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Hotblood!
Hotblood! A Centaur in the Old West
158 pages, ebook
Published January 1, 2016
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 3, 2017
3.5 Stars
Review:
This is a review for the entire Hotblood! webcomic because it's the type of thing you can easily read in one sitting and because it's sold as an omnibus.
So the first and most important thing... a centaur main character! A gay centaur main character! A gay centaur main character in the Old West! Whaaaaaaaat? I know, right? You don't see that every day. And the centaur thing did end up being pretty neat, even though it was treated in a very non-magical, "this is normal" way. I loved when James would lay on his back and his horse legs would be all up in the air lol. It was also cute how Asa would lean on him when they were standing and sitting; the relationship in general between the two characters was cute too at times, and it was neat seeing the human body and horse body interacting (there was no sex though, at least not in the webcomic version). And it was just cool seeing how the centaurs did things in general, like how they would lie down on the floor to be at the right level while humans would sit in a chair, or how James would sometimes sleep by lying the horse part of his body down on the floor but leaning his head over on a couch.
As for the artwork, it was in full color, and the color palettes used were absolutely gorgeous. I've never been so obsessed with or cognizant of colors in a comic before. (It wasn't the same palette throughout, it was different from page to page, depending on the setting, the time of day, etc., but all of them were gorgeous.) And sometimes the compositions were really pretty and interesting too---not just simple blocks of pictures but a good use of the comic medium to do some visually fun things. The landscapes were gorgeous too. I even liked the straight-edged, artsy word bubbles. Basically I liked a lot of the artistic choices and thought this was a beautiful comic to look at.
I was, however, sometimes confused about things that were happening, the passing of time, and characters' emotions. I'm still not sure when the relationship between James and Asa started. It wasn't a bad story though---just a bit confusing at times. And I will admit this was the first Old West story I had ever read.
But still, a centaur! And gorgeous, interesting artwork. I enjoyed reading, and especially looking at, this little comic.
*Note: This review is based on the webcomic. Other formats may have differences I am not aware of.*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes visually interesting and beautiful comics, the Old West, M/M, and centaurs.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
Initial Thoughts:
A little confusing at times, but gorgeous use of colors and visual compositions! Plus centaurs!
Review:
This is a review for the entire Hotblood! webcomic because it's the type of thing you can easily read in one sitting and because it's sold as an omnibus.
So the first and most important thing... a centaur main character! A gay centaur main character! A gay centaur main character in the Old West! Whaaaaaaaat? I know, right? You don't see that every day. And the centaur thing did end up being pretty neat, even though it was treated in a very non-magical, "this is normal" way. I loved when James would lay on his back and his horse legs would be all up in the air lol. It was also cute how Asa would lean on him when they were standing and sitting; the relationship in general between the two characters was cute too at times, and it was neat seeing the human body and horse body interacting (there was no sex though, at least not in the webcomic version). And it was just cool seeing how the centaurs did things in general, like how they would lie down on the floor to be at the right level while humans would sit in a chair, or how James would sometimes sleep by lying the horse part of his body down on the floor but leaning his head over on a couch.
As for the artwork, it was in full color, and the color palettes used were absolutely gorgeous. I've never been so obsessed with or cognizant of colors in a comic before. (It wasn't the same palette throughout, it was different from page to page, depending on the setting, the time of day, etc., but all of them were gorgeous.) And sometimes the compositions were really pretty and interesting too---not just simple blocks of pictures but a good use of the comic medium to do some visually fun things. The landscapes were gorgeous too. I even liked the straight-edged, artsy word bubbles. Basically I liked a lot of the artistic choices and thought this was a beautiful comic to look at.
I was, however, sometimes confused about things that were happening, the passing of time, and characters' emotions. I'm still not sure when the relationship between James and Asa started. It wasn't a bad story though---just a bit confusing at times. And I will admit this was the first Old West story I had ever read.
But still, a centaur! And gorgeous, interesting artwork. I enjoyed reading, and especially looking at, this little comic.
*Note: This review is based on the webcomic. Other formats may have differences I am not aware of.*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes visually interesting and beautiful comics, the Old West, M/M, and centaurs.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
Initial Thoughts:
A little confusing at times, but gorgeous use of colors and visual compositions! Plus centaurs!
November 2, 2017
Well, October was Furry Book Month (HONEST) and Centaurs count as Furry (HONEST) so I made sure to read this. I just, umm, apparently forgot to write a review IN OCTOBER when it might have counted more.
I liked the adventures of Rook and Asa. These are not completely morally whole men, and therefor they are in my wheelhouse. :-) The art is as stark as the Old West, but the storyline is a bit more complicated than the black and white cowboys stories are known for.
Rook is a Centaur, which are obviously an integrated part of American Society. There's some social stigma with being a Centaur, but not as much as you might think for someone who looks half animal. There's at least one Centaur in the US Senate, for example. We don't really get to see much of this version of earth outside of the main relationship between Rook and Asa... and it's only in the 2nd half of the book to we really start seeing the two bond sexually/romantically.
I would like to have seen more naughty bits, because the dynamics of physical intercourse between a centaur and a human has some awkward dynamics and I'm a curious man. Still, this hardly affects the plot or the characterizations. They manage and I wish some of this playfulness was more in full view in the first half of the book when I was having trouble maintaining interest.
My curiosity on the rest of the world is peaked and I hoped to see more. There's a book of art related to Hotblood, and it looks like there's an adult version of the comic to Kickstarter pledgers (looks like I lose on that).
There good news is that Hotblood:Zarco, a sequel is currently being serialized on the Hotblood Website: http://hotbloodzarco.com/ (Currently on hiatus until sometime in January 2018). It seems pretty engaging, all in all, but then I'm only halfway through.
I liked the adventures of Rook and Asa. These are not completely morally whole men, and therefor they are in my wheelhouse. :-) The art is as stark as the Old West, but the storyline is a bit more complicated than the black and white cowboys stories are known for.
Rook is a Centaur, which are obviously an integrated part of American Society. There's some social stigma with being a Centaur, but not as much as you might think for someone who looks half animal. There's at least one Centaur in the US Senate, for example. We don't really get to see much of this version of earth outside of the main relationship between Rook and Asa... and it's only in the 2nd half of the book to we really start seeing the two bond sexually/romantically.
I would like to have seen more naughty bits, because the dynamics of physical intercourse between a centaur and a human has some awkward dynamics and I'm a curious man. Still, this hardly affects the plot or the characterizations. They manage and I wish some of this playfulness was more in full view in the first half of the book when I was having trouble maintaining interest.
My curiosity on the rest of the world is peaked and I hoped to see more. There's a book of art related to Hotblood, and it looks like there's an adult version of the comic to Kickstarter pledgers (looks like I lose on that).
There good news is that Hotblood:Zarco, a sequel is currently being serialized on the Hotblood Website: http://hotbloodzarco.com/ (Currently on hiatus until sometime in January 2018). It seems pretty engaging, all in all, but then I'm only halfway through.
July 16, 2017
I picked this out of an LGBTQ+ Bookbox and ended up just blasting right through it. I was not familiar with the web comic, so I'm glad I got a chance to read this lovely omnibus.
Once I got into the worldbuilding (thar be centaurs!) everything was smooth sailing. I loved the little cultural details integrated well--what are insults to centaurs, what their limitations are, etc. The ways in which they stand and move are visually delightful--tail swishing, lying on their backs with hooves up, standing taller then men, hair like a mane. Once I got into it, it all felt normal and delightful.
I'm not really a fan of westerns, but the emotions and culture in post-Civil War America combined with men seeking their fortunes via western expansion and industry was a great backdrop. We had the trope of two very different individuals forced together by necessity who come to depend upon each other, accept each other, and eventually love each other. At times, their coming together seemed to come out of nowhere and other times I couldn't wait until they were in each other's arms. Given that they were pretty much always still partially dressed during these scenes and given, I didn't think too hard about the technical physicality of the relationship. The way their intimacy was portrayed visually satisfying for me.
I also enjoyed the story, even if I felt a little lost at moments. There were a lot of layers to it, and individuals often did not tell the whole truth or told parts of stories that were later revealed to be untrue. That complexity definitely kept me interested and reading, but it sometimes made me stop and have to rethink events that came before it.
The art was simple--limited in colors--but absolutely gorgeous. It was impossible to forget the beauty and scope of the west. The setting immediately helped set the mood, as did the character poses and expressions.
A great read!
Once I got into the worldbuilding (thar be centaurs!) everything was smooth sailing. I loved the little cultural details integrated well--what are insults to centaurs, what their limitations are, etc. The ways in which they stand and move are visually delightful--tail swishing, lying on their backs with hooves up, standing taller then men, hair like a mane. Once I got into it, it all felt normal and delightful.
I'm not really a fan of westerns, but the emotions and culture in post-Civil War America combined with men seeking their fortunes via western expansion and industry was a great backdrop. We had the trope of two very different individuals forced together by necessity who come to depend upon each other, accept each other, and eventually love each other. At times, their coming together seemed to come out of nowhere and other times I couldn't wait until they were in each other's arms. Given that they were pretty much always still partially dressed during these scenes and given, I didn't think too hard about the technical physicality of the relationship. The way their intimacy was portrayed visually satisfying for me.
I also enjoyed the story, even if I felt a little lost at moments. There were a lot of layers to it, and individuals often did not tell the whole truth or told parts of stories that were later revealed to be untrue. That complexity definitely kept me interested and reading, but it sometimes made me stop and have to rethink events that came before it.
The art was simple--limited in colors--but absolutely gorgeous. It was impossible to forget the beauty and scope of the west. The setting immediately helped set the mood, as did the character poses and expressions.
A great read!
October 8, 2022
I originally read this back when it was still updating and decided to give it a reread in full so I can read the sequel/spin-off at long last. It's still a pretty enjoyable m/m western but with centaurs about the US post-Civil War (but with centaurs). It's a bit light on the plot, but that also makes it not as overwhelming as some stories might be. The romance is nice and the cast is wonderful. As someone who's not into westerns or furry comics, when I say I enjoyed this, that means something. Could have done with less smoking, though. Although it was atmospheric it was just kind of yeesh.
August 23, 2019
My first ever webcomic to follow from the very beginning to a glorious end at Kickstarter. Wild West, centaurs and LGBT+ spiced all over it? Hell yes, even after couple of years, it's still as strong as the first time. Holding the physical book containing one of the raddest art you can find nowadays in the internet world always puts tears in my eyes.
September 15, 2018
Wow, I loved this to PIECES, so good!
November 7, 2019
So happy to finally have a hard copy of my favorite webcomic! The art is gorgeous, and even though I usually don’t love westerns, the story is so sweeping + romantic that it always draws me in.
June 30, 2020
Well I'm surprised! Going off the premise of this book, I wasn't too sure if it'd be my type of thing but I really enjoyed it! It was something a bit different and I liked that. An easy read.
January 11, 2026
Nice bite-sized western romance.
April 17, 2023
This comic's strongest feature is definitely the art. It's gorgeous, beautifully detailed and has a vibrant color pallet! But the story is a little? lacking? It left me wishing there was more to it than what there was. The pacing was off and a little rushed. But overall it's a nice, although short, read.
Happy to have it on my shelf nonetheless, cause you know, centaurs are cool.
Happy to have it on my shelf nonetheless, cause you know, centaurs are cool.
December 27, 2016
Pretty sure this is the only old west-centric book I'll ever read, but gladly so. I can't imagine anything else could compare. I kickstarted this omnibus and it was worth every penny! The art is incredible, every page could be framed. Now to dig up that 18+ interlude comic I got awhile ago...
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews