A monstrous sea serpent is terrorizing the Fjördland, destroying one fishing boat after another, eating all on board, and keeping the Vikings from going on their pillaging expeditions. All hope seems lost until a stranger with a dark past and a score to settle with the gods shows up and offers to hunt down and slay the Krökken for a thousand silver talents. Soon a ragtag group of would-be monster hunters boards a drak and, against a divine, ominous Nordic background of lakes and mist and mountains, sets sail on a perilous mission, not all will survive.
- Europe Comics, April 2019
- Script by Xavier Dorison
- Art by Ralph Meyer
- 56 pages
- $5.99 USD
- Order online: Amazon, Izneo
From the creative team that brought us the Undertaker series, this time with Vikings and monsters. What’s not to love?
It’s a setup we’ve seen before. A self-serving loner takes a job and gets a young person as an unwanted sidekick. Throw in some supporting cast members to get in the way and you have an adventure.
This time around it’s set in that oh-so-popular era of the Vikings. We get a brief backstory of our anti-hero Asgard Ironfoot and then right into the action. The characters act just as we expect them to as a small band is formed to achieve the task assigned: slay a monster.
There’s nothing wrong with formulaic or following the latest entertainment trends, and as tried and true means it works. The story is concise, entertaining and stays on point. Dialogue is entertaining and fleshes out the characters, their personalities and motives.
Meyer’s characters and environments are well defined and engaging. Lots of dialogue and action allow for varying panel and page layouts: small panels for conversations and to advance scenes with larger panels to provide an environment and pauses along the way.
Movement is well represented in the art. Loved the facial expressions and body language throughout.
Colour is mostly naturalistic but within those confines still separate scenes and add to mood and atmosphere. Delabie and Meyer are both credited for colours and it’s an excellent presentation.
Please check out the preview below from Izneo, who provided my digital copy for review.
Originally published at Comic Book Daily.
