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Black Road #1
Black Road, Vol. 1: The Holy North
1000 CE. When a Vatican official under is murdered on the infamous "Black Road" while under the care of Magnus The Black, Magnus uncovers a secret so big it threatens to change the balance of power in all of Europe. Collects BLACK ROAD #1-5.
131 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2016
6 people are currently reading
615 people want to read
About the author
Brian Wood
1,174 books961 followersBrian Wood's history of published work includes over fifty volumes of genre-spanning original material.
From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.
His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.
He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.
From the 1500-page future war epic DMZ, the ecological disaster series The Massive, the American crime drama Briggs Land, and the groundbreaking lo-fi dystopia Channel Zero he has a 20-year track record of marrying thoughtful world-building and political commentary with compelling and diverse characters.
His YA novels - Demo, Local, The New York Four, and Mara - have made YALSA and New York Public Library best-of lists. His historical fiction - the viking series Northlanders, the American Revolution-centered Rebels, and the norse-samurai mashup Sword Daughter - are benchmarks in the comic book industry.
He's written some of the biggest franchises in pop culture, including Star Wars, Terminator, RoboCop, Conan The Barbarian, Robotech, and Planet Of The Apes. He’s written number-one-selling series for Marvel Comics. And he’s created and written multiple canonical stories for the Aliens universe, including the Zula Hendricks character.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
November 8, 2016
"Churches bubble up like blisters, and priests spread like lice."
Norssk, 1000 A.D. The Holy Roman Catholic Church is taking over. Magnus Black has lost everything, is disaffected, and searching for answers. Roman Cardinal Farina is viciously killed while under Magnus' protection on the Black Road. Farina's ward Julia, ex-Roman slave, orphan, and fighter, sees evil things to come, and Magnus guides her out of vengeance and confusion.
The artwork is fantastic. As it should be, because Garry Brown also illustrated The Massive. It's dark and painterly (think Jock), utilizing the white snow and black shadows to great effect for silhouettes. I mean, Magnus BLACK, the BLACK road. There's plenty of ink to embellish the tone. And Dave McCaig's subtle colors maintain this essential sparsity.
This is a tale of mystery, existential dread, survival, and companionship. Brian Wood's writing is appropriately sparse like his other work (The Massive, Local), although with the little and sporadic action, the story can feel slow. This is less adventure than it is drama, and the twist was well done if somewhat expected. So overall a pretty good read. Not mind blowing yet, but I get the feeling this will be a satisfying slow burn.
February 6, 2017
Is the show "Vikings" bringing about a resurgence of northlands tales? It's been awhile since the last proliferation of Nordic-peoples stories and now here's a graphic novel to go with everything else that's been pillaging and ransacking popular media as of late.
This is the standard Christianity Ruins Everything tale where that one guy just wanted the hearty life he was supposed to have before shuffling off to Valhalla but then his wife was killed in a petty skirmish with a rival lord's gang and God's people came in and condemned everyone's beliefs and what's a beefy guy like Magnus the Black supposed to do?
Get a job for the Church and move on, I guess.
And he does.
But then intrigue and a Moorish blacksmith and secrets and a little girl and snow and burnings and a lot of walking and blood and no way! and revenge. Always revenge. There's really nothing else to live for. Just ask William Wallace or Rob Roy. They know. Oh, also Magnus' penis. That gets more airtime than you usually find in a graphic novel. Good on you, Garry Brown. The world is NOT just made of boobs and asses. Thank you for knowing that.
The art is all scraggly and full of jarring heavy, black lines. The colors are dark or muted, except for red and white, of course. Blood and snow. The pages look as violent and bleak as the words that tell the story and while this is by no means new territory, it's still a good read and I appreciate the inclusion of women (of two colors!) in a tale that is typically all angry white dudes.
This is the standard Christianity Ruins Everything tale where that one guy just wanted the hearty life he was supposed to have before shuffling off to Valhalla but then his wife was killed in a petty skirmish with a rival lord's gang and God's people came in and condemned everyone's beliefs and what's a beefy guy like Magnus the Black supposed to do?
Get a job for the Church and move on, I guess.
And he does.
But then intrigue and a Moorish blacksmith and secrets and a little girl and snow and burnings and a lot of walking and blood and no way! and revenge. Always revenge. There's really nothing else to live for. Just ask William Wallace or Rob Roy. They know. Oh, also Magnus' penis. That gets more airtime than you usually find in a graphic novel. Good on you, Garry Brown. The world is NOT just made of boobs and asses. Thank you for knowing that.
The art is all scraggly and full of jarring heavy, black lines. The colors are dark or muted, except for red and white, of course. Blood and snow. The pages look as violent and bleak as the words that tell the story and while this is by no means new territory, it's still a good read and I appreciate the inclusion of women (of two colors!) in a tale that is typically all angry white dudes.
February 14, 2017
Magnus the Black is a character from the comic series Northlanders. In the Black Road he gets his own little mini-series. Without going into too many spoilers let us say that this is a mystery tale. Magnus is hired by a Christian Cardinal from Rome who intends to take the Black Road north. Along the way they are ambushed and the Cardinal killed. This starts the mystery as Magnus tries to make sense of his mission. Magnus stumbles across the Cardinal's bastard daughter and they both undertake the trip up north to solve this mystery. Though, all is not as it seems.
This first Volume ended without any conclusion to the main story line and really left me with more questions than anything. The artwork, in keeping with the Northlander's style, is underwhelming. It is not awful, as some of the artists were in the main series, but it's not great either. Perhaps a 3/5 at most. Some may prefer this style, but it is not really to my taste.
Mostly this is a story about Magnus, seen through various flashbacks. That part it does well. The main story is a bit confusing, but I am willing to wait till Vol 2 to see where this was headed. All in all-not a bad volume, but the lack of resolution to the main story hampers the overall tale. The rest of the story, sans flashbacks, is more of a Magnus revealing his past and getting to know the Cardinal's daughter. Let's wait for Volume 2 and see where this ends.
This first Volume ended without any conclusion to the main story line and really left me with more questions than anything. The artwork, in keeping with the Northlander's style, is underwhelming. It is not awful, as some of the artists were in the main series, but it's not great either. Perhaps a 3/5 at most. Some may prefer this style, but it is not really to my taste.
Mostly this is a story about Magnus, seen through various flashbacks. That part it does well. The main story is a bit confusing, but I am willing to wait till Vol 2 to see where this was headed. All in all-not a bad volume, but the lack of resolution to the main story hampers the overall tale. The rest of the story, sans flashbacks, is more of a Magnus revealing his past and getting to know the Cardinal's daughter. Let's wait for Volume 2 and see where this ends.
January 2, 2024
Black Road continues Wood’s take on emo Vikings. Set in Norway in AD 1000, Magnus The Black is a warrior who discovers a secret among the new Christian priests who are laying waste to the Norskk culture and landscape. This isn’t an extension of Northlanders, instead, this series is set up to be a mystery thriller and not as historically accurate.
Magnus is a bear of a man, who respects his pagan upbringing, yet realizes that Christianity is taking over the region and wants to help his people through the transition. However, this makes him unpopular with both sides, as neither fully trusts him. A former soldier, he is grieving the loss of his beloved wife and wants reassurances from the Catholic priests that they will be reunited in Heaven together. He takes on the job of escorting a Cardinal from the Vatican up the “Black Road” to a new compound up North. The job goes sideways, and he joins up with Julia, the Cardinal’s adopted daughter and the local blacksmith, Kitta, to finish the journey northward. There they find a rogue priest, Bishop Oakenfort, who wishes to shift the power of the Vatican from Rome to Norway and for him to be in charge. Chaos ensues.
I’d also like to know Wood’s true view on Christianity and his faith journey, as many of his works portray the Church in a very negative light. While historically accurate in many respects, his bleak and dark views only show the negative side of this era’s conversions and are not a balanced viewpoint. But I obviously find it fascinating, as I keep on reading his graphic novels.
The artwork was solid, by Garry Brown who did the artwork for Wood’s The Massive series. His style is rather blocky, which doesn’t always translate for faces, yet his backgrounds are detailed and the Scandinavian landscapes are well-drawn. Dave McCraig does the coloring, as he did for the entire Northlanders series, and effectively guides you through the changing chronology with color changes to signal Magnus’s flashbacks. I read the compilation of the series which included V1-The Holy North & V2-A Pagan Death. At the end of the book, it included a mock-up of the first issue, after which Wood changed direction and re-wrote parts of it, which was interesting to see the evolution of the story.
This Norse saga will appeal to all Northlanders fans, although as I said earlier, it is not a continuation of that series. Magnus The Black is a layered individual with conflicting desires, and this story has the potential to say something fresh about faith and conversion, so while I doubt the series will continue, I’d read more if it does.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2018/12/1... (It is the compilation edition that also includes V2-A Pagan Death)
Magnus is a bear of a man, who respects his pagan upbringing, yet realizes that Christianity is taking over the region and wants to help his people through the transition. However, this makes him unpopular with both sides, as neither fully trusts him. A former soldier, he is grieving the loss of his beloved wife and wants reassurances from the Catholic priests that they will be reunited in Heaven together. He takes on the job of escorting a Cardinal from the Vatican up the “Black Road” to a new compound up North. The job goes sideways, and he joins up with Julia, the Cardinal’s adopted daughter and the local blacksmith, Kitta, to finish the journey northward. There they find a rogue priest, Bishop Oakenfort, who wishes to shift the power of the Vatican from Rome to Norway and for him to be in charge. Chaos ensues.
I’d also like to know Wood’s true view on Christianity and his faith journey, as many of his works portray the Church in a very negative light. While historically accurate in many respects, his bleak and dark views only show the negative side of this era’s conversions and are not a balanced viewpoint. But I obviously find it fascinating, as I keep on reading his graphic novels.
The artwork was solid, by Garry Brown who did the artwork for Wood’s The Massive series. His style is rather blocky, which doesn’t always translate for faces, yet his backgrounds are detailed and the Scandinavian landscapes are well-drawn. Dave McCraig does the coloring, as he did for the entire Northlanders series, and effectively guides you through the changing chronology with color changes to signal Magnus’s flashbacks. I read the compilation of the series which included V1-The Holy North & V2-A Pagan Death. At the end of the book, it included a mock-up of the first issue, after which Wood changed direction and re-wrote parts of it, which was interesting to see the evolution of the story.
This Norse saga will appeal to all Northlanders fans, although as I said earlier, it is not a continuation of that series. Magnus The Black is a layered individual with conflicting desires, and this story has the potential to say something fresh about faith and conversion, so while I doubt the series will continue, I’d read more if it does.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2018/12/1... (It is the compilation edition that also includes V2-A Pagan Death)
October 6, 2017
Basically an extension of Northlanders, Magnus the black is our hero and at the same time a royal bastard. The Church has come north, brutally forcing Christianity upon the Norsemen. When the Cardinal he was protecting on the Black Road is murdered, Magnus vows to hunt the killers down. So he and the Cardinal's adopted daughter head north to the Christian outpost there. The last issue takes an odd turn, one I didn't quite 'get', as to motivations. The book ends in the middle of the story which I found quite annoying.
I didn't care for Garry Brown's art nor the coloring at all. The art looks like it was carved into a desk with a pocket knife. It's scratchy and poorly defined. In some panels I wasn't sure what I was even looking at. Wood and Brown have crafted a harsh, unforgiving world down in the muck, scrabbling for what meager resources there are.
I didn't care for Garry Brown's art nor the coloring at all. The art looks like it was carved into a desk with a pocket knife. It's scratchy and poorly defined. In some panels I wasn't sure what I was even looking at. Wood and Brown have crafted a harsh, unforgiving world down in the muck, scrabbling for what meager resources there are.
April 9, 2017
I only discovered this because of Brian Wood who also created Northlanders, one of my favourite comics series. This, too, is about what is nowadays known as Scandinavia, the Vikings living there and what their lives were like.
The book is about the time the Christian Church took over and either burnt or enslaved all pagans in their way. It's also about Magnus the Black, a Viking who doesn't declare himself for either side of the war. He lost his wife and is now wandering the landscape, doing the odd job here and there for money. He's a tall fellow too, with lots of things having happened to him in the past.
Someone hires Magnus to take a Cardinal up north on the so-called Black Road, but they are being ambushed and the Cardinal killed. Apparently, Magnus has another beef with those men (it's not entirely clear yet) and swears vengeance.
This first volume was a nice introduction to the time and place of this story, with multiple battlegrounds, blood, gore, even (which is always surprising in American media) complete nudity, as well as gritty but cool art.
(They might not have been drawn completely realistically, but I LOVED these wolves!)
I was dreading the end of the aforementioned Northlanders series, which is why I didn't read all volumes one after the other, but this could be a worthy substitute. The story isn't quite up to the magnificent quality of the Sven story yet, but we had enough action and mystery and different places which made for a very nice introduction. *wants next volume*
The book is about the time the Christian Church took over and either burnt or enslaved all pagans in their way. It's also about Magnus the Black, a Viking who doesn't declare himself for either side of the war. He lost his wife and is now wandering the landscape, doing the odd job here and there for money. He's a tall fellow too, with lots of things having happened to him in the past.
Someone hires Magnus to take a Cardinal up north on the so-called Black Road, but they are being ambushed and the Cardinal killed. Apparently, Magnus has another beef with those men (it's not entirely clear yet) and swears vengeance.
This first volume was a nice introduction to the time and place of this story, with multiple battlegrounds, blood, gore, even (which is always surprising in American media) complete nudity, as well as gritty but cool art.
(They might not have been drawn completely realistically, but I LOVED these wolves!)
I was dreading the end of the aforementioned Northlanders series, which is why I didn't read all volumes one after the other, but this could be a worthy substitute. The story isn't quite up to the magnificent quality of the Sven story yet, but we had enough action and mystery and different places which made for a very nice introduction. *wants next volume*
June 7, 2017
Magnus the Black is hired to escort a church official to a investigate circumstances in a town to the north. Despite his better judgement he allows the official to take the quickest route...The Black Road. Let's just say there's a reason they call it The Black Road. Gritty, violent, with some mystery and double dealing that makes for an entertaining story.
Really strong artwork with a rough style that fits well with the story.
8/10
Really strong artwork with a rough style that fits well with the story.
8/10
October 15, 2016
Is Black Road Brian Wood's new Northlanders? I hope so!
The Northlanders series was well-researched, engrossing, unique, and some of the best, consistently good comics I've read, and I was sad to see it end. And then this comes along, a suspenseful, mystery-tinged series set in the days of the Christian conversion of the Norsemen. I found this inaugural volume captivating, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next volume.
The Northlanders series was well-researched, engrossing, unique, and some of the best, consistently good comics I've read, and I was sad to see it end. And then this comes along, a suspenseful, mystery-tinged series set in the days of the Christian conversion of the Norsemen. I found this inaugural volume captivating, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the next volume.
August 29, 2017
Bullet Review:
In comparison to the other Brian Wood Viking graphic novel I am reading, The Anglo-Saxon Saga, this is a rather disjointed, confusing excursion. However, it has some fun Norsemen bits, so I wouldn't mind seeing where this goes.
In comparison to the other Brian Wood Viking graphic novel I am reading, The Anglo-Saxon Saga, this is a rather disjointed, confusing excursion. However, it has some fun Norsemen bits, so I wouldn't mind seeing where this goes.
December 31, 2019
Story set in Norway during christianization. People are turned to christianity, mostly by force, many crimes are commited and main protagonist is hired to escort bishop from Rome allong dangerous road to the north. Good characters, quick pace and nice, kind of sketchy art, which works well with rough nort atmospehere.
January 6, 2017
This is the first volume of Magnus the Black. This Image comic is gathered here in a volume including several issues that make up The Holy North story. Magnus is a viking who is a rarity. He helps and sometimes serves the Christians, with their new God. When he accompanies a high ranking priest, hiring on to take him up the north coast, along the Black Road to assume a Cardinal assignment in a huge cathedral built on the stones overlooking the sea, things begin to go wrong. A rival group wants the cardinal dead and do so, almost killing Magnus as well. They think he is dead but not so. Soon after he heals a girl wanders into town also wanting to follow the Black Road, claiming she is the daughter of the cardinal. Magnus again does this job, as he wants bloody revenge on those who slew his last charge.
The pair endures hunger and foul, killing weather. They fight raiders and wolves, slowly making their way north and there is also betrayal, which again almost kills Magnus, and yet he will not die.
This graphic tells a wonderful, tragic tale of a powerful man who has lost most everything he ever learned and yet is brutal by way of having no other choice but to be that way. He uses his skill at arms and powerful body to serve others, including the Christians, which makes him a pariah amongst his people and hated by many. As most of the folk in Norskk are starving and freezing to death, Magnus is in coin and purpose most of the time. This also makes him no friends, and yet all respect and fear his killing skill and strength, sometimes to their inevitable end.
I really enjoyed this one and I can't wait to get the other volumes.
Danny
The pair endures hunger and foul, killing weather. They fight raiders and wolves, slowly making their way north and there is also betrayal, which again almost kills Magnus, and yet he will not die.
This graphic tells a wonderful, tragic tale of a powerful man who has lost most everything he ever learned and yet is brutal by way of having no other choice but to be that way. He uses his skill at arms and powerful body to serve others, including the Christians, which makes him a pariah amongst his people and hated by many. As most of the folk in Norskk are starving and freezing to death, Magnus is in coin and purpose most of the time. This also makes him no friends, and yet all respect and fear his killing skill and strength, sometimes to their inevitable end.
I really enjoyed this one and I can't wait to get the other volumes.
Danny
September 7, 2017
Just enough here to be curious about the next volume.
March 15, 2018
Black Road is about the arrival of Christianity in the Nordics during the time of the Vikings. While the premise is interesting and the art is good, the story is just so-so and I didn't find any of the characters incredibly engaging. Perhaps the second volume will give them more weight and pathos...
October 23, 2017
I really didn't think I would go back to a Brian Wood title, after some missteps with Northlanders and the fiasco that was his run on Conan the Barbarian. However, a free preview from a few pages of the Black Road convinced me to give it a chance and as far as the first volume goes, I was not disappointed.
The year is somewhere around 900 AD in conversion-era Scadinavia, where Christianity is afoot tearing down and subjugating the Old Faith. Magnus is a bitter monolith of a man, who seems to only care for his next score, although he is deeply conflicted about the essence of Christianity (although not its political practices).
Then comes along a mysterious, Roman Cardinal, wanting to visit an even more mysterious locale in the far north. That is where all the troubles begin...
There is brutality, icy emptiness and some honor thrown in for good measure. Magnus the Black falls somewhere between a noble monster and Kurosawa's Yojimbo or Sanjuro, a reluctant father figure to the mysterious, crossbow-wielding Julia.
This first volume is basically "the way there" and an opportunity to show why the Black Road is named thus. I love how most of the storytelling is purely visual and text is rather sparse. To be sure, there is quite a bit to be explained in the second volume, but so far I am intrigued.
The year is somewhere around 900 AD in conversion-era Scadinavia, where Christianity is afoot tearing down and subjugating the Old Faith. Magnus is a bitter monolith of a man, who seems to only care for his next score, although he is deeply conflicted about the essence of Christianity (although not its political practices).
Then comes along a mysterious, Roman Cardinal, wanting to visit an even more mysterious locale in the far north. That is where all the troubles begin...
There is brutality, icy emptiness and some honor thrown in for good measure. Magnus the Black falls somewhere between a noble monster and Kurosawa's Yojimbo or Sanjuro, a reluctant father figure to the mysterious, crossbow-wielding Julia.
This first volume is basically "the way there" and an opportunity to show why the Black Road is named thus. I love how most of the storytelling is purely visual and text is rather sparse. To be sure, there is quite a bit to be explained in the second volume, but so far I am intrigued.
May 28, 2018
Great tale - but be warned, this one isn't good vs. evil - it has a few twists
This one starts off with good vs. evil, or rather - good vs. a predatory world. There is a betrayal, and the quest turns into that of vengeance -
But then good become bad and vice versa - until you have no one to root for but the hero, who walks the fine line between pagan and Christian.
I fell in love with Brian Wood's style with Local - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... - which is quite different than this.
Local was a modern-day drama of drifters, like the best independent film you have ever seen.
Black Road is 1000 AD in a chaotic world.
Like Local, it's great - and the series looks to be even better - this is a great start to a new tale.
This one starts off with good vs. evil, or rather - good vs. a predatory world. There is a betrayal, and the quest turns into that of vengeance -
But then good become bad and vice versa - until you have no one to root for but the hero, who walks the fine line between pagan and Christian.
I fell in love with Brian Wood's style with Local - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... - which is quite different than this.
Local was a modern-day drama of drifters, like the best independent film you have ever seen.
Black Road is 1000 AD in a chaotic world.
Like Local, it's great - and the series looks to be even better - this is a great start to a new tale.
April 29, 2020
Wish it had been a little more cohesive. The ending was a little weird.
October 14, 2020
Cool concept and location and aside from a black female blacksmith? in Medieval Norway an overall good start.
July 30, 2018
This was so damn good. Like Viking Noir. Garry Brown and Dave McCaig's art is brilliant too. Really excited to read more.
October 10, 2016
Brian Wood does sword and hammer better than anyone. Against the bleak Nordic landscape where the corruption of Christianity impacts the economy and culture of the Vikings, a Viking mercenary hired by the church confronts his demons both spiritually and physically. A tour de force. And more to come.
October 25, 2016
Disclaimer: This review of Black Road, Vol. 1: The Holy North is of a Goodreads giveaway copy.
The opening volume: The Holy North invites readers to a bleak and dismal landscape. The furthest reaches of Viking Europe are sparsely populated by the cold and weary. A wretched life of toil and suffering is worsened by an unlikely evil... conversion to Christianity by a sinister and oppressive Church; all to eager to preach to the pagan North with the sword, rather than the word.
In Magnus the Black, we find both hero and anti-hero; a grim warrior seasoned by a lifetime of battle for the warring tribes of Heathen Scandinavia. He is fiercely loyal to coin alone and that gives him passage amongst Heathen and Christian alike. With this and his reputation, Magnus employs himself as a savage, yet reliable escort along the dangerous and foreboding Black Road.
Where this volume fails, is in delivering any momentum or suspense related to the mystery of why there is such a massive Christian occupation so far North on the infamous Black Road. But with dark and ominous art, readers won't hesitate to pick up the next volume for more adventure with the dour Magnus
The opening volume: The Holy North invites readers to a bleak and dismal landscape. The furthest reaches of Viking Europe are sparsely populated by the cold and weary. A wretched life of toil and suffering is worsened by an unlikely evil... conversion to Christianity by a sinister and oppressive Church; all to eager to preach to the pagan North with the sword, rather than the word.
In Magnus the Black, we find both hero and anti-hero; a grim warrior seasoned by a lifetime of battle for the warring tribes of Heathen Scandinavia. He is fiercely loyal to coin alone and that gives him passage amongst Heathen and Christian alike. With this and his reputation, Magnus employs himself as a savage, yet reliable escort along the dangerous and foreboding Black Road.
Where this volume fails, is in delivering any momentum or suspense related to the mystery of why there is such a massive Christian occupation so far North on the infamous Black Road. But with dark and ominous art, readers won't hesitate to pick up the next volume for more adventure with the dour Magnus
February 21, 2019
While I enjoyed it, I still found parts of this rather confusing (the jumps in time and place and some of the artwork). Also, what exactly the big mystery is hasn't even been addressed just yet. Five issues in and it isn't much clearer than it was from the beginning. Still, the idea of a mystery with a Viking detective has a certain can't-miss quality to it, so here's hoping things improve in the next volume.
November 16, 2016
The art is stunning and really makes each part of the story stand out. The story itself is beautifully written by Wood, shedding light on a time period and historical event (in this instance the Catholic conversion of the Norselands) that doesn't get discussed much at all in modern times.
September 22, 2017
This a really awesome book. Loved it so much had to finally scope up some Northlanders.
December 27, 2016
Part one, not sure what to think yet but it's not a bad start.
January 7, 2017
Vikings, Christians, and hypocrisy!; how can you go wrong! Also, cool slightly abstract artwork.
January 11, 2021
Excellent Book
November 20, 2016
LA PUTA MADRE
I wrote a huge review and GR f*cked it up.
Quick review then:
Black Road is the story about Maguns the Black, a Viking/Tour Guide (?) that was hired by this Cardinal to take him to this city up north. Of course as we all know, the only road available is the most dangerous one, a.k.a., the Black Road. Magnus is very curious about the Catholic faith moreover because Scandinavia and the viking people are amidst a process of conversion. He's not sure about his gods and it seems that the christian god has his attention (or curiosity? Looking at you slave owner Calvin Candle). The Cardinal is always talking about his "guardian angel" and alas! some gang assaults them and kills the good ol' priest. Magnus falls unconscious after the beating they gave him only to wake up in some barn with a little girl next to him. Turns out the "guardian angel" was a real person. The adoptive daughter of the cardinal. She insists going up north and Magnus joins her. They face a lot of dangerous together and well, I'll stop telling the story, otherwise I'll spoil you.
Good things: The art. Dynamic, fluid, the action bits were realistic enough to make you "hear" the whistling of the arrows or the clash of the blades. The atmosphere reminded me to some of Mignolia's work. Dark, cold, gritty. Good stuff.
Story. Meh, nothing new. I felt the story was told too hastily and pretty straight forward. There are some cliff hanger-like situations at the end of some of the issues that seem to be resolved in between issues. This kind of make-the-reader-imagine-what-happens situation works for some stories (i'm thinking on Grant Morrison's Final Crisis) but not in this one. Also, Magnus' motivation changes every other issue: at first was a job/curiosity about christians, then was some sort of honer-based mission and in the end is revenge. Although Wood tries to explain, in very brief panels, some of Magnus' backstory, it's not enough to make the reader buy the reasons of Magnus to complete the mission. My guess is he has a death wish.
However, I'm willing to read vol. 2, but if it follows the same pattern I guess I won't be walking on the Black Road any longer.
I wrote a huge review and GR f*cked it up.
Quick review then:
Black Road is the story about Maguns the Black, a Viking/Tour Guide (?) that was hired by this Cardinal to take him to this city up north. Of course as we all know, the only road available is the most dangerous one, a.k.a., the Black Road. Magnus is very curious about the Catholic faith moreover because Scandinavia and the viking people are amidst a process of conversion. He's not sure about his gods and it seems that the christian god has his attention (or curiosity? Looking at you slave owner Calvin Candle). The Cardinal is always talking about his "guardian angel" and alas! some gang assaults them and kills the good ol' priest. Magnus falls unconscious after the beating they gave him only to wake up in some barn with a little girl next to him. Turns out the "guardian angel" was a real person. The adoptive daughter of the cardinal. She insists going up north and Magnus joins her. They face a lot of dangerous together and well, I'll stop telling the story, otherwise I'll spoil you.
Good things: The art. Dynamic, fluid, the action bits were realistic enough to make you "hear" the whistling of the arrows or the clash of the blades. The atmosphere reminded me to some of Mignolia's work. Dark, cold, gritty. Good stuff.
Story. Meh, nothing new. I felt the story was told too hastily and pretty straight forward. There are some cliff hanger-like situations at the end of some of the issues that seem to be resolved in between issues. This kind of make-the-reader-imagine-what-happens situation works for some stories (i'm thinking on Grant Morrison's Final Crisis) but not in this one. Also, Magnus' motivation changes every other issue: at first was a job/curiosity about christians, then was some sort of honer-based mission and in the end is revenge. Although Wood tries to explain, in very brief panels, some of Magnus' backstory, it's not enough to make the reader buy the reasons of Magnus to complete the mission. My guess is he has a death wish.
However, I'm willing to read vol. 2, but if it follows the same pattern I guess I won't be walking on the Black Road any longer.
June 2, 2017
Magnus is a warrior who doesn't know which side to choose. Very agressive Christians try to convert his people and he gives himself time to decide if he will fight with or against them.
For now, he's hired to escort a roman cardinal north along the black road. But they're soon ambushed and Magnus finds himself teamed with the cardinal's adoptive daughter, still heading north.
On this premise Wood writes a disjointed and somehow confusing story. The main narrative is interspersed by flashbacks and sometimes progress with troubling ellipsis and innuendoes that bored me before I reached the first half.
If Magnus is interesting and fleshed out, the rest of tbe cast is not so well developped when not ridiculously cliché (the female blacksmith Moor). As fot the future bad guy-to meet at the end of the road- he'll apparently meet your average 007's adversary standards. Not too engaging as far as I'm concerned. There's a mystery to solve but I already don't care.
Gary Brown pencils the book and he's even worse than on The Massive. Scratchy and half-cartoony, I'll definitely won't buy a book on his name only. Dave McCaig's colors are good though.
For now, he's hired to escort a roman cardinal north along the black road. But they're soon ambushed and Magnus finds himself teamed with the cardinal's adoptive daughter, still heading north.
On this premise Wood writes a disjointed and somehow confusing story. The main narrative is interspersed by flashbacks and sometimes progress with troubling ellipsis and innuendoes that bored me before I reached the first half.
If Magnus is interesting and fleshed out, the rest of tbe cast is not so well developped when not ridiculously cliché (the female blacksmith Moor). As fot the future bad guy-to meet at the end of the road- he'll apparently meet your average 007's adversary standards. Not too engaging as far as I'm concerned. There's a mystery to solve but I already don't care.
Gary Brown pencils the book and he's even worse than on The Massive. Scratchy and half-cartoony, I'll definitely won't buy a book on his name only. Dave McCaig's colors are good though.
June 14, 2021
(4 of 5 for nice nordic/medieval tale of one big bad mercenary)
I managed to read the second book before putting down my notes so now I'm unable to separate one from another in any meaningful way. Hear hear, a tale about Magnus, a mountain of muscles, swift mind and kind of heart. He saw the reason in the middle ground in the time and place, where diplomacy is wielding a bigger sword. And that cost him. But brought a great tale to us.
Wood is a great comics writer. He is more than able to partner with suiting artist and together bring a very believable and lively world. And Balck Road is no exception. I really like the setting, the story about spreading Christianity between pagans which manifest changing times, the dusk of one and dawn of another era. Wood skillfully inserted "little big story" with great characters, another significant perk of Brian Wood, creating an atmospheric story with perfect tempo.
On the other hand, Black Road is not trying to reach the stars. there are things between lines, subtle hints and the reading is not utterly fascinating, but it feels good.
I managed to read the second book before putting down my notes so now I'm unable to separate one from another in any meaningful way. Hear hear, a tale about Magnus, a mountain of muscles, swift mind and kind of heart. He saw the reason in the middle ground in the time and place, where diplomacy is wielding a bigger sword. And that cost him. But brought a great tale to us.
Wood is a great comics writer. He is more than able to partner with suiting artist and together bring a very believable and lively world. And Balck Road is no exception. I really like the setting, the story about spreading Christianity between pagans which manifest changing times, the dusk of one and dawn of another era. Wood skillfully inserted "little big story" with great characters, another significant perk of Brian Wood, creating an atmospheric story with perfect tempo.
On the other hand, Black Road is not trying to reach the stars. there are things between lines, subtle hints and the reading is not utterly fascinating, but it feels good.
June 30, 2018
Black road is focusing on an interesting part of history, conversion of northern people to christianity by sword and fire. Characters are really cool, Magnus Black is understandable and reminds me of Edo period samurais, whose their time has passed and Magnus could be a brave Viking in previous times, but nowadays he is no more than a mercenary who has lost all of his hope and cause for fighting for life, but he has a fait to meddle in a big conspiracy.
I am not that much into their storytelling, mostly the huge amount of flash back, flash forward distracted me more than one time. And the bubbles which he was talking or was thinking with himself was not easy to distinguish. I didn't like the way they let some important parts of story (attack of wolves) to reader's imagination.
All in all it was acceptable, but it would be better if they could reach a conclusion before jumping to second volume.
I am not that much into their storytelling, mostly the huge amount of flash back, flash forward distracted me more than one time. And the bubbles which he was talking or was thinking with himself was not easy to distinguish. I didn't like the way they let some important parts of story (attack of wolves) to reader's imagination.
All in all it was acceptable, but it would be better if they could reach a conclusion before jumping to second volume.
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