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Sláine #2
Slaine: Time Killer
2000 AD's ever-popular Celtic hero returns in a deluxe collectors' hardback edition!
Before the events of `The Horned God', a group comprising of Sláine; Ukko, his faithful (if evil-smelling) dwarf; Nest, a trainee priestess who knows the secrets of the Land of the Young; and Sláine's vast, voracious dragon steed, the Knucker, wander Tir-Nan-Og in search of the fortress of the Ever-Living Ones, arch-druids who may hold the key to the final defeat of the evil forces oppressing Sláine's people.
But a chance encounter with a demonic alien race who are besieging the fortess, hurls Sláine and his allies through time... to ever-greater battles, threats, and challenges!
Collects:
- Dragonheist (Progs #361-#367)
- The Time Killer (Progs #411-#434)
173 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2004
6 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Pat Mills
848 books230 followersPat Mills, born in 1949 and nicknamed 'the godfather of British comics', is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since.
His comics are notable for their violence and anti-authoritarianism. He is best known for creating 2000 AD and playing a major part in the development of Judge Dredd.
His comics are notable for their violence and anti-authoritarianism. He is best known for creating 2000 AD and playing a major part in the development of Judge Dredd.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 29, 2023
The second tome is 1/3 dragon action and 2/3s really weird sci-fantasy which brings some serious lore in the game. Note that the transition between the 2 parts is a bit rough and rush.
August 24, 2020
The second book of Sláine's adventure, this one consist of two tales. In the first one, he is still travelling north with Ukko, his dwarf. Sláine decides to make a 'minor' diversion to help the girl, Nest of the Speckled Face, whose dragon (on a dragon farm) is accused of eating a villager. Sláine saves her and in return, Nest employs them on the farm, which is being run by Nest's abusive uncle until she is old enough. Little do they know that there is a wild dragon on the loose and it would need all of Sláine and the farm's dragon's, the Knucker, battle skills to defeat it.
In the second tale, Sláine, Ukko and Nest head north towards the Fortress of the Ever Living Ones. There, they discover it under attack by the Cythrons, evil aliens imprisoned deep in the past on Earth. They plan to escape by harvesting the aura of humans from all periods of time, building up enough power to awaken their ancient gods and break free to spread mayhem throughout the galaxy. This would be turn out to be a sprawling tale full of battles, strange creatures and a mystic introduction to the macrosphere where macrobes and other creatures dwell. By the end of the book, the second tale is not yet over as Sláine and other prepare to do battle with one of the awakening old gods of the Cythrons.
Compared with the first book with its numerous adventures of Sláine, this one only has two, with the second one a sprawling one over time and space that readers of the weekly comic (when it was first released) might have trouble keeping track of events. Gathering it into a book makes it easier, at the cost of making the episodes now very episodic, with crisis heaping upon crisis. And reading the next book is required to find out what happens at the end to Sláine and the Cythrons.
In the second tale, Sláine, Ukko and Nest head north towards the Fortress of the Ever Living Ones. There, they discover it under attack by the Cythrons, evil aliens imprisoned deep in the past on Earth. They plan to escape by harvesting the aura of humans from all periods of time, building up enough power to awaken their ancient gods and break free to spread mayhem throughout the galaxy. This would be turn out to be a sprawling tale full of battles, strange creatures and a mystic introduction to the macrosphere where macrobes and other creatures dwell. By the end of the book, the second tale is not yet over as Sláine and other prepare to do battle with one of the awakening old gods of the Cythrons.
Compared with the first book with its numerous adventures of Sláine, this one only has two, with the second one a sprawling one over time and space that readers of the weekly comic (when it was first released) might have trouble keeping track of events. Gathering it into a book makes it easier, at the cost of making the episodes now very episodic, with crisis heaping upon crisis. And reading the next book is required to find out what happens at the end to Sláine and the Cythrons.
June 11, 2022
An improvement on the first volume, super fun shit in here. Slaine is such a great character and the art in this is extremely entertaining. I love this series.
September 3, 2015
Reading this will put a thick rug of coarse bristles on your chest.
September 18, 2018
I've owned this for a long time - but re-read it the other night. I loved 2000 AD and particularly Slaine as a kid. I originally read the first half of this in 2000AD monthly around three decades ago!
Before the review, it's plug time. I write fantasy novels and folklore stories.
Right! Onto the review. First of all, this is a really nicely presented hardback comic book. I wouldn't feel right calling it a graphic novel, because it is 100% in black and white. It begins with Slaine riding his prize dragon 'the Knucker' with Ukko the dwarf and a dragon farmer girl called Nest. Immediately he flies into a battle and finds himself fighting Cythrons, Diiluvials and even an Atlantean called Mogrooth who later becomes an ally.
The art is for the most part pretty amazing. It's just a shame there's no colour. Some of the Slaine comics in colour were amazing, though the style of Time Killer might not suite it. Before long Slaine has met Myrrdin a half-human, half-cythron magus who seems to be based on Merlin of Arthurian legend. A lot of Slaine is based on old Celtic folklore, but with a science-fiction edge. This makes it REALLY readable. It's a really interesting blend of medievalism and science fiction.
As part of the story Slaine is sent back in time to fight an El at the battle of Clontarf. This confrontation sparks a long and drawn out battle of wills between Slaine and Elfric. An interesting twist the Slaine comics play is that everything they do affects the macrocosmic balance. So if things go well for Slaine it tips the balance in Elfric's favour and vice versa.
The tale is really told from the perspective of Ukko, Slaine's dwarf and that works well. Overall it's a solid adventure romp with a sci fi twist. I like the characters, particularly Slaine and Nest, though Oehoo the Cythron girl they meet is quite interesting too. The concept of Crom Crauch and prana and auras was good. One thing I would say, is this is quite a dark tale. The Cythron's thrive on human misery and experiment on humans to find better ways to drain their auras or they craft frankenstein-like creatures out of bits of humans and other animals. If this was made into a film, it'd probably be pretty horrific. As a comic it works well.
On the downside, at times there are a few odd frames which look rushed. Some of these have characters drawn with the wrong proportions and it can be a bit distracting. Also, this book really covers a snap-shot - an iconic section of a longer saga. Luckily I have to the two 2000AD comics which follow Slaine as he enters Grimnismal the Star God's Tomb to kill him. However I've never read the preceding comic, so I don't really know how Nest got there or how the sacrifice of the witch Medb fits into the picture - it's briefly mentioned here. I'd really like to read what happened leading up to the start of this book, and I'd understand if readers bought this, but felt somewhat cheated because it doesn't have a satisfactory conclusion. You really need to read the next part to get that.
Overall this is a great book for Slaine and 2000AD fans but I think it'd struggle to stand as a story on it's own right without reading the events leading up to, and or following this book.
Martyn Stanley
Author of The Last Dragon Slayer
Before the review, it's plug time. I write fantasy novels and folklore stories.
Right! Onto the review. First of all, this is a really nicely presented hardback comic book. I wouldn't feel right calling it a graphic novel, because it is 100% in black and white. It begins with Slaine riding his prize dragon 'the Knucker' with Ukko the dwarf and a dragon farmer girl called Nest. Immediately he flies into a battle and finds himself fighting Cythrons, Diiluvials and even an Atlantean called Mogrooth who later becomes an ally.
The art is for the most part pretty amazing. It's just a shame there's no colour. Some of the Slaine comics in colour were amazing, though the style of Time Killer might not suite it. Before long Slaine has met Myrrdin a half-human, half-cythron magus who seems to be based on Merlin of Arthurian legend. A lot of Slaine is based on old Celtic folklore, but with a science-fiction edge. This makes it REALLY readable. It's a really interesting blend of medievalism and science fiction.
As part of the story Slaine is sent back in time to fight an El at the battle of Clontarf. This confrontation sparks a long and drawn out battle of wills between Slaine and Elfric. An interesting twist the Slaine comics play is that everything they do affects the macrocosmic balance. So if things go well for Slaine it tips the balance in Elfric's favour and vice versa.
The tale is really told from the perspective of Ukko, Slaine's dwarf and that works well. Overall it's a solid adventure romp with a sci fi twist. I like the characters, particularly Slaine and Nest, though Oehoo the Cythron girl they meet is quite interesting too. The concept of Crom Crauch and prana and auras was good. One thing I would say, is this is quite a dark tale. The Cythron's thrive on human misery and experiment on humans to find better ways to drain their auras or they craft frankenstein-like creatures out of bits of humans and other animals. If this was made into a film, it'd probably be pretty horrific. As a comic it works well.
On the downside, at times there are a few odd frames which look rushed. Some of these have characters drawn with the wrong proportions and it can be a bit distracting. Also, this book really covers a snap-shot - an iconic section of a longer saga. Luckily I have to the two 2000AD comics which follow Slaine as he enters Grimnismal the Star God's Tomb to kill him. However I've never read the preceding comic, so I don't really know how Nest got there or how the sacrifice of the witch Medb fits into the picture - it's briefly mentioned here. I'd really like to read what happened leading up to the start of this book, and I'd understand if readers bought this, but felt somewhat cheated because it doesn't have a satisfactory conclusion. You really need to read the next part to get that.
Overall this is a great book for Slaine and 2000AD fans but I think it'd struggle to stand as a story on it's own right without reading the events leading up to, and or following this book.
Martyn Stanley
Author of The Last Dragon Slayer
August 5, 2020
Truths about Pat Mills’ Sláine are that it features some incredible artists, both in their prime and in development, and it is one of the most robustly researched and imagined fantasy sagas conceived. As coarse and flawed as they are, both the hero Sláine Mac Roth and his toady Ukko are likeable, their development progressive and well rounded, though that has come through a process of learning.
Continuing from Warrior’s Dawn, this second collection is proof of that process, a lengthy collection compiling two story lines that introduce artists Glenn Fabry, Bryan Talbot and David Pugh to Sláine. Time Killer demonstrates how Sláine and Ukko developed, introduces influential characters and has Mills experimenting with a little genre blending. It’s a book with some fine moments of writing and art, but also of developing artists and trying many ideas that don’t always work on the way to crafting a legendary character in British comics history.
The first storyline ‘Dragonheist’ is illustrated by Italian artist Massimo Belardinelli, already active on Warrior’s Dawn. His classic European format was very popular, and this story of dragons, blood feuds and betrayals is impressively detailed. Illustrating sections from the dragon’s perspective to demonstrate how its vision works is inspired, as is the introduction of the Fomorians, a race of beings intent on dominating Tir Na Og. It’s a brutal narrative that Mills scripts, in no way romanticising a harsh world, but artistically it looks typically 1980's with the human cast posed and a little stiff. It hasn’t aged well then, yet still features intricate settings and creatures to blow the mind.
The titular ‘Time Killer’ is the beginning of a sprawling fantasy/sci-fi alternately illustrated by Glenn Fabry, David Pugh and Bryan Talbot. It’s an imaginative treat from the inter-dimensional Cythrons to their lackeys the Diluvials, and the cities of the Ever-Living Ones. Sláine is recruited to help the Ever-Living Ones, led by the mage Myrrdinn, to overthrow the evil Cythrons who wish to wake Crom and corrupt the Earth Power that binds Tir Na Og to the people. Placing the series within the structure of the mythological Celtic Cycles facilitates Mills’ experimentations with genre mixing. He’s clearly revelling in the creativity it engenders, using simple ideas like thumb print recognition while producing irreverent one-liners and quips inspired by 1980's action films. It isn’t only Mills going Hollywood, some of Fabry’s characters resembling action men Dolph Lundgren and Michael Dudikoff. His engaging style and energy elevates the story to levels of fun absent from Belardinelli’s work, helped by Talbot in a chapter called ‘Warp-out!’ Pugh uses softer lines which aren’t as effective on facial expressions but do facilitate finer details on armour and clothing. His buildings and cityscapes, based on real-world places like Skarabrae, are simply fantastic! You can envision Sláine’s world existing in another time based on that alone.
In most cases Time Killer’s art is very good, the monstrous inhabitants and vicious inter-dimensional beings the highlight, but as mentioned it all a work in progress. In building back-story Mills needs a lot of info-dumps, and reading becomes a slog. Curiously the extra information both improves and hampers Time Killer and Mills’ writing is very confident. However, you do need to read this moving into the third volume Sláine: The King, so why not enjoy the battles, the rambunctious humorous adventure while witnessing the development of some brilliant artists.
Continuing from Warrior’s Dawn, this second collection is proof of that process, a lengthy collection compiling two story lines that introduce artists Glenn Fabry, Bryan Talbot and David Pugh to Sláine. Time Killer demonstrates how Sláine and Ukko developed, introduces influential characters and has Mills experimenting with a little genre blending. It’s a book with some fine moments of writing and art, but also of developing artists and trying many ideas that don’t always work on the way to crafting a legendary character in British comics history.
The first storyline ‘Dragonheist’ is illustrated by Italian artist Massimo Belardinelli, already active on Warrior’s Dawn. His classic European format was very popular, and this story of dragons, blood feuds and betrayals is impressively detailed. Illustrating sections from the dragon’s perspective to demonstrate how its vision works is inspired, as is the introduction of the Fomorians, a race of beings intent on dominating Tir Na Og. It’s a brutal narrative that Mills scripts, in no way romanticising a harsh world, but artistically it looks typically 1980's with the human cast posed and a little stiff. It hasn’t aged well then, yet still features intricate settings and creatures to blow the mind.
The titular ‘Time Killer’ is the beginning of a sprawling fantasy/sci-fi alternately illustrated by Glenn Fabry, David Pugh and Bryan Talbot. It’s an imaginative treat from the inter-dimensional Cythrons to their lackeys the Diluvials, and the cities of the Ever-Living Ones. Sláine is recruited to help the Ever-Living Ones, led by the mage Myrrdinn, to overthrow the evil Cythrons who wish to wake Crom and corrupt the Earth Power that binds Tir Na Og to the people. Placing the series within the structure of the mythological Celtic Cycles facilitates Mills’ experimentations with genre mixing. He’s clearly revelling in the creativity it engenders, using simple ideas like thumb print recognition while producing irreverent one-liners and quips inspired by 1980's action films. It isn’t only Mills going Hollywood, some of Fabry’s characters resembling action men Dolph Lundgren and Michael Dudikoff. His engaging style and energy elevates the story to levels of fun absent from Belardinelli’s work, helped by Talbot in a chapter called ‘Warp-out!’ Pugh uses softer lines which aren’t as effective on facial expressions but do facilitate finer details on armour and clothing. His buildings and cityscapes, based on real-world places like Skarabrae, are simply fantastic! You can envision Sláine’s world existing in another time based on that alone.
In most cases Time Killer’s art is very good, the monstrous inhabitants and vicious inter-dimensional beings the highlight, but as mentioned it all a work in progress. In building back-story Mills needs a lot of info-dumps, and reading becomes a slog. Curiously the extra information both improves and hampers Time Killer and Mills’ writing is very confident. However, you do need to read this moving into the third volume Sláine: The King, so why not enjoy the battles, the rambunctious humorous adventure while witnessing the development of some brilliant artists.
March 7, 2023
2.5/5 brought up to 3/5 for its art and the good bits.
COmpared to the first collection Time Killer (the second collection of Slaine) is only 2 stories. The first story is basically Grand Theft Dragon. With a concept like that it's hard to mess the story up. It's not the most important Slaine story but it is a fun read with some nice story beats. The artist for this story, Belardinelli, did okay. The story involves some very detailed dragons which I think hindered the artist a bit. The comic only uses full black and full white. No greys. So the incredibly small and neat details are both impressive and also a bit hard to read.
The second story has a much larger scope. To the point it doesn't finish in this collection and carries over into the next. The second story felt like a mixed bag. While the first story felt like it lacked story impact this one has too much story impact considering its pacing. It takes an "everything but the kitchen sink approach" as . On one hand this makes for a fun romp where the next step can't be predicted. It opens the scope a lot pitting the Celtic barbarian-age hero into a cosmic sci-fi epic with forces of pure good and evil. Interestingly it feels like a sci-fi exploration of Manichaeism, a belief system that fits for the time period of the barbarian-age (altho iirc is more Anglo-Saxon than Celtic but whatevs). But also it's just too much. It feels overly long. Whenever it feels like the story is gonna end a new episodic-ish bump in the road comes out of nowhere.
Its hard to tell if its planned or not. It just keeps on adding more and more and more. Sure it's fun but it's overly complicated and gets bogged down as more and more concepts, gets introduced. It's an all-but-the-kitchen-sink approach which is fun but just... a lot and makes the reading become a bit of a slog and never-ending.
But at times the second story comes together. You can tell Pat Mills really had planned out certain key scenes or story beats. This led certain story beats to read really well and be enjoyable.
This is a mixed bag one. It has definite highs and lows. Certain parts feel handled well and properly paced. But other parts feel messy, unplanned, or overly stretched.
COmpared to the first collection Time Killer (the second collection of Slaine) is only 2 stories. The first story is basically Grand Theft Dragon. With a concept like that it's hard to mess the story up. It's not the most important Slaine story but it is a fun read with some nice story beats. The artist for this story, Belardinelli, did okay. The story involves some very detailed dragons which I think hindered the artist a bit. The comic only uses full black and full white. No greys. So the incredibly small and neat details are both impressive and also a bit hard to read.
The second story has a much larger scope. To the point it doesn't finish in this collection and carries over into the next. The second story felt like a mixed bag. While the first story felt like it lacked story impact this one has too much story impact considering its pacing. It takes an "everything but the kitchen sink approach" as . On one hand this makes for a fun romp where the next step can't be predicted. It opens the scope a lot pitting the Celtic barbarian-age hero into a cosmic sci-fi epic with forces of pure good and evil. Interestingly it feels like a sci-fi exploration of Manichaeism, a belief system that fits for the time period of the barbarian-age (altho iirc is more Anglo-Saxon than Celtic but whatevs). But also it's just too much. It feels overly long. Whenever it feels like the story is gonna end a new episodic-ish bump in the road comes out of nowhere.
Its hard to tell if its planned or not. It just keeps on adding more and more and more. Sure it's fun but it's overly complicated and gets bogged down as more and more concepts, gets introduced. It's an all-but-the-kitchen-sink approach which is fun but just... a lot and makes the reading become a bit of a slog and never-ending.
But at times the second story comes together. You can tell Pat Mills really had planned out certain key scenes or story beats. This led certain story beats to read really well and be enjoyable.
This is a mixed bag one. It has definite highs and lows. Certain parts feel handled well and properly paced. But other parts feel messy, unplanned, or overly stretched.
May 23, 2017
Mills has a tendency to just throw every idea he's ever had into a story (time-travelling cowboys Vs dinosaurs and giant spiders!)
This story is the first time a 2000AD story completely collapses under the weight of it all. When Slaine starts shooting time-travelling aliens with his leyser gun (powered by ley lines), I completely lost the ability to follow what was going on.
This story is the first time a 2000AD story completely collapses under the weight of it all. When Slaine starts shooting time-travelling aliens with his leyser gun (powered by ley lines), I completely lost the ability to follow what was going on.
October 17, 2018
Early Glenn Fabry art. That was interesting to see.
Sadly, the story did not get nowhere near the things one could consider to be interesting. It just dragged on and on. I know Mills is a big thing in Brit comics, but sometimes someone could do some editorial work and say "no".
Sadly, the story did not get nowhere near the things one could consider to be interesting. It just dragged on and on. I know Mills is a big thing in Brit comics, but sometimes someone could do some editorial work and say "no".
December 8, 2019
Slaine becomes a time traveling, ancient alien invader exterminator. This is the epitome of crazy pulpness that makes Slaine uniquely original. “Layser” gun toting aliens and Crom Cruach, the ancient Celtic worm god are combined against our heroes’ epic struggle for a free world.
September 13, 2020
Once again some great artwork, the story quality varies wildly but ends strongly. Warp spasms, Merlin/Myrddin, Ley line powered guns and the return of Slough Feg.
September 28, 2019
Things get really silly in this, the first Sláine epic, and the art isn't nearly as good as that by Angie Kincaid or Massimo Belardinelli. Still, there is an argument (made by Pat Mills himself) that this is the foundation of everything that comes after.
Thankfully 'ley-sers' never become a trope of the series, at least. I guess even Mills must have some regrets about that particular route around the British censors. There are also shades of Tweak in Pluke. I have a soft spot for both characters but you'd never get anything like them in 2000AD again, and not without reason.
Thankfully 'ley-sers' never become a trope of the series, at least. I guess even Mills must have some regrets about that particular route around the British censors. There are also shades of Tweak in Pluke. I have a soft spot for both characters but you'd never get anything like them in 2000AD again, and not without reason.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews