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Elric: The Balance Lost #1
Elric: The Balance Lost, Vol. 1
Signs appear throughout the Multiverse that the Cosmic Balance is in peril, and the Eternal Champion is caught in the crosshairs! Across worlds, Elric, Hawkmoon and Corum begin to face the force that threatens to overpower them all, while Eric Beck, a modern-day video game designer, must acknowledge that his reoccurring dreams of a Pale Prince aren’t all in his head... Join New York Times bestseller Chris Roberson (SUPERMAN, iZOMBIE, STAN LEE'S STARBORN) as he teams up with legendary fantasy author Michael Moorcock to bring Elric back to comic books in an original ongoing series! See why Neil Gaiman called Moorcock “my model for what a writer was” while Warren Ellis said he is one of the “eight core sites in my creative genome.”
128 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
122 people want to read
About the author
Chris Roberson
552 books264 followersChris Roberson is the co-creator with artist Michael Allred of iZombie, the basis of the hit CW television series, and the writer of several New York Times best-selling Cinderella miniseries set in the world of Bill Willingham’s Fables. He is also the co-creator of Edison Rex with artist Dennis Culver, and the co-writer of Hellboy and the B.P.R.D, Witchfinder, Rise of the Black Flame, and other titles set in the world of Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. In addition to his numerous comics projects, Roberson has written more than a dozen novels and three dozen short stories. He lives with a teenager, two cats, and far too many books in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 30, 2022
Nice interesting plot involving the big 4 of the Eternal Champion characters. Nice art and a good read. Recommended
June 12, 2021
It has going mostly everything I like about Moorcock's fiction: weird fantasy, cosmic wars, crossovers, and black swords. And a pretty good art - among the best representation of the setting, its characters, and its gods I've seen. Yet the story's a bit bland, and I never liked this Eric guy much.
September 29, 2019
This is a nice rendering of Moorcock's Multiverse. Roberson perhaps tries to put too much into it too fast, but does a nice job of capturing the tapestry effect of many layered events happening in different worlds, all working towards the same end. I wouldn't have called it an Elric book- Beck and Corum and Hawkmoon have equal roles- but it's a nice Eternal Champion tale. It has a very nice Moorcock appreciation by Neil Gaiman included. The art is not what we have come to associate with Moorcock in style, but is quite vibrant and colorful and serves to tell the story well. Hawkwind's Chronicle of the Black Sword album is a perfect soundtrack to read by.
February 24, 2016
An intriguing addition to the Moorcock universe. Great storyline featuring the 'Eternal Champions' that is well executed and easy to get your head around. The artwork itself was solid... but could have been better in some places. Overall I really enjoyed this graphic novel, and will be buying the next one in the series.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
February 7, 2017
Reasonably well drawn, but the numerous plotlines remind me that I've got another two dozen books by Mr. Michael Moorcock that I haven't read yet... And they're interconnected in his multiverse, telling the tale of the Eternal Champion.
February 28, 2017
Elric is one of my favorite fantasy characters, but I didn't care for this one very much. I don't think I'll continue this series, unfortunately.
July 26, 2015
There are countless worlds all existing at once in Multiverse, in them Elric lived his many lives as various characters. They all have something in common, they fought for the balance that allows all those different worlds to exist. They where the eternal champion.
There is Chaos, it is represented by many straight lines all facing in different directions going from the center. Chaos stands for diversity, change, growth. At its best it breaths new life into new ideas, it brings the wind of change to something better. At its worst it brings inconsistency, wild growth to malignant tumors.
And then there is the opposite of Chaos, the Law. It is represented by straight line, like a arrow. Law stands for unity, consistency, purity. At its best, it can bring common ground and cure deviations. At its worst, it can make a world into a purist nightmare where people are burned alive because the color of their eyes is wrong.
There must be balance! Law and Chaos tend to become corrupt without it and they bring ruin to their governing world. Elric is on his quest to ensure balance when he hears news of jet another quest that is coming his way. And Eric in a modern day video game designer who dreams about warriors of old, baring cursed swords. He is in for a nasty surprise, the things he is dreaming about, they are not just dreams;)
This comics has a intelligent, larger than life plot and beautiful artwork. I totally recommend it!
There is Chaos, it is represented by many straight lines all facing in different directions going from the center. Chaos stands for diversity, change, growth. At its best it breaths new life into new ideas, it brings the wind of change to something better. At its worst it brings inconsistency, wild growth to malignant tumors.
And then there is the opposite of Chaos, the Law. It is represented by straight line, like a arrow. Law stands for unity, consistency, purity. At its best, it can bring common ground and cure deviations. At its worst, it can make a world into a purist nightmare where people are burned alive because the color of their eyes is wrong.
There must be balance! Law and Chaos tend to become corrupt without it and they bring ruin to their governing world. Elric is on his quest to ensure balance when he hears news of jet another quest that is coming his way. And Eric in a modern day video game designer who dreams about warriors of old, baring cursed swords. He is in for a nasty surprise, the things he is dreaming about, they are not just dreams;)
This comics has a intelligent, larger than life plot and beautiful artwork. I totally recommend it!
January 12, 2013
A nice take on Moorcock's recent Eternal Champions writing. Roberson perhaps jams too much into one story, but the result is nonetheless quite enjoyable.
May 29, 2016
You haven't known weirdness until you read Mike Moorcock's work. This is a daring new format (when it was released) and a very truthful yet summarized view of his creation. Even Neil Gaiman found his inspiration for the Sandman saga on this stories, as he himself confess on his review.
May 31, 2025
Should have been called "Eric Beck: The Balance Lost" but I guess that wouldn't sell as many comics...
January 21, 2021
Two things you need to know about this series right off the bat. Michael Moorcock’s name is on this, but he had nothing to do with its story, but all of the characters (except one) come from his various stories. Don’t worry though, this story is definitely in the style of Moorcock, and the writers are well versed in Moorcock’s worlds for they are well represented here. So while this isn’t written by the man himself, the plot certainly could have been.
Second, this series is called Elric, but it's more to do with the Eternal Champion of Moorcock's multiverse. I suppose they just gave it that title due to the character being the most popular of the Eternal Champions. For those who are unaware, the Eternal Champion was Moorcock’s way of connecting all of his various stories and characters through a central archetype. The Champion is a semi-conscious appointed warrior of Balance who exists in every world and age of the Multiverse. His mission is to keep the balance between order and chaos. If either side becomes too powerful in one dimension then it is doomed. Additionally they all seem to have an unbreakable bond with a sentient Chaos-aligned weapon, the Black Sword, which in turns takes on a different shape for each Champion. Champions are forbidden to coexist in the same dimension, unless some sort of massive catastrophe is underway - as is the case in this series, but what is exactly the source of this lost balance is not revealed in volume one.
Which leads us to another problem. If you aren’t sufficiently knowledgeable in the various works of Moorcock, beyond Elric, you might be lost or miss the significance of much of the material. If you know Moorcock, then you will certainly enjoy the ride. Four protagonists are presented here. The first is the titular Elric, traveling the moonbeam roads between universes with his signature sword Stormbringer. Next is Duke Dorian Hawkmoon von Köln who is uncovering a remnant of the Beast Lords who survived the last decisive war. Corum Jhaelen Irsei, Corum of the Silver Hand, who rescues an old friend then goes to thwart an attack of order creatures, only to come across a version of the Runestaff - which readers might recognize as part of the Hawkmoon series. And a new member of the Von Bek family, Eric Beck. The family is often picked to be a part of the Eternal Champion down through the multiverse. Also making appearances are Oswald Bastable, and the cast of the Second Ether series.
Eric Beck being the new character and oblivious to his role, should have been the entrance cypher for the readers, but as of the fourth issue here he hasn’t been. All the protagonists are given the same amount of page space- for good or ill. However, it does make the assumption that people are well versed in the many short stories and books of Moorcock as the author. If everything in the previous passage comes across as gibberish, you may not enjoy this graphic novel as well as you might.
Second, this series is called Elric, but it's more to do with the Eternal Champion of Moorcock's multiverse. I suppose they just gave it that title due to the character being the most popular of the Eternal Champions. For those who are unaware, the Eternal Champion was Moorcock’s way of connecting all of his various stories and characters through a central archetype. The Champion is a semi-conscious appointed warrior of Balance who exists in every world and age of the Multiverse. His mission is to keep the balance between order and chaos. If either side becomes too powerful in one dimension then it is doomed. Additionally they all seem to have an unbreakable bond with a sentient Chaos-aligned weapon, the Black Sword, which in turns takes on a different shape for each Champion. Champions are forbidden to coexist in the same dimension, unless some sort of massive catastrophe is underway - as is the case in this series, but what is exactly the source of this lost balance is not revealed in volume one.
Which leads us to another problem. If you aren’t sufficiently knowledgeable in the various works of Moorcock, beyond Elric, you might be lost or miss the significance of much of the material. If you know Moorcock, then you will certainly enjoy the ride. Four protagonists are presented here. The first is the titular Elric, traveling the moonbeam roads between universes with his signature sword Stormbringer. Next is Duke Dorian Hawkmoon von Köln who is uncovering a remnant of the Beast Lords who survived the last decisive war. Corum Jhaelen Irsei, Corum of the Silver Hand, who rescues an old friend then goes to thwart an attack of order creatures, only to come across a version of the Runestaff - which readers might recognize as part of the Hawkmoon series. And a new member of the Von Bek family, Eric Beck. The family is often picked to be a part of the Eternal Champion down through the multiverse. Also making appearances are Oswald Bastable, and the cast of the Second Ether series.
Eric Beck being the new character and oblivious to his role, should have been the entrance cypher for the readers, but as of the fourth issue here he hasn’t been. All the protagonists are given the same amount of page space- for good or ill. However, it does make the assumption that people are well versed in the many short stories and books of Moorcock as the author. If everything in the previous passage comes across as gibberish, you may not enjoy this graphic novel as well as you might.
May 31, 2017
I finished this over the last two days. It is actually part one of a trilogy. What we have here is an Eternal Champion story wherein something overwhelming and powerful has changed the balance between Law and Chaos. On some realities Law has taken power and it attempting to overturn Chaos. Other realities have Chaos breaking the boundaries of Law and attempting dreaded change and mutation to bring itself to the fore.
The constant here is the Eternal Champion. The Pale Prince Elric begins our story and is on his way about the lands, finding enemies where he can and defeating them, drawing forth their souls into his demon blade Stormbringer. Corum, the Red Cloak, Dorian Hawkmoon, and a new Champion who is ignorant to his future, Eric Beck are also featured. The common vein of the Companion, the sidekick of the Eternal Champion is also featured here. They are always the helping force to the Champion, and as Moorcock has always contended and written, the perish terribly and in many times, places and ways.
The worlds they are running through in this story are interesting and yet fragile and changing. This again is a constant in the works of the writer and an overall constant theme with the Eternal Champion.
I really enjoyed this book and my only complaint is the art. The art is pretty good but doesn't carry over the characters as well as I would like. This is my personal issue, as the artist and colorist do a decent job. My tastes are a little different, but the writing and the story here is the star. This is a great tale and so far I have no idea where this is going. It has pulled me in and now I go to delve into the second volume, as I purchased all three together.
If you like the works of Michael Moorcock, then this graphic trilogy may be right in your wheelhouse, as it is mine.
Danny
The constant here is the Eternal Champion. The Pale Prince Elric begins our story and is on his way about the lands, finding enemies where he can and defeating them, drawing forth their souls into his demon blade Stormbringer. Corum, the Red Cloak, Dorian Hawkmoon, and a new Champion who is ignorant to his future, Eric Beck are also featured. The common vein of the Companion, the sidekick of the Eternal Champion is also featured here. They are always the helping force to the Champion, and as Moorcock has always contended and written, the perish terribly and in many times, places and ways.
The worlds they are running through in this story are interesting and yet fragile and changing. This again is a constant in the works of the writer and an overall constant theme with the Eternal Champion.
I really enjoyed this book and my only complaint is the art. The art is pretty good but doesn't carry over the characters as well as I would like. This is my personal issue, as the artist and colorist do a decent job. My tastes are a little different, but the writing and the story here is the star. This is a great tale and so far I have no idea where this is going. It has pulled me in and now I go to delve into the second volume, as I purchased all three together.
If you like the works of Michael Moorcock, then this graphic trilogy may be right in your wheelhouse, as it is mine.
Danny
March 17, 2023
-Review for the whole series-
I started the first two when originally published, then I moved abroad and stopped buying comic books for some time. It's now, almost a decade later, when I got to finish the series.
As a hardcore Elric (and maybe I should add Moorcock's Eternal Champion) fan, I'm always up for any comic book adaptation (and we've had some good ones). This is a 100% original story based quite accurately on Moorcock's characters and ideas, with no other involvement from the original author. Result? Well, it's ok though a bit of a mixed bag...
First, I reckon this must be hard for the reader who's not familiarised with Moorcock's work. Elric plays but a little part here, sharing protagonism with other incarnations of the Eternal Champion (Corum and Dorian Hawkmoon, mostly) plus a new facet of the Champion created ad hoc for the sake of the story (and sadly the least interesting/most boring character). This might be actually the biggest flaw: the characters meant to carry the burden of the main plotline are so bland the whole thing eventually feels as an excuse to see Elric and the others in action.
But I'd say I had kind of a good time reading this. At least until half the third volume, where I felt the plot just eventually stopped being of any interest, it was fun turning pages and bumping into all sorts of shenanigans between Law and Chaos, Tanelorn and all the stuff. Plus, the art may feel odd when it comes to characters (but of course we won't expect any P. Craig Russell or, for the matter, anything straight from those wonderful covers by Michael Whelan) but it delivers some awesome scenes of chaos (and law).
If you're a Moorcock fan, I'd say go and give it a try. Otherwise, better to start with some other Moorcock first.
I started the first two when originally published, then I moved abroad and stopped buying comic books for some time. It's now, almost a decade later, when I got to finish the series.
As a hardcore Elric (and maybe I should add Moorcock's Eternal Champion) fan, I'm always up for any comic book adaptation (and we've had some good ones). This is a 100% original story based quite accurately on Moorcock's characters and ideas, with no other involvement from the original author. Result? Well, it's ok though a bit of a mixed bag...
First, I reckon this must be hard for the reader who's not familiarised with Moorcock's work. Elric plays but a little part here, sharing protagonism with other incarnations of the Eternal Champion (Corum and Dorian Hawkmoon, mostly) plus a new facet of the Champion created ad hoc for the sake of the story (and sadly the least interesting/most boring character). This might be actually the biggest flaw: the characters meant to carry the burden of the main plotline are so bland the whole thing eventually feels as an excuse to see Elric and the others in action.
But I'd say I had kind of a good time reading this. At least until half the third volume, where I felt the plot just eventually stopped being of any interest, it was fun turning pages and bumping into all sorts of shenanigans between Law and Chaos, Tanelorn and all the stuff. Plus, the art may feel odd when it comes to characters (but of course we won't expect any P. Craig Russell or, for the matter, anything straight from those wonderful covers by Michael Whelan) but it delivers some awesome scenes of chaos (and law).
If you're a Moorcock fan, I'd say go and give it a try. Otherwise, better to start with some other Moorcock first.
October 12, 2021
This is fine. The art is OK. Some of the imagery is really cool (Meat Boat, I'm looking at you). The writing is fine. It feels a bit like fan fiction, which makes sense when you've got a comic series based on an older property. The writers are looking to geek out over the property they've gotten a chance to write for, after all.
This is called Elric for obvious marketing reasons. Elric is Moorcock's most famous and popular character. He's the one the Witcher seems to have lifted 80% of, and the Witcher is quite popular. Yet this is really a general Eternal Champion comic. Four main storylines are converging, and each one features (at least) one manifestation of the Eternal Champion. Elric is only one of them.
Anyway. It's fine. I've got the second volume, so I'll check it out. Not sure I'd have picked up the second if I'd read this first. It's intriguing enough to keep reading, but probably not enough to run out and buy.
This is called Elric for obvious marketing reasons. Elric is Moorcock's most famous and popular character. He's the one the Witcher seems to have lifted 80% of, and the Witcher is quite popular. Yet this is really a general Eternal Champion comic. Four main storylines are converging, and each one features (at least) one manifestation of the Eternal Champion. Elric is only one of them.
Anyway. It's fine. I've got the second volume, so I'll check it out. Not sure I'd have picked up the second if I'd read this first. It's intriguing enough to keep reading, but probably not enough to run out and buy.
December 22, 2020
I'm pretty new to graphic novels, but I am certainly not new to D&D.
For some reason this was me reading something about Elric for the first time. Weird way to start, I know.
Anyway, I knew some tidbits about the character and I actually enjoyed the storyline although there was a lot happening at once.
Not sure if you can enjoy it if you don't already have at least some knowledge about the character though. So I give it 3.5/5
For some reason this was me reading something about Elric for the first time. Weird way to start, I know.
Anyway, I knew some tidbits about the character and I actually enjoyed the storyline although there was a lot happening at once.
Not sure if you can enjoy it if you don't already have at least some knowledge about the character though. So I give it 3.5/5
May 4, 2023
Oh, man!!!
No history here!!!
The art is atrocious!!! ... Man, oh, man!!
Some of the words were kind of hard to read from their font choice!
No!
A Big, No, No!
No history here!!!
The art is atrocious!!! ... Man, oh, man!!
Some of the words were kind of hard to read from their font choice!
No!
A Big, No, No!
May 5, 2023
Amazing art, terrible (actually zero) plot.
March 25, 2015
Ennesima incarnazione del mitico Elric "burattino degli dei",personaggio simbolo dell'epic fantasy,che ritorna in un'opera dal sapore incredibilmente complesso.
Non solo il volume riprende le vicende dell'imperatore albino nella loro fase più tarda e complessa,fatta di steampunk,sci-fi,dimensioni parallele e meravigle di ogni genere,ma riprende il filo di diverse altre opere di Moorcock,e di diversi dei suoi altri eroi in una meravigliosa opera che omaggia una saga durata decenni e ancora capace di sorprendere.
Non solo il volume riprende le vicende dell'imperatore albino nella loro fase più tarda e complessa,fatta di steampunk,sci-fi,dimensioni parallele e meravigle di ogni genere,ma riprende il filo di diverse altre opere di Moorcock,e di diversi dei suoi altri eroi in una meravigliosa opera che omaggia una saga durata decenni e ancora capace di sorprendere.
October 27, 2012
Interesting possibility - i like the story idea of bringing together the many incarnations of the Champion Eternal. The artwork is pretty bland though... the best part about it is the color palette well matches the context of the pages. I am not sure about the guitar slinging chaos woman, though the ship they are on also is a fascinating idea.
June 15, 2013
Too much exposition and not enough story. I understand why - this is not a book written mainly for those versed in the multiverse, it would not be sell-able. But oh, do I wish it were different! (Oh, do I wish it were a bit more like Michael Moorcock's Multiverse).
December 3, 2014
A promising start to an interesting story arc. The art isn’t stunning, but it is very passable, and I think the artist treats the characters and world well. I had expected a lot more Elric (his name seems to be the selling point of the series, since he's not the main protagonist as I'd expected), but I can’t complain about reading of the other Champions Eternal.
July 6, 2014
Meh. I know that the Eternal Champion storylines are cool, but I was expecting a lot more Elric.
June 25, 2015
the first michael moorcock book i've read in forty years that i've liked
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews