Den 2: Muvovum

Den #2

by Richard Corben

Muvovum, segundo tomo de la saga de Den.

Genres: Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Horror, Action, Dark Fantasy, Sequential Art

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

American illustrator and comic book artist best known for his comics featured in Heavy Metal magazine. He won the 2009 Spectrum Grand Master Award. In 2012 he was elected to the The Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second volume of Richard Corben's collected DEN doesn't break any new ground, but as with most of Corben's work, it's so visually lush and extravagant that the pedestrian storyline doesn't manage to ruin the entire work.

[Bogdan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork is great as usual, but the story lacks a lot of depth and coherence.

Still, worth a check for the usual fan!

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I... I'm sorry Kath... I ca..Can't be the man you want me to be..."

Now, with polite respect to other opinions I've heard about this work, well I'd think (fantasy only, no death threat don't worry) that anyone who thinks this is "Immature" should be fed to the various gruesome beasties in this book... For "Immature" go to the "Boddysey" which is more of an art technique experiment with pure erotic imagery.

The story starts out of course as a "Boy's Macho Fantasy". Really, that's what appealed to me, young teen goes into an 'otherworld' and metamorphs into a superior overman, gets to kick butt, take names, gets laid and can use his brain too on top of it. Really, who'd not want that?

Well this is where it goes to the aspect of 'modern' fantasy creeping into the good ol' sword and planet stuff. However, unlike the stuff excreted today, it is not "Deconstructionist". Sorry, but Den is a good man, the hero, but is NOT cliche and NOT Gay, etc. And he doesn't deserve what he goes through.


Now, spoiler fearers avert thine eyes, but I'll only hint...

1. The "Damsel in Distress" gets sick of her part in the story...
2. There's a more realistic love triangle brewing.
3. Already some complex motivations and plots developing.
4. An old enemy is still active.
5. The hero faces a conflict where his will is tested more than any enemy.
6. He comes back, but not in time to save the day.
7. Things go from bad to worse.
8. No, the hero doesn't always win.
9. Despite that, life goes on.


This is a very good work - the Underground bursting to the mainstream, challenging and re-inventing classic heroic fantasy cliche - pushing the boundaries of what content could be used - both in an over the top way and a justified by the story way.

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second volume of Den sees Corben get a bit more comfortable. The art is more consistent, the story-telling is stronger.

The Darkhorse reprint here is really stellar. They fix up the lettering and really help the artwork shine without doing any changes. It's the best it has ever looked.

[Ilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very chilling body horror in this volume. Corben kicks off the story with a welcome little nod to the ways fantasy tropes might not resonate with a female readership, although the rest of the story largely falls back on them.

[Amanda Majasaari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Den by Richard Corden really rocks. Masterpiece of comics <3

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muvovum is the second volume of Richard Corben's Den, which sets the titular character in the floating island of Zegium, and later in the hellish region known as Muvovum. The Red Queen returns again here, forcing Den and his companion Kath to navigate their way through monsters and other nightmarish ilk.

The second volume mostly just offers more of the same as what could be found in Neverwhere, though admittedly there is fair bit more polish to the storytelling here. It has the trappings of typical dark fantasy elements with limited deviation from the hero's journey type of formula, but with the Corben flair there is a bit more to appreciate here. Recoloring jobs can often be distracting, but I've found José Villarrubia's touches here to be quite pleasing. Nate Piekos's re-lettering is also a nice improvement for the series as well.

[Dan P · Rating 3 out of 5]

The kind of art it takes a lifetime of dedication to create. I love digital art and the ways it's expanded and deepened graphic fiction. But this kind of physical creation is so special. In other words they don't make them like this anymore 🤌

[StrictlySequential · Rating 4 out of 5]

No ISBN = First Printing = April 1984 = $10.95

The most difficult Catalan to attain for under $50, due to its lack of ISBN, is finally mine! I paid dearly though- this is the first book that I've ever spent $40something on. I'm so close to having everything that they published but will probably never attain the H.R. Geiger art book.

The story is a bit too fast-paced. It just jumps from place to place without enough explanation but the action keeps it entertaining. Characters are introduced but then ditched or killed too quickly. What happened to the Queen?

This is really all about the art. I would give it ***** and the story **. Be prepared for some GROSS stuff though- along with all of the nudity and sex, that is!

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really glad that these are finally available, and they did a great job putting them together.

Den is ridiculous. This buff naked homie running around killing monsters and fucking. The art is so great. It’s so detailed and grotesque that it’s fascinating to look at and super disturbing.

I think this second volume is even stronger than the first. It’s got more of a real plot, the setting is so detailed, and Corbin has a better handle on drawing faces.

[Reyel2107 · Rating 5 out of 5]

another classic Corben !!!

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this marginally more than the first one. It's certainly more consistent. I'm still impressed by the full-frontal male nudity at a time when that barely existed in mainstream (essentially still the case), but of course I also want wonderful characters, a terrific plot, you know, the usual.

And as with the first, the art is impressive, but the story is not that exciting. I was a bit confused at times: the characters knew more than me, but I was never filled in with all that they knew, so I stayed puzzled throughout. And I was never into it: I never gasped, I never wondered "oh, what will happen next," I was never touched and saddened by what befell beloved characters because there weren't any beloved characters.

(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Corben's tale of two humans trapped in a strange fantasy world continues. Presumably because this was originally serialized in Heavy Metal, there is a ton of nudity in it, both male and female. Most people in this world only wear cloaks and are otherwise completely naked for no apparent reason. (It was a different time and internet porn wasn't a thing.) Given that it's Corbin, there are plenty of grotesque monsters as well.

This new edition from Dark Horse has been recolored by José Villarrubia who also writes an afterward. Nate Piekos also redid the lettering. It looks fantastic. There's a lot of afterwards to fill this out along with a foreword by Walt Simonson.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Den adventures move almost entirely without rhyme or reason, floating through a literal world of dreams (in an isekai way). Den is no longer trapped in the alternate world of Neverwhere, but he still cares for the fates of its inhabitants. It's also clear that he uses this world of savage might and magic to hide from the complexities of the "real" world. The obvious allusions don't take up too much room in the narrative: we're here to see the sights, marvel at the vistas, and cheer when the hero saves the girl.

Much like the first volume, I appreciate how personal this work is. As a one-man production, this feels like such an interesting individual achievement: a world worth exploring.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this second volume of the Den tales begins, Den and Kath are in conflict. Kath wants to return to our Earth, while Den wants to remain in Neverwhere in his heroic (and naked) body.
Despite his misgivings, Den/David risks all to get the Nar stones from the land of Muvovum and transport back to Earth with Katherine.
Den is absent for much of this story, but it's still an engaging tale, and Corben's mind-bending, body-distorting illustration is always worth a look.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork is the real draw here. Unfortunately, Corben's not much of a writer...

[Kyle Burley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five stars for Corben’s art!

[Keith Kavanagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of the best fellatio freakouts I've ever seen depicted

[francesco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goat

[David Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story is a bit less engaging than the first, but let’s be real, we’re here for the wild trippy art. Which does not disappoint.

[Jesse A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm just saying...going into any type of battle with your ding a ling out is a risky move at best!

[Luke John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastically bizarre and beautifully crafted, the second Den volume is an excellent work of nightmarish fantasy.

[Mikael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally I have got hold of the wonderful reprint of Muvovum.
It was a long wait but definitively worth it.
The story and illustrations are of course the same as they always were.

[Andreas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best way to describe the book is "more of the same", which in this case is not a good thing. I have no idea why the quality of the pictures is so different. Some of them are truly excellent while others are only average.

A similar thing can be said about the plot. Den: Neverwhere was a refreshing mix of naivety and wildness, I loved it. Book 2 has more adventures with Den but they couldn't grab me in the same way. There is only so much cliche one can bear and without character development nor plot progression this left a bad taste.

If you like the art of Richard Corben then you will enjoy the book as well and I recommend it with reservations.

[Chema Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un nivel gráfico solo al alcance de los elegidos. El mejor Corben destilado y desatado.

[Jeik Dion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erotic fantasy at it's best with master Corben!

[Mike Bodak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up on den. Pretty happy about that at this point! This book is must read for the Corben fan.

Get ready to buy the new version from dark horse.