Fire and Ice #1

by Bill Willingham, Leonardo Manco (Artist)

A FANTASY CLASSIC RETURNS TO LIFE WITH AN ALL-NEW PREQUEL SERIES! More than four decades ago, two iconic creators came together to bring to the silver screen an amazing new world of magic and adventure. In their classic animated film Fire and Ice, legendary artist FRANK FRAZETTA and famed director RALPH BAKSHI crafted a unique vision of beauty and danger, of good versus evil, all cast against a hypnotic backdrop of savage prehistoric splendor. Now, at long last, this timeless vision is expanding into comics with the first new story to revisit Frazetta and Bakshi’s remarkable realm since 1982!

Before the fire waned and the ice spread across the world...before Teegra met Larn...before everything you know about the unforgettable animated movie came to be, there were the before times — times when evil might still be blunted, times when innocence was not yet lost. In Fire and Ice #1, acclaimed comics writer BILL WILLINGHAM (Fables, Legenderry) joins forces with artist LEONARDO MANCO ( Prince of Lies, Blaze of Glory) — making his triumphant return to comics — and a new legend is about to be born!

Genres: Fantasy, Comics, Fiction

27 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 2, 2023

About the author

In the late 1970s to early 1980s he drew fantasy ink pictures for the Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Expert game rulebooks. He first gained attention for his 1980s comic book series Elementals published by Comico, which he both wrote and drew. However, for reasons unknown, the series had trouble maintaining an original schedule, and Willingham's position in the industry remained spotty for many years. He contributed stories to Green Lantern and started his own independent, black-and-white comics series Coventry which lasted only 3 issues. He also produced the pornographic series Ironwood for Eros Comix.

In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables

Reviews

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent

Overall not bad, and I know it's just setting the scene for what's to come but I'm not moved, shocked, impressed intrigued, or anything. Art was stellar. Hopefully this is building to something more substantial than people being savage in a jungle. I must admit, as a huge sword and sorcery fan I wasn't that impressed with the film either.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sword and Sorcery goodness. So lush and beautiful. Makes a new Frank Frazetta fan proud!

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give it more than 5 if I could. This was GREAT! I can't wait to get vol 2.

[Jeff Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

First issue is a little crammed, but Manco's evokes the spirit of Frazetta so well that it's tough to complain. Much better than the other Frazetta adaptations that Opus is doing.

[Eve · Rating 1 out of 5]

I may be the only person on Earth who takes the Nekron/Fire & Ice lore seriously enough to write this rant but here we go...

Literal first 3 minutes of the movie Fire & Ice: It's explained that there's a queen called Juliana whose ambition is to extend her realm to all the regions of the known world, and that for the purpose of achieving this goal she bore a son (singular) named Nekron, implying that something in the way Nekron was conceived gives him powers that Juliana needed for her plans but did not herself possess. It then states that she tutored Nekron in "the black arts and the powers of the mind" (and as the narrator says this, the screen shows an image of child Nekron practicing said evil magic whilst Juliana watches approvingly) and then when he came of age he gained full control of his powers and together they took over the entire region of ice.

Supposed prequel comic: Juliana doesn't give a crap about Nekron and has another son who dies in the comics and whom she'd devastated over the death of and starts the whole war over despite him never being mentioned in the movie (since obviously he didn't exist.) In fact, she just straight up hates her "second son" Nekron despite their dynamic in the movie being more like he's her prized special project/weapon that she realises she can't control as the film goes on. But in this comic, Juliana has the powers herself (why did she have and raise sons instead of beginning world conquest in her youth then if she can just do the ice stuff herself?) and the powers have to be passed on, and she was planning to give them to her other son and not Nekron, so, as far as I can tell, grown ass adult Nekron has yet to possess any magic in this comic despite that being a very obvious contradiction to the movie where it's clearly shown that being conceived for the purpose of being a powerful sorcerer and being raised doing dark magic was his whole life. The only thing he DOES possess, some scheming masterful actor Loki-type personality, happens to be the complete opposite to how he is in the movie... Oh, and the family also already seem to rule the entire region of ice despite in the movie that apparently being a thing Nekron and Juliana did as a duo once he came of age and got his powers.

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never seen the Ralph Bakshi/Frank Frazetta film for which this comic serves as a prequel for, but Bill Willingham's and Leonardo Manco's Fire and Ice #1 serves as an easy enough entry point to the high fantasy setting. The first issue is mostly a series of character introductions to Nekron, Larn, Darkwolf and others, as well as a gorgeous depiction of the harsh world in which they inhabit. The story follows the perspective of a mother and daughter who navigate a treacherous forest and the issue culminates with a showdown against the witch's giant son Otwa.

Manco's artwork has that Frazetta edge to really make everything come together nicely. The backgrounds in this issue vary from ominous cliffs to haunting forests, and the action is stark and violent. Overall, a great start and it's really made me want to go and watch the film now.

[Jolie Dubriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something was not what but something.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

GOOD IN LIFE
July 2023

Great Art.....the storyline feels a little crammed into the pages...a lots going on here

[Jeffrey M Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful work

Great story and beautiful detailed art. Reminds me of Frazetta

Looking forward to the next issue. Keep up the great work

[Tym · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story with many layers

[Andrew Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapter 1 "Good In Life"
Chapter 2 "The Price of Power"
Chapter 3 "Cry Havoc"
One-Shot "Everybody Loves Teegra"
Chapter 4 "The Ballad of Death and Life"
One-Shot "Nekron"

Icepeak to the North hates the Fire Realm to the South, and like a dragon and tiger at each other's throats, the nations and tribes caught in between are like mice for the slaughter. But some tribes work with the oppressive kingdoms to encroach upon the populace. With great art by Leonardo Manco, I feel a bit enchanted with his haunted and ancient landscapes, and the great characterisation of the players. So far, Bill Willingham has my attention and I'm ready for more.

Thon - Hunt Father
Oyen
Larn
Jura
Leena - Chief's daughter

The Hidden Ones/Silent Hunters:
Darah - wife of Lord of the Firekeep
Teegra - daughter of Lord of the Firekeep
Forest Ghost - white sabre tooth
Shatan Swift Killer - panther

Roliel - Witch
Otwa - Roliel's son, a giant

Northern Ice Lands:
Juliana - queen
Kaledan - prince
Nekron - prince

D-Kora Kai clan