Hotblood!: A Centaur in the Old West

Hotblood! #1

by Toril Orlesky

"Hotblood!" follows the adventures of James Evander Leicester Rook (a total washout Civil War vet who happens to be a centaur), Asa Langley (America’s most irreverent steel industry icon and Rook’s employer), and a great deal of money. The year is 1871.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Webcomic, LGBT, Graphic Novels Comics, Historical

85 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'm not the target audience of this book. I did enjoy the colors and the drawings of Western landscapes. (Note: i read the collected issues in book form. this is a webcomic that was kick started.)

My problem is that I did not like the characters. Both Asa, the human, and Rook, the centaur, seem to be amoral people. Asa is the manager of an iron mine, and is responsible for 2 deaths in the mine. He admits this to Rook and he justifies it to himself. Rook doesn't seem to care either. Later they try (and fail) to rob a train and I wasn't even sure why. The train crashes spectacularly and Rook shoots some one in the shoulder. People who don't mind or even like reading about bad people, will like this book more than I did.

Rook and Asa fall in love, and we see them kissing and cuddling, but the mechanics of centaur/human gay sex are completely elided, so don't look here if you are trying to figure that one out.

[h uk (slumping & studyingg)]

To be a white free man in colonized land

I did not understand what the purpose of this was, a gay portrayal in 'The Free Land'? Showing that abolutionist decendants survive due to capitalism? SHowing the 'boring' and 'dull' America through a white man's gaze?

Throughout the start I already got bad feelings due to the use of colonizing terms, further on I thought 'Maybe it's critic to colonization?' Then I was confused and finally I concluded that the author does not care about the colonization but about two men, some deals and power struggles.

If my conclusion is wrong, I beg you to correct me.

Edit: after reading through the comments I'm seeing all people want is gay and the West. The first one; no problemo, stick your dick into what you want, I'm not you. The latter; thanks for romanticinzinf colonisation and the dull (as always) view of white people.


Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy.

[Helen Kord · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is very sweet and the art is ridiculously gorgeous. I loved the characters too, especially Jack and the mystery over who he is.
I didnt know that gay western centaurs is a genre I need but apparently it is :D

[Britt Whitfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

well... that was interesting.

[Therevant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best graphic novel I’ve ever read. Beautiful art and amazing art style.

[Adri Holt · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s the days of the Wild Wild West. Asa Langley has crossed the last person for the last time. Somebody wants him ding dong dead. Here comes Evander “Eve” Rook to do the deed but instead agrees to a job offer by the very man he was sent to kill.

This one is odd and hard to describe. It is a little bit magic and a little bit Wild West. This one is an interesting journey.

#ThxNetGalley #TorilOrlesky #HotbloodVol1

[Shaundra · Rating 5 out of 5]

ooooooohhhh!!! loovvvee!!

[Dork · Rating 3 out of 5]

I heard "gay centaur western" and had to check it out.
Enjoyable and has clean, lovely art that renders the scenery beautifully.

[Shido · Rating 5 out of 5]

The West. Centaurs.

No need to say more.