nothing really gratuitous, and there's plenty of details in the panels to keep your attention, allowing you to flow along with the story without getting distracted.

It's an decent read with a set of characters and plot that are very recognizable. With a similarity in its title, if you're a fan of the 'A Song Of Ice And Fire / Game Of Thrones' series, then this could be a quick read for you.

Available at:
and other comic and book stores.

 

Monday, March 15, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'Izuna' by Saverio Tenuta & Bruno Letizia & Carlita Lupatelli

'Izuna', written by Saverio Tenuta & Bruno Letizia, and illustrated by Carlita Lupatelli, first published in 2014, is a bandes dessinées (comic), set in the world of a mythical Japan, where the spirits of nature have created the Kamigakushi, a magical veil that hides them from the eyes of man. One day, the Noggo, the corrupted spirits of murdered innocents, appear and begin to infect the world of the Kami with their dark shadows. The sacred life-giving tree, Munemori, created the Izuna, white wolf-like protectors, to battle the terrible scourge, but the mysterious birth of a wolf cub in the shape of a young human girl threatens to upset the delicate balance between the two worlds and plunge both sides into chaos.

This is a really engaging and fantastical story, that keeps gently nudging you forward in the plot, weaving elements of Japanese folklore, giving it an ethereal and magical feel that matches the strikingly beautiful world that it is set in, that may also feel somewhat recognizable to those familiar with Studio Ghibli's 'Princess Mononoke', and Capcom's 'Okami' video game.

The artwork by Carita Lupatelli is wondrously illustrated, as seen in her beautiful cover art for the series also, and full of details that the comic panels demand without being over burdened, complimenting the mystical, as well as the human elements of the story.

'Izuna' spans over four volumes, with the first two; 'Kamigakushi' and 'Yamibushi' following Aki as she grows up and has to deal with the initial threat of the Noggo, with the last two volumes; 'Namaenashi' and 'Wunjo', skipping forward in time and finishing off the threat. There are also intriguing subplots blended into the main story, keeping things interesting outside of the fantastical main story. 

It's an engaging read with good set of characters in a beautifully rendered mystical world, and with the ending kind of left open, suggesting the possiblities of future stories, it's a world that I'd like to return to. If you're a fan of the Studio Ghibli films, especially 'Princess Mononoke', then this is essential reading.

Available at:
and other comic and book stores.

 

Monday, January 25, 2021

Graphic Novel Review: 'The Metabarons' by Alejandro Jodorowsky & Juan Gimenez

'The Metabarons', written by Alejandro Jodorowsky and illustrated by Juan Gimenez, first published in 1992, is a science fiction, space opera comic series that tells of the lineage of the ultimate warrior, The Metabaron, first seen as a minor character in Jodorowsky's 'The Incal', as narrated through two abandoned robots left in the impregnable 'Metabunker' for maintenance issues.

The first in this eight part series introduces Othon von Salza, the first Metabaron, on the planet of Marmola, and after a freak accident, how the revelation of epiphyte - a secret anti-gravity substance - becomes the catalyst for an all out war above the planet for the substance, and with the creation of the Metabaron.

As well as introducing Othon, Volume One also reveals the origins of the code of principles that runs through the Metabaron bloodline, their cybernetic implants, and why the only way to become the next Metabaron is for the son to defeat his own father in a mortal combat. 

This is classic Jodorowsky. Weird, crazy, and at times intriguing, with a mix of violence, sex, a good dose of deus ex machina to speed up the narrative, paper thin characters, some dodgy sci-fi and the use of 'Paleo', 'Techno', 'Meca' etc as prefixes to make it sound futuristic can be a bit annoying at times. The art by Gimenez is the highlight of this series for me though. The space battles, violence, characters and more are beautifully rendered by his artwork. Nice big panels capture all the action in loving detail, and a lot of detail there is to admire!

It's not as engaging as 'The Incal' was, but there is still enough there to keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next, and how the Metabaron legacy continues as they battle against forces corrupted by greed, power, and terror throughout the galaxy. If you're a fan of Jodorowsky or Gimenez, then this is essential reading.

Available at:
and other comic and book stores.