Black Road #1

 
BLACK ROAD #1

Writer – Brian Wood
Artist – Garry Brown
Colors – Dave McCaig
Letters – Steve Wands

Brian Wood is returning to Viking-tinged historical fiction with this new book that introduces Magnus the Black and, his compelling quest, setting him down a dangerous road between Viking brutality and Christian moral dilemma.

Wood, who has been praised far and wide for Northlanders and Rebels alike, returns to the historical fiction genre here with Black Road #1, a new creator owned book from himself and Garry Brown as he sets our main character, Magnus the Black, out on a journey full of peril and exquisitely choreographed violence.

The premise is interesting enough but the narrative execution has some discrepancies. Namely, Magnus is a much different character in narration than he is in dialogue, so much so that he almost seems like two characters – at least here until he is fleshed out in further issues – he, his quest, and his world are introduced well enough initially but there’s little to grab onto by the end of the issue. It may take another issue, or even two, for the character and the story to really take hold but at the end of this first issue it’s hard to tell who Magnus is, what kind of man he really is, and if we’re even supposed to be rooting for him as interesting as the play between Christian and Viking belief systems may play out - a subject that has already been explored in a milieu of other media, too, the Vikings TV show being a prime example – which is to say, I hope Black Road explores those themes in different ways which it doesn’t give us a decent shot of gauging at this point.

The real draw for me here, is the interplay between Brown and McCaig, who depict Magnus’ cold, brutal world in a beautiful and bleak light. The muddled colors, carefully choreographed fight scenes, the true-to-life shacks and buildings, Magnus’ imposing build. It’s all well down, effective tonal art that establishes the mood of the world better than the narration does.

Ultimately it’s a beautiful and bleak introduction whose story doesn’t totally grab you. A half good and half misstep of a first issue, it may take an issue or two but Wood fans will probably find something to like and Brown's art is certainly worth checking out.