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Second Quest
Second Quest is a graphic novel about a girl who does not accept the world she lives in. It's a meditation on videogame culture and its most beloved legends. It's a story of the islands we inhabit and why we refuse to leave. It asks what it really means to have courage.
"A frightening, Zelda-inspired fable" ~ Evan Narcisse, Kotaku
"Both a brilliant graphic novel and one of the smartest pieces of media criticism I've read in a long time." ~ Julie Muncy, VICE
"If you're a gamer, get this book. If you're a comics person, get this book. If you're into the darker side of religion and folklore, get this book. If you're into feminism, gender politics, and the deconstruction of gendered tropes, then by all means, get this book." ~ Kathryn Hemmann, Contemporary Japanese Literature
As the story opens, Azalea is leading her friend Cale to a forbidden place underground. She has recently been having "visions" when she touches certain objects there, and she wants to see if he can see them too. What they find together, though, threatens their entire island home. A home hanging in the sky for generations, a last refuge from the world of chaos below. Find out more and read the first 20 pages at secondquestcomic.com .
David Hellman is best known as the visual artist of the acclaimed indie videogame Braid and co-creator of the "cult classic" web comic A Lesson Is Learned But The Damage Is Irreversible . He's been publishing comics for a decade, but Second Quest is his first long-form work. You can see more of his work at davidhellman.net .
Tevis Thompson is an independent writer and critic. He's best known for incisive, iconoclastic essays such as "Saving Zelda" and "On Videogame Reviews". You can read more of his work at tevisthompson.com .
"A frightening, Zelda-inspired fable" ~ Evan Narcisse, Kotaku
"Both a brilliant graphic novel and one of the smartest pieces of media criticism I've read in a long time." ~ Julie Muncy, VICE
"If you're a gamer, get this book. If you're a comics person, get this book. If you're into the darker side of religion and folklore, get this book. If you're into feminism, gender politics, and the deconstruction of gendered tropes, then by all means, get this book." ~ Kathryn Hemmann, Contemporary Japanese Literature
As the story opens, Azalea is leading her friend Cale to a forbidden place underground. She has recently been having "visions" when she touches certain objects there, and she wants to see if he can see them too. What they find together, though, threatens their entire island home. A home hanging in the sky for generations, a last refuge from the world of chaos below. Find out more and read the first 20 pages at secondquestcomic.com .
David Hellman is best known as the visual artist of the acclaimed indie videogame Braid and co-creator of the "cult classic" web comic A Lesson Is Learned But The Damage Is Irreversible . He's been publishing comics for a decade, but Second Quest is his first long-form work. You can see more of his work at davidhellman.net .
Tevis Thompson is an independent writer and critic. He's best known for incisive, iconoclastic essays such as "Saving Zelda" and "On Videogame Reviews". You can read more of his work at tevisthompson.com .
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First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 21, 2024
A neat subversion of video game tropes that’s also a call for a return to form for The Legend of Zelda and an homage to its titular character. It feels like a direct influence on Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom, though I don’t believe it was. It’s obvious David Hellman and Tevis Thompson have great reverence for at least the first Zelda game. Hellman’s art is gorgeous. Thompson’s writing is a little meandering on some pages, but once you reach that last stunning piece of art it all coheres. As a huge Zelda fan myself I can respect what this is getting at even if I don’t mind the more “hand-holdy” games. And hey, guys—the Princess herself is finally getting her due. Finally.
April 27, 2015
I've been following Hellman since his webcomic days, so when I heard that he'd done a graphic novel that used Zelda myths as an inspiration, I went and bought the ebook immediately.
Overall I've probably spent way more time thinking about the Zelda universe than I've actually spend playing them. I'm one of those people who actually read those essays that attempted to tie together every single game into one universe. I have written Zelda-inspired fiction for creative writing classes. I am most certainly part of the demographic for this.
But I have to say, something about this book left me a little cold. The story starts off strong, with a girl who has visions dealing with a restrictive culture that floats in the sky. Somewhere around the halfway mark, I felt the the structure get a bit flaccid.
The protagonist's purpose never seems all that clearly defined, having something to do with keeping their city in operation. From the point where the city elder gets a hold of her I could only remember two really solid scenes: The scene where townspeople reenact the Zelda legend, which made it look like the hugest piece of propaganda, and the ending, which managed to feel satisfying regardless of any other issues.
It's a visual treat, but I feel like Hellman's art could have contributed to a much more powerful story with this premise.
Overall I've probably spent way more time thinking about the Zelda universe than I've actually spend playing them. I'm one of those people who actually read those essays that attempted to tie together every single game into one universe. I have written Zelda-inspired fiction for creative writing classes. I am most certainly part of the demographic for this.
But I have to say, something about this book left me a little cold. The story starts off strong, with a girl who has visions dealing with a restrictive culture that floats in the sky. Somewhere around the halfway mark, I felt the the structure get a bit flaccid.
The protagonist's purpose never seems all that clearly defined, having something to do with keeping their city in operation. From the point where the city elder gets a hold of her I could only remember two really solid scenes: The scene where townspeople reenact the Zelda legend, which made it look like the hugest piece of propaganda, and the ending, which managed to feel satisfying regardless of any other issues.
It's a visual treat, but I feel like Hellman's art could have contributed to a much more powerful story with this premise.
February 8, 2016
I read this because I liked the writer’s essay “Saving Zelda” and its criticisms of the Zelda series. But reading this story mostly involved recognition of story tropes and elements of Zelda games (especially Skyward Sword). Its criticism of the games fell flat and its plot was kind of simplistic and boring.
The point about the girl and the thief’s relationship doesn’t seem to apply to the actual games, so the criticism goes nowhere. The point about the world being staged comes across more clearly, but still leaves me confused as to what I can actually do about it. The story itself probably would have been more interesting if I had never played any Zelda games, so that the elements described would have been less familiar (as either copies or inversions of Zelda stories).
The point about the girl and the thief’s relationship doesn’t seem to apply to the actual games, so the criticism goes nowhere. The point about the world being staged comes across more clearly, but still leaves me confused as to what I can actually do about it. The story itself probably would have been more interesting if I had never played any Zelda games, so that the elements described would have been less familiar (as either copies or inversions of Zelda stories).
July 21, 2015
I devoured this too quickly and wished there was more of it. Then I read it a second time and noticed all sorts of details I'd missed the first time through. Now I want to play some Zelda...
October 3, 2015
Enjoyed it, but plays to much into a vol 1 only without enough story.
December 30, 2015
Loved it. Great twist on the original source, and beautiful art. I definitely want more!!
January 1, 2018
I wanted to like this story. I think I would have liked the story. But to me, this was a mere fragment of the story I could have liked. This was the teaser, the trailer, the sample chapter, the tutorial level released years ahead of the actual game; worse, it had that feeling but was actually from near-but-not-quite the beginning. The scope was too wide for fiction this short, and it lacked narrative anchors before and after.
I would have been interested in seeing the whole movie, the full game, the completed novel for which this was a teaser. I think I would have liked the entire story. But this? This is the final completed product? Not even a puzzle lacking a piece, this was a piece lacking the puzzle, a fragment, and the genuine potential of the story got subsumed under the keen ache of it being so woefully incomplete.
I'm a born rereader and book hoarder. I spent good kickstarter money on this book. Yet I'm going to turn around and without second thoughts donate this book to a library in a couple days, feeling no urge to reexplore any of it. Of the other 12 books I have ever rated one star, 3 were borrowed from a library and 8 of them I still own and do not begrudge the shelf space. Only one book has previously suffered this fate at my hands. There is nothing else to say, except, the saddest part: I really think I would have liked the story of which this is a fragment.
I would have been interested in seeing the whole movie, the full game, the completed novel for which this was a teaser. I think I would have liked the entire story. But this? This is the final completed product? Not even a puzzle lacking a piece, this was a piece lacking the puzzle, a fragment, and the genuine potential of the story got subsumed under the keen ache of it being so woefully incomplete.
I'm a born rereader and book hoarder. I spent good kickstarter money on this book. Yet I'm going to turn around and without second thoughts donate this book to a library in a couple days, feeling no urge to reexplore any of it. Of the other 12 books I have ever rated one star, 3 were borrowed from a library and 8 of them I still own and do not begrudge the shelf space. Only one book has previously suffered this fate at my hands. There is nothing else to say, except, the saddest part: I really think I would have liked the story of which this is a fragment.
September 18, 2017
Lo mas interesante de esta novela gráfica financiada en Kickstarter no es su particular estilo de líneas gruesas ni su extraña pero hermosa coloración. Es la forma en que usa la narrativa de historias de aventuras a lo "Legend of Zelda".
Inicialmente pensé que era solo la típica crítica a la forma en que aceptamos la realidad sin cuestionarla, pero al final me di cuenta que iba a mas que a eso, es una crítica a la forma en que aceptamos las mismas historias ficticias sin cuestionarlas y como esto hace que la ficción de los videojuegos, el cine y los comics se estanque. No es curiosidad que el mítico villano de esta obra se llame "el rey cerdo".
Tristemente todo eso resulta muy ambicioso para solo 120 páginas y el mensaje, y la misma historia, se quedan a medias.
Inicialmente pensé que era solo la típica crítica a la forma en que aceptamos la realidad sin cuestionarla, pero al final me di cuenta que iba a mas que a eso, es una crítica a la forma en que aceptamos las mismas historias ficticias sin cuestionarlas y como esto hace que la ficción de los videojuegos, el cine y los comics se estanque. No es curiosidad que el mítico villano de esta obra se llame "el rey cerdo".
Tristemente todo eso resulta muy ambicioso para solo 120 páginas y el mensaje, y la misma historia, se quedan a medias.
April 13, 2021
I appreciate the way the story flips the script of the fantasy and how it ties to TLoZ lore, I think there’s an interesting story to fully develop which we only barely scratch the surface off in the book.
The strange vignette cutouts while producing some truly beautiful artwork, does get in the way of readability sometimes, I have heard people praise it as something that gives the reading experience an additional layer of ambience but to me more times than not it got in the way of enjoying the story.
Still worth a read if you are a TLoZ fan though, I think the story could use more lore and more time to develop its themes, but it is still an impressive feat considering the small team of creators involved.
The strange vignette cutouts while producing some truly beautiful artwork, does get in the way of readability sometimes, I have heard people praise it as something that gives the reading experience an additional layer of ambience but to me more times than not it got in the way of enjoying the story.
Still worth a read if you are a TLoZ fan though, I think the story could use more lore and more time to develop its themes, but it is still an impressive feat considering the small team of creators involved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2020
When I say that Second Quest is a radical reinterpretation of the mythological themes found in The Legend of Zelda, I worry that the reader will not understand what I mean by "radical". What I mean is that the archetypes of the video game have been violently inverted, and deployed in a tale that is both unsettling and deeply moving. It's sophisticated storytelling, and highly ambitious comics.
December 25, 2020
Great art but this feels like a prologue.
July 6, 2020
1) "Expedition 16:
The half-key I found is so beautiful. But it's silent now, just like all my other treasures. I know so many hands have held it before mine. For a moment today, I could almost see them all. It's strange, an entire world in such a small thing.
The last girl to hold it disappeared too quickly this time. Why was she so frightened? What was she like before? I bet she dreamed of far-off places too. I bet she searched for hidden passages everywhere. I bet she was just dying to tell someone her secrets.
I can't help but wonder about every girl I see. Could they look inside things too? Was it enough? Or did they feel this constant hunger?"
2) "'First, you all know of the one we call the Pig Thief. But what do you know of him?'
'He was *uglier* than a pig!'
'He was jealous of our *power*!'
'His hair was like *fire*!'
'He took the *vessel* away! He *stole* her from us!'
'I heard he was a poet. A great soul, full of sorrow.'"
3) "I dreamed an old dream last night. Did this sometimes happen to you?
It's one where I'm at the edge, alone.
I lean over to see what's underneath the island and lose my balance.
But I don't fall.
I crawl right over the edge, and the whold world... is upside down."
The half-key I found is so beautiful. But it's silent now, just like all my other treasures. I know so many hands have held it before mine. For a moment today, I could almost see them all. It's strange, an entire world in such a small thing.
The last girl to hold it disappeared too quickly this time. Why was she so frightened? What was she like before? I bet she dreamed of far-off places too. I bet she searched for hidden passages everywhere. I bet she was just dying to tell someone her secrets.
I can't help but wonder about every girl I see. Could they look inside things too? Was it enough? Or did they feel this constant hunger?"
2) "'First, you all know of the one we call the Pig Thief. But what do you know of him?'
'He was *uglier* than a pig!'
'He was jealous of our *power*!'
'His hair was like *fire*!'
'He took the *vessel* away! He *stole* her from us!'
'I heard he was a poet. A great soul, full of sorrow.'"
3) "I dreamed an old dream last night. Did this sometimes happen to you?
It's one where I'm at the edge, alone.
I lean over to see what's underneath the island and lose my balance.
But I don't fall.
I crawl right over the edge, and the whold world... is upside down."
July 27, 2015
I wanted to like Second Quest a lot more than I actually did.
I backed the comic on Kickstarter because Tevis Thompson's essay saving Zelda struck a nerve with me, and I really, really loved David Hellman's web comic A Lesson Is Learned But The Damage Is Irreversible. With the two combining their talents, I was sure something great would emerge.
The problem is that Thompson's story is more Zelda-themed than about Zelda per se, and wasn't all that interesting or compelling; and Hellman's art is positively muted compared to the psychedelic A Lesson is Learned.
The art is still pretty, and the story is good and mysterious enough, to redeem the book a bit. But for all my anticipation, this was a major disappointment.
I backed the comic on Kickstarter because Tevis Thompson's essay saving Zelda struck a nerve with me, and I really, really loved David Hellman's web comic A Lesson Is Learned But The Damage Is Irreversible. With the two combining their talents, I was sure something great would emerge.
The problem is that Thompson's story is more Zelda-themed than about Zelda per se, and wasn't all that interesting or compelling; and Hellman's art is positively muted compared to the psychedelic A Lesson is Learned.
The art is still pretty, and the story is good and mysterious enough, to redeem the book a bit. But for all my anticipation, this was a major disappointment.
February 5, 2016
Uma reinterpretação do universo de Legend of Zelda.
A arte é maravilhosa, especialmente as cores, e também gostei muito da escrita, mas a história não me prendeu. Achei meio clichê, meio bobo. É uma clara crítica à evolução da série, mas é também sobre isolamento, censura, xenofobia, destino, assim como outros temas provavelmente interessantes, mas o problema, na minha opinião, foi amarrar tudo isso no enredo.
As referências são ótimas. Talvez fãs da série curtam mais.
A arte é maravilhosa, especialmente as cores, e também gostei muito da escrita, mas a história não me prendeu. Achei meio clichê, meio bobo. É uma clara crítica à evolução da série, mas é também sobre isolamento, censura, xenofobia, destino, assim como outros temas provavelmente interessantes, mas o problema, na minha opinião, foi amarrar tudo isso no enredo.
As referências são ótimas. Talvez fãs da série curtam mais.
July 20, 2015
Fantastic art, a really cool musing on Legend of Zelda mythos, but it stands on it's own two feet as well. The pschometry idea was neat, but got a little muddled towards the end - I felt like I was missing part of the narrative. I would love to read a follow-up to this graphic novel or play a game based on it.
April 23, 2015
Fantastic! I was totally absorbed in it. Although it functions as a standalone work, I did enjoy the references, especially in relation to the original essay (that sparked it all) by Tevis Thompson.
May 4, 2015
This was a good quick read. Definitely inspired by The Legend of Zelda. It requires you to have some knowledge of the mythology for it to drive its point home. The art uses warm contrasted with cool colors. The last panel is nice.
February 1, 2016
Ah, so *that's* what Link is doing when he "solves a puzzle" by lighting torches in dungeons.
Depressing but interesting (and beautifully drawn) re-interpretation of the Legend of Zelda games. Not really much of a plot, just a loose setting for a "Who are the real monsters?" musing.
Depressing but interesting (and beautifully drawn) re-interpretation of the Legend of Zelda games. Not really much of a plot, just a loose setting for a "Who are the real monsters?" musing.
April 24, 2015
Decent writing mixed with beautiful art leads to a good comic. The plot feels a little bit undercooked at times, but the premise is cool and seriously the art is amazing.
June 2, 2015
The story didn't really impress me much, but the art and colouring are absolutely stunning. I've never seen colouring like that in a comic and I adore it.
Read
September 27, 2016Visually appealing, engaging setting, but a bit too confusing--at least in the first read through.
December 31, 2025
It was came off as ‘The Giver’ meets allusions of the Zelda/Link/Hyrule universe.
Curious to see where this might go.
Curious to see where this might go.
May 29, 2015
Fun quick book! I enjoyed the art, especially the composition of the panels.
July 18, 2016
Nice art but a bit too obtuse for its own good in places
May 16, 2017
It was OK, I wasn't that impressed with the plot. The art was fine.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews