Broken Frontier

Orion continues his quest for the entrance to the Underworld. There are many obstacles to slow him down and it appears as though dark forces may be moving faster.

The idea of ancient gods and goddesses living in modern times is a theme that has been used before in comics. So what do Scott Davis and the rest of his creative team bring to this familiar subject?

Orion’s search for the entrance to the Underworld leads him to seek out an old acquaintance – the Cyclops of myth. He finds the creature, along with an amphibious being of Poseidon’s realm, working at a carnival. The Cyclops agrees to tell Orion what the hunter and tracker needs to know but the cost for the information is high. Meanwhile, two of the darker elements of the Hellenic pantheon are crossing cultural boundaries and approaching a powerful figure from Egyptian mythology. What this will mean for the struggling Orion has yet to be revealed but one thing is certain – it can’t be good.

The first thing that strikes you with Orion the Hunter is the nature of these beings of myth. While some, like Orion, have managed to carve a place for themselves in the superhero mold, far more have really found no niche. They truly do not belong in our world anymore and yet, it is nearly impossible for them to die. They live on in the shadows and the sad nature of their existence truly tugs at the reader’s heart. Even Orion, has been taught humility and empathy by his existence but is also wearied by it. Writer Scott Davis has chosen to look at the possible reality of what it would be like if beings of myth and magic still existed in our rational, technological society.

When it comes to the art, though, Allan Otero provides a style that moves in a direction opposed to this realism. His figures are expressive, powerful, and yet ever so slightly tipped toward the traditional comic book style. It actually helps to remind the reader of the superhero ties to this mythological quest story. The bright color palette of Raul Manriquez also ably assists Otero in this task. A story whose nature is steeped in regret and the death of the old ways might be expected to use heavy, dark colors, but Manriquez goes in the opposite direction and uses bright, comic book colors. This works well, though, and provides some truly stunning art. One underwater sequence is a delight to the eyes thanks to the teamwork of Otero and Manriquez.

Orion the Hunter is more than just a mythological based quest story, and more than just a superhero story wrapped in some older trappings. There is heart and emotion here – the exploration of what happens when the world forgets its myths, and what happens when an immortal being must carry humility and regret for eternity.