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Review: ‘Ragnarok’ #1

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Returning to the wheelhouse that made him a comics star on Thor, Walt Simonson launches ‘Ragnarok’ a Norse mythology inspired epic. This first issue starts the tale of Brynja, a sword wielding dark elf worthy of standing along the likes of Red Sonja, and delivers a fun tale of violence and adventure.

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WRITTEN BY: Walter Simonson

ART BY: Walter Simonson

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: July 23, 2014

Review By: Ooknabah

Taking place in a blasted world in the aftermath of the death of the gods, Ragnarok follows Brynja as she undertakes to kill a dead god for the sakes of gaining immortality for her family. While the characterization is fairly simple, this is well worn territory for Simonson, and the familiarity allows him to create an authentic atmosphere while still playing in its confines. There is little in the way of groundbreaking developments, but for fans of the genre this is good pulpy entertainment  which is essentially what the story promises from the outset, and it delivers.

Simonson’s art is good, although the lack of detail on zoomed-out figures comes across as a bit lazy: Still, the work is functional and the action feels kinetic and lively, while the tense and moody elements work well, all in all creating a more than serviceable whole. Of note, some of the larger reveals of ancient architecture brings to mind Simonson’s best work in the 80s. This does not rise to those heights, but the skill and experience of an industry veteran, particularly in layouts and staging, is evident throughout.

All in all, this comic plays out like a forgotten classic of the 80s or 90s, with overblown dialog and prose that leans a bit over the top. Since those days, writing in comics has evolved to allow for more nuance and subtlety, very little of which is in effect here. That said, there is something to be said for the appeal of a throwback to older comics, and for fans of Conan, Thor, or other such medieval-themed adventures, there is a lot here to like. There is a slight worry however, as the premise of the comic may be overtaken in later issues as the dead god set to be awaken could drastically alter the tone that has been set here. But those are problems for tomorrow: Today, you’ve got a classic adventure, well executed.

Bombastic and bold, if you miss comics like Walt Simonson used to make, well then rejoice, as he is still making them today. To be honest, I didn’t expect to care for this one, but it caught me by surprise in a pleasant way. I’ll be here next issue.

Ooknabah AKA Brent Hirose is a writer, actor and gigantic nerd from Vancouver B.C. You can listen to his podcast about that at HugeNerds.Podomatic.Com or check out his many other projects at BrentHirose.com

Comics

[Review] Graphic Novel ‘Tender’ Is Brilliant Feminist Body Horror That Will Make You Squirm & Scream

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Tender Beth Hetland Graphic Novel

Beth Hetland’s debut graphic novel, ‘Tender,’ is a modern tale of love, validation, and self-destruction by way of brutal body horror with a feminist edge.

“I’ve wanted this more than anything.”

Men so often dominate the body horror subgenre, which makes it so rare and insightful whenever women tackle this space. This makes Beth Hetland’s Tender such a refreshing change of pace. It’s earnest, honest, and impossibly exposed. Tender takes the body horror subgenre and brilliantly and subversively mixes it together with a narrative that’s steeped in the societal expectations that women face on a daily basis, whether it comes to empowerment, family, or sexuality. It single-handedly beats other 2023 and ‘24 feminine horror texts like American Horror Story: Delicate, Sick, Lisa Frankenstein, and Immaculate at their own game.

Hetland’s Tender is American Psycho meets Rosemary’s Baby meets Swallow. It’s also absolutely not for the faint of heart.

Right from the jump, Tender grabs hold of its audience and doesn’t let go. Carolanne’s quest for romantic fulfillment, validation, and a grander purpose is easy to empathize with and an effective framework for this woeful saga. Carolanne’s wounds cut so deep simply because they’re so incredibly commonplace. Everybody wants to feel wanted.

Tender is full of beautiful, gross, expressive artwork that makes the reader squirm in their seat and itch. Hetland’s drawings are simultaneously minimalist and comprehensively layered. They’re  reminiscent of Charles Burns’ Black Hole, in the best way possible. There’s consistently inspired and striking use of spot coloring that elevates Hetland’s story whenever it’s incorporated, invading Tender’s muted world.

Hetland employs effective, economical storytelling that makes clever use of panels and scene construction so that Tender can breeze through exposition and get to the story’s gooey, aching heart. There’s an excellent page that depicts Carolanne’s menial domestic tasks where the repetitive panels grow increasingly smaller to illustrate the formulaic rut that her life has become. It’s magical. Tender is full of creative devices like this that further let the reader into Carolanne’s mind without ever getting clunky or explicit on the matter. The graphic novel is bookended with a simple moment that shifts from sweet to suffocating.

Tender gives the audience a proper sense of who Carolanne is right away. Hetland adeptly defines her protagonist so that readers are immediately on her side, praying that she gets her “happily ever after,” and makes it out of this sick story alive…And then they’re rapidly wishing for the opposite and utterly aghast over this chameleon. There’s also some creative experimentation with non-linear storytelling that gets to the root of Carolanne and continually recontextualizes who she is and what she wants out of life so that the audience is kept on guard.

Tender casually transforms from a picture-perfect rom-com, right down to the visual style, into a haunting horror story. There’s such a natural quality to how Tender presents the melancholy manner in which a relationship — and life — can decay. Once the horror elements hit, they hit hard, like a jackhammer, and don’t relent. It’s hard not to wince and grimace through Tender’s terrifying images. They’re reminiscent of the nightmarish dadaist visuals from The Ring’s cursed videotape, distilled to blunt comic panels that the reader is forced to confront and digest, rather than something that simply flickers through their mind and is gone a moment later. Tender makes its audience marinate in its mania and incubates its horror as if it’s a gestating fetus in their womb.

Tender tells a powerful, emotional, disturbing story, but its secret weapon may be its sublime pacing. Hetland paces Tender in such an exceptional manner, so that it takes its time, sneaks up on the reader, and gets under their skin until they’re dreading where the story will go next. Tender pushes the audience right up to the edge so that they’re practically begging that Carolanne won’t do the things that she does, yet the other shoe always drops in the most devastating manner. Audiences will read Tender with clenched fists that make it a struggle to turn each page, although they won’t be able to stop. Tender isn’t a short story, at more than 160 pages, but readers will want to take their time and relish each page so that this macabre story lasts for as long as possible before it cascades to its tragic conclusion. 

Tender is an accomplished and uncomfortable debut graphic novel from Hetland that reveals a strong, unflinching voice that’s the perfect fit for horror. Tender indulges in heightened flights of fancy and toes the line with the supernatural. However, Tender is so successful at what it does because it’s so grounded in reality and presents a horror story that’s all too common in society. It’s a heartbreaking meditation on loneliness and codependency that’s one of 2024’s must-read horror graphic novels.

‘Tender,’ by Beth Hetland and published by Fantagraphics, is now available.

4 out of 5 skulls

Tender graphic novel review

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