Crusader

by Matt Emmons, Andriy Lukin (Letterer)

In the midst of the Third Crusade, an exceptionally brutal Templar Knight finds himself accidentally transported to a dangerous realm of magic and monsters.

A nameless Templar Knight from the Third Crusade finds himself magically transported to a mysterious world filled with sorcery and monsters. In order to survive, the ferocious Crusader must reevaluate his penchant for violent righteousness and make peace with both himself and this ruthless world. But will peace be enough to stop the deathless, power-hungry ghoul known only as The Pilgrim?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

96 pages, Paperback

Published February 20, 2024

About the author

Matt Emmons is a cartoonist currently living in Philadelphia. Born in the Greater Boston Area and raised on a healthy diet of 80's monster movies and fantasy novels, he now dedicates his time to drawing monsters, machines, and animals for his own books.

His work is available directly from his own website:
www.secondatbestpress.com

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting premise but the story felt too rushed to its (weird) conclusion.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Picture this: the Third Crusade is in full swing, and amidst the chaos, a Templar Knight—a paragon of brutal righteousness—gets himself entangled in a mess of magic and mayhem. Through a twist of fate (or perhaps a misfired spell), our nameless Crusader finds himself transported to a world teeming with sorcery and monstrous fiends. But fear not, dear reader, for our hero is not one to cower in the face of danger! Armed with sword, shield, and a healthy dose of medieval zeal, he sets out to navigate this world, facing off against Pilgrim and otherworldly adversaries.


Pros:
🌟 A riveting read from start to finish! "Crusader Vol. 1" delivers a pulse-pounding blend of action, adventure, and mystery that'll keep you glued to the pages faster than you can say "holy grail."

🎨 The art is decent, folks! With illustrations that leap off the page, each panel is a spell for the eyes—a jumble of swords, spells, and sinister creatures that'll leave you spellbound.

👹 Speaking of creatures, the cast of characters is as diverse as it is delightful! From the valiant Crusader to the enigmatic Pilgrim, each persona brings a unique flavour to the story—a dash of intrigue here, a dollop of danger there, and a sprinkle of creepy to tie it all together.

Cons:
😅 Brace yourselves for a bit of whiplash, folks! While the pacing is as swift as a charging steed, there are moments where you might find yourself wishing for a breather amidst the chaos. Blink, and you might miss a battle—or worse, a punchline!


In conclusion, "Crusader Vol. 1" stands tall as a story of adventure and excitement. With its captivating story, stunning artwork, and cast of characters that leap off the page, Matt Emmons has crafted a tale that's sure to captivate readers. So, whether you're a seasoned knight or a novice squire, saddle up and prepare for an epic quest that'll leave you clamouring for more!

📚 Disclaimer: A hearty thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for providing me with this eARC. All opinions expressed are as fierce and valiant as our noble Crusader—bold, unyielding, and ready to face any challenge that comes our way! 🌟📖

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love knights and magic, just one of my absolute favorite genres. It’s been an interest of mine since I was little and I’ve always stuck with it, so I am certainly biased but this story rocks. Great art, interesting world (reality bender, Templar knight travels through an evil portal into a more traditional magic setting and kills gods of murder and death). I really had fun, it is short and quick but for me it was a great way to spend about 20-30 minutes!

[Martin Maenza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mad Cave Studios provided an early galley review.

This collection of the four issue series Crusader which was released in the fall months of 2023 was a quick read. For someone who has been into fantasy adventures for decades, I found it to be enjoyable and very much in place with the genre overall.

The story is straight-forward and fast-paced. The art style is not overly complex and conveys the swift and brutal action as it needs to. My only quibble would be the pacing; it seems a lot more story could have been told between parts three and four. Expanding on that would have helped show how the templar knight and come to change his approach to things, thanks in part to allying himself with the members of the Eighteen.

The story works out as a single mini-series, but there are enough worldbuilding elements that could allow for a sequel.

A special shout-out to the stylized script on the credits and chapter pages. If that was the work of letterer Andriy Lukin, it was very nicely done. It really adds the medieval vibe of this one.

[Jye · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s fun but far too rushed. Grimbel is cool though.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm excited to read more of it!

[Ben A · Rating 4 out of 5]

My interest in the comics coming out from Mad Cave Studios has heightened since they announced that they would be publishing some of my favorite properties in 2024. I'm glad that they came onto my radar, as I have begun to sample their offerings and found some really excellent graphic novels. That brings me to Crusader Volume One. The tagline had my interest from the go, a Templar Knight from the Third Crusade finds himself transported to a mystical fantasy world. I was hoping that it would live up to the expectations the description built in my head. It more than did that. The writing was well done, and all of the characters were interesting and I really want more from them and the world. The art was very cool, and had a great Kevin Eastman and Richard Corben quality to it, which made for a great moody atmosphere to the fantasy tale. I really hope that because it's presented as Volume One, there will be a follow-up soon. I really enjoyed this one, but I got the feeling the story was only, truly just beginning.

Special Thanks to Mad Cave Studios and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

[Ben Long · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seemed like the kind of story I’d like, but unfortunately I couldn’t ever get into it. My biggest issue may have been the art, which was not at all my style. The story was decent but seemed fairly straightforward and rushed. I never got a good sense of the larger magical world the knight had been transported to, as the story moves quickly and there’s not much variation in setting or characters. My favorite part was probably the design of all the antagonist characters. I think if the story and characters had been more fleshed out I would have been able to look past the art and enjoy it a little more.

Thanks to Mad Cave for sending an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A graphic novel where a Knight Templar trying to succeed at the Crusades suddenly interrupts a dodgy ceremony, and BAMF the rite flings him into a fantasy land, where some dodgy goblin thing can help him contact other humans in the vague hope of being able to get back here to Earth, just as a dead horse tells an orc type to go and kill him and capture whatever power it was that fetched him. It's all over in four quickly-read episodes, and I'm quite sure the memory of it will take about as long to pass, too. It looks OK, it reads OK, it has absolutely nothing of any consequence about it, 'twist' ending or not. I think it thinks it has a lot to say about the man who fights as an element of his faith, but all in all it's just an average sword and slash fantasy effort.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Templar knight during the Crusades interrupts a black magic ritual and gets hurled into another world, where he fights goblins and catches the interest of some dangerous magical beings and their immortal servant.
It's an okay concept, but had not enough time to develop any character depth or story complexity - if it weren't for all the gory murder & frequent cynical digs at religion, I would have described it as middle-school level just based on that simplistic, abbreviated feel.
The art is okay, but everything is outlined in the same thickness of marker/pen, which gives it a coarse feel.

Content concerns: gratuitous bloody/gory violence, frequent cynical comments about gods/religion as cruel, uncaring, etc; no nudity, sex, drugs, drunkenness, misogyny or homophobia

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Templar knight interrupted a dark magic ceremony and ended up in a different world filled with strange creatures. After rescuing a frog-like creature named Grimbel, the knight was off to try and find a way back home. Along the way he encounters the crocodile-faced Pilgrim who keeps turning up like a bad penny causing problems all-around. In the end, the Crusader needs to evaluate what is important and how he can live. An interesting mash-up of horror and historical fiction.

Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this title.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knight gets transported to a fantasy world and has to deal with actual magic. I do like how he's forced to consider his own allegiance to his church, with the villain's allegiance to objectively evil death gods. His god apparently sends him to kill, these 'masters' want him to join them and also kill... and he sort of just wants to stop evil or whatever. Do soldier shit. Fight things. Lots of sword stuff, some cool action scenes.

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm mildly obsessed with this graphic novel?!!? It was so interesting and the art was rough in a way that really added to the brutality of the story. I loved the idea of this crusader continuing his fight even though he's in another world and I love that he even made a friend!!!! I am so looking forward to the next volume!

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC from Netgalley.

What should be a simple hack-and-slash comes off feeling a little tame. I enjoyed it but it felt like it took some time getting into gear.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC from Netgalley.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick ride.

Review posted to Twitter/X for MadCave Studios on my page: @AdamReadsComics

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Crude art and a painfully common fish out of water storyline made for an unfinishable read.

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing started to fade off towards the end. However, it left open a premise that could be explored in the future. The artwork was amazing.

[Alex G · Rating 4 out of 5]

super good fantasy, the story was a bit rushed though and I feel like certain elements weren't explained but over all a decent read and somewhat charming.

[Hannah Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a weird twist of fate, a Templar Knight from the Third Crusade finds himself twisted through time and space and dropped in a place very unlike the battle he left. He finds himself in a land of creatures, monsters beyond his imagination, and sorcery. Followed by a frightening ghoul, the Knight must choose his battles wisely and take his friends where he can get them if he is to survive this strange land.

There is something about Crusader that vaguely reminded me of “The Mandalorian.” There’s a man who can’t take off his helmet. He has a little goblin-like companion. Though Crusader doesn’t feel derivative, I would recommend it to fans of “The Mandalorian.” The vibe is very similar, although Crusader has a much creepier tone and look.

The art in Crusader is bleak, dark, and damp. I love how the art is unapologetic and does not hold back. The ending has a particularly unique smorgasbord of sci-fi weirdness, which I loved.

I had a lot of fun with Crusader! If you like dark fantasy with a creepy overtone, you need to try Crusader. I have enjoyed most of the Mad Cave comics I’ve read, and Crusader is no different.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced review copy. All the above thoughts are my own.