Nikolai Dante: The Romanov Dynasty

Nikolai Dante [Graphic Novels] #1

by Robbie Morrison

Nikolai Dante - duellist, lover and brigand. In the Russian Empire of 2666 AD, the young swashbuckler finds himself embroiled in the Machiavellian power-play between the House of Romanov and Vladimir the Conqueror, Tsar of All the Russias.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1998

Reviews

[Chris Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weirdly I’ve come to Nikolai Dante backwards, having read the final stories in my return to the prog back in the last decade. As such, I can appreciate how the knockabout action turns into something so angry and messy. The signs are there from the start and nicely done too, never overwhelming the japes - Dante manages to juggle considerable heroic nonsense and randiness with moments of genuine anger at the despotic rule of the Romanovs and the Tsar. It also feels completely confident in itself from the get go, and Simon Fraser’s more messy art style feels perfect for the strip, stretching out into weird shapes as the story demands. It also reminds you that many of the best 2000AD strips have an ending in sight, rather than just heading into diminishing returns as they try and stretch out why people love them. I enjoyed this very much but the fact it’s heading to a finite conclusion appeals even more

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story moves along kinda fast, and a lot of the worldbuilding confuses me, but this has that good old 2000AD sense of humor drawn in a fun energetic art style. I'm interested, but I don't know if I'd seek out the rest of this series. It's fine.

[Hannah Chafe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Men should stop writing things.

[Jim Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drink, debauchery, bio-blade swords and ridiculously enjoyable science fiction (sorta) stories. What's not to like :)
This isn't the best of the Dante stories but it is very good and it *is* where it all starts.

[Timo · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Nikolai Dante has continued pretty much forever in 2000AD, I think things will only pick up. In this collection it seems the series is still looking for its own voice.
But still, great art by Flint, some funny bits and boobs. Could've been crappier.

[Oliver Kitchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to read much much later parts of this series in 2000AD magazines, since I was far too young to have read the series from the begining, this is a good start to what turned into a great longrunning story.

[Mike Brewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Showing its age in parts.

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This sort of feels like it came out of the 90s. In a bad way.

[Mjhancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nikolai Dante is a womanizer, a thief, and, as at the start of the series, accidental member of Russian nobility, the Romanovs, embossed with the biotech weaponry the family shares. This collection covers the first few story arcs of Nikolai's adventures--his introduction as a conscript in the Tsar's army; his first mission for the Romanovs, a rescue; his attempts to pay off a large hotel bill; his accidental disgracing at the Tsar's banquet; and a dimension-hopping space mission. It's a light farce for the most part, though Dante's light, cheerful thievery and sexual exploits are clearly meant to be contrasted with the royal yet "civilized" Russian nobility, who regularly perform gross murders and oppression. It's very much a part of its source, in other words, as a 2000AD series, which tend to specialize in light farce, heavy depravity, and gratuitous yet entertaining violence. The sci-fi elements--it's purportedly 2660--are well-illustrated, if frequently preposterous, and I appreciate that Morrison tries to push Nikolai to his limits at points. I can't say the character thrills me as a protagonist--though I do like that his internal computer calls him on homophobia, even if it is shrugged off as a laugh--and I wouldn't say any of these characters are particularly deep, but it does what a good 2000AD story should (read above: depravity, farce, gratuitous violence).

[Jo Bennie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nikolai Dante first appeared in 2000AD. It's the future and the Russian Revolution never happened. In 2666 AD Nikolai Dante, son of a pirate, swashbuckler, rogue, seducer, swordsman, thief, vagabond is in Imperial prison. Pardoned in return for completion of a misson he finds his heritage fighting alongside Jena, daughter of the Tsar. On board a downed Romanov (rival family to the Tsar) spaceship he comes across a strange weapons crest which merges with him, granting supernatural powers and revealing his mysterious origins. Great fun, well scripted and drawn