Broken Frontier

Grant Gould has come on the scene big time with this book. Previously he has done the odd short story here, a pinup there, and work on the Star Wars Clone Wars webcomic. Here he gets what appears to be his first full length book. If not, it is certainly the first one with a presence.

First, the concept is one of those things you wished you came up with. The book is about Vikings fighting Werewolves. Other than - you know - Vampires versus Werewolves, there is very little that is as exciting as Lycans and the most brutal barbarian race getting their fisticuffs on.

There’s a story here too. Odin is jealous of some new fad called Christianity and turns some of his most loyal brawlers into wolves. Thor picks a champion, Tyr, and with the aide of a couple of strangers and a witch, things get all crazy. Especially when a prankster god gets into the mix.

Thor and Loki aren’t the stars here. In fact, they never appear on panel. Their attendance is made known through their powerful voices. They are the power behind their pawns in the bigger picture.

Gould writes with a frenetic pace. The book starts in the middle. However, it does a great job of getting the reader up to speed and trudges forward. This is not your typically decompressed comic. This thing moves and packs a lot into the small package. The writing is taut, crisp and exciting. This guy has a career ahead of him.

To top it all off, he illustrates it in a minimalistic style that recalls current animated trends with its thick lines and emotive coloring. The details are done in the shading, but it is the eyes that pop from the page and make the art sparkle. It is almost like the characters are peering into your soul testing your mettle as much as they are assessing their enemy’s.

There is a shimmer to the panels that between the kinetic lines, dynamic layout and bold coloring makes the book that much more exciting. Gould brings the book that close to animation. You almost feel the swords swoop and the limbs fall. What is really impressive is the computer coloring that gives it the animated look without cell paints. Most of the time the effect leaves the art looking pale or washed out - something is just off, but this book nails it. It should be a reference for the folks who want to use the computer programs effectively by not over rendering. Sometimes less is more and Gould makes that work for him.

Did I mention that this book is VIKINGS fighting WEREWOLVES? Seriously, if you are a comic book fan that should be enough for you. Add the fact that it is an engaging story from a strong new voice and you should get thee verily to thy local comic book purveyor and obtain this little gem.