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Crone #1-5
Crone
The Sword Saviour and Champion of Men once known as BLOODY BLISS is now nothing more than a reclusive old CRONE.
When an old enemy returns it's up to Bliss to once more defend the Three Kingdoms. Does she have the strength to answer the call for one last adventure? Only Dennis Culver (Burnouts, E is for Extinction) and Justin Greenwood (Stumptown, The Last Siege) know for sure in this story that is equal parts Unforgiven and Xena Warrior Princess.
Collects Crone #1-5.
When an old enemy returns it's up to Bliss to once more defend the Three Kingdoms. Does she have the strength to answer the call for one last adventure? Only Dennis Culver (Burnouts, E is for Extinction) and Justin Greenwood (Stumptown, The Last Siege) know for sure in this story that is equal parts Unforgiven and Xena Warrior Princess.
Collects Crone #1-5.
128 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 23, 2020
Imagine is Red Sonja grew old and retired a hermit. Then one day an old foe returns, terrorizing the lands. That's the story of Bloody Bliss. The story gets a little too bogged down into the past at times, but if you like traditional sward and sorcery comics like Conan, you should give this a read.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
August 8, 2020
Damn had Potential to expand the world but it was a simple fantasy
March 4, 2020
Yes, this is a quick novella of a read. Could Culver do more stories in this setting, sure. But, I'm fine if this ends up being our only encounter with Bliss. As someone who almost qualifies as a senior, I enjoy well crafted stories that feature character(s) near my own age.
As a young woman Bliss led a revolt/fight against a mysterious, powerful masked warlord with her two companions. Many years later Bliss lives in retirement, slightly bitter, and dragged down by the years.
But, her foe has seemingly returned from the dead. One of her old companions seeks her help in stopping this rampage, and well...
No spoiler, but I'm usually not a sword and sorcery fan. This, read as digital floppies, was ell executed and a fun read.
As a young woman Bliss led a revolt/fight against a mysterious, powerful masked warlord with her two companions. Many years later Bliss lives in retirement, slightly bitter, and dragged down by the years.
But, her foe has seemingly returned from the dead. One of her old companions seeks her help in stopping this rampage, and well...
No spoiler, but I'm usually not a sword and sorcery fan. This, read as digital floppies, was ell executed and a fun read.
April 25, 2021
Not gonna lie, I mistook Dennis Culver's Crone for a horror graphic novel when I checked it out from the library. If there's anyone out there that actually reads my reviews, they would know that I don't read the back of books anymore. I prefer to dive in knowing as little as possible.
So turns out, Crone is not a horror story about a witch at all. This is classic fantasy with a premise that asks the question, "What happens to badass warrior women when they get old?"
I've been hesitant to read fantasy these days because I don't enjoy the genre anymore like I did as a kid. And honestly, Crone didn't make me miss the genre at all. In fact, it made me glad I've been avoiding it.
Crone's biggest issue is that it feels derivative and unoriginal. There's absolutely nothing new here. You've get flashbacks to the crone as a bikini-clad, sword wielding bombshell. There's a blonde, muscled hunk who looks so much like He-Man that I'm still not 100% sure if this is a spin off or not. There's both an "old friend" character and a "new, young apprentice" character. And of course most of the set-up for this story consists of some sad sack from Crone's past showing up to solicit her out of hiding to fight one last battle against ultimate evil.
I mean, yeesh. The only slightly unique thing about this story is that our old heroine is a lesbian, but she still falls for princess charming, so I'd argue that this actually isn't unique at all. I hate that fantasy focuses so much on romance and love triangles, which is probably the top reason why I've been avoiding it.
I also wasn't a big fan of the color palette of this graphic novel. I really hate orange and all the flashback scenes were overwhelmingly saturated with orange and other warm colors. I mean, it's a good thing it was all orange and hot in their past so they could wear their skimpy clothes on the battlefield, right?? But then they pair that with the current tense scenes, which are cool blues and greys because old. Give me a break.
Oh, and there's even a comical scene where Crone pulls out her old battle bikini and mentions that she wore it because it distracted the men on the field, which is just fucking ridiculous.
My second biggest issue with Crone is that, at it's core, it's a story about unrequited and lost love. I hate it when romance is what motivates a story. I don't care if you are a woman who loves a woman or any combination of genders and sexualities, I'm an equal opportunity hater when it comes to romance.
I enjoyed the art style. Except for the bikinis, I enjoyed the artwork in this book.
In the end, I rated Dennis Culver's Crone a very unimpressed 3 out of 5 stars.
You might like this if you like: classic fantasy, bikini-clad warrior women, and fighting over love.
So turns out, Crone is not a horror story about a witch at all. This is classic fantasy with a premise that asks the question, "What happens to badass warrior women when they get old?"
I've been hesitant to read fantasy these days because I don't enjoy the genre anymore like I did as a kid. And honestly, Crone didn't make me miss the genre at all. In fact, it made me glad I've been avoiding it.
Crone's biggest issue is that it feels derivative and unoriginal. There's absolutely nothing new here. You've get flashbacks to the crone as a bikini-clad, sword wielding bombshell. There's a blonde, muscled hunk who looks so much like He-Man that I'm still not 100% sure if this is a spin off or not. There's both an "old friend" character and a "new, young apprentice" character. And of course most of the set-up for this story consists of some sad sack from Crone's past showing up to solicit her out of hiding to fight one last battle against ultimate evil.
I mean, yeesh. The only slightly unique thing about this story is that our old heroine is a lesbian, but she still falls for princess charming, so I'd argue that this actually isn't unique at all. I hate that fantasy focuses so much on romance and love triangles, which is probably the top reason why I've been avoiding it.
I also wasn't a big fan of the color palette of this graphic novel. I really hate orange and all the flashback scenes were overwhelmingly saturated with orange and other warm colors. I mean, it's a good thing it was all orange and hot in their past so they could wear their skimpy clothes on the battlefield, right?? But then they pair that with the current tense scenes, which are cool blues and greys because old. Give me a break.
Oh, and there's even a comical scene where Crone pulls out her old battle bikini and mentions that she wore it because it distracted the men on the field, which is just fucking ridiculous.
My second biggest issue with Crone is that, at it's core, it's a story about unrequited and lost love. I hate it when romance is what motivates a story. I don't care if you are a woman who loves a woman or any combination of genders and sexualities, I'm an equal opportunity hater when it comes to romance.
I enjoyed the art style. Except for the bikinis, I enjoyed the artwork in this book.
In the end, I rated Dennis Culver's Crone a very unimpressed 3 out of 5 stars.
You might like this if you like: classic fantasy, bikini-clad warrior women, and fighting over love.
December 19, 2020
This was a compelling take on the fantasy genre. Crone examines what a strong warrior woman à la Xena or Red Sonja, would be like if she reached old age. Like the gamut of stories about aged male action heroes, when we meet our protagonist Blood Bliss, she is tired, lonely and contemplating death. Then along comes an old friend with a quest to get her back into the world again.
While this is obviously well-trodden ground, Crone excels is in the way it deconstructs the fantasy hero party. What I most admired was how it turns the sexy, scantily-clad, sword-wielding Amazon stereotype on its head and explores toxic masculinity. After all if you're a woman adventuring with a male rogue and barbarian, they're really not going to have your best interests at heart.
Culver cultivates an emotionally-charged journey for a broken-hearted hero while Greenwood and Simpson bring the glorious past and the gore-soaked present into gorgeous focus. I recommend Crone to fantasy comic readers looking for a well-handled gender reversal of the 'retired badass' trope.
While this is obviously well-trodden ground, Crone excels is in the way it deconstructs the fantasy hero party. What I most admired was how it turns the sexy, scantily-clad, sword-wielding Amazon stereotype on its head and explores toxic masculinity. After all if you're a woman adventuring with a male rogue and barbarian, they're really not going to have your best interests at heart.
Culver cultivates an emotionally-charged journey for a broken-hearted hero while Greenwood and Simpson bring the glorious past and the gore-soaked present into gorgeous focus. I recommend Crone to fantasy comic readers looking for a well-handled gender reversal of the 'retired badass' trope.
December 10, 2023
Back in the day, Bloody Bliss helped to save the three kingdoms with the help of her trusty sword and her two best friends. After defeating the mighty D’Kayde, she retired to a mountain top with her lady love. Unfortunately, D’Kayde doesn’t stay dead, and as an old woman, Bliss is called back into battle.
Strong art, fully realized female characters, and a few twists make this a diverting adventure.
Strong art, fully realized female characters, and a few twists make this a diverting adventure.
November 5, 2020
As a fan of Conan the Barbarian and similar characters I find this to be a pretty good examination of the kind of characters championed by Robert E. Howard and his fans.
Everyone has expectations when it comes to their needs and wants. Barbarians that live on the edge of nature and civilization definitely feel like that. After a life of oaths, services, and disappointments are feelings of being owed something. But what happens when their passions or desires don't mix? The title character Bloody Bliss is genuinely burned out and depressed after her passions drove away her love interest. Now she just doesn't have the drive for suicide and keeps her past literally buried.
People like her old rogue friend Gaspar and his daughter however still need a hero to inspire them. But some things just don't work out for them. Gaspar's daughter was inspired by Bliss but finds that she's not suited for the Sword and Sorcery lifestyle.
A lifestyle that ultimately warped people's senses of morality. When the Conan-pastiche Vor the Lion seeks out both his prophesied kingdom, he's deluded by a sense of grandeur. This feeling of being owed something gave him a toxic sense of entitlement; he wants Bliss as his queen despite the fact she's not into him, he also seems to be racist coming from Howard's own racism. Add that to the belief that embracing a savage lifestyle reveals people's real character; all that can mean is pessimistically seeing people for their worst traits. That can lead to factionalism over petty slights.
But in the end, this is more of building back up what people love about sword-and-sandal barbarians. It's about having the strength necessary to get back up after every complication in life knocks people down. There is real passion to be found that can fill people with life for people who just don't fit in with things; especially when it looks like the world is ready to cave everything in. The only necessary thing to do is compromise where people can.
Everyone has expectations when it comes to their needs and wants. Barbarians that live on the edge of nature and civilization definitely feel like that. After a life of oaths, services, and disappointments are feelings of being owed something. But what happens when their passions or desires don't mix? The title character Bloody Bliss is genuinely burned out and depressed after her passions drove away her love interest. Now she just doesn't have the drive for suicide and keeps her past literally buried.
People like her old rogue friend Gaspar and his daughter however still need a hero to inspire them. But some things just don't work out for them. Gaspar's daughter was inspired by Bliss but finds that she's not suited for the Sword and Sorcery lifestyle.
A lifestyle that ultimately warped people's senses of morality. When the Conan-pastiche Vor the Lion seeks out both his prophesied kingdom, he's deluded by a sense of grandeur. This feeling of being owed something gave him a toxic sense of entitlement; he wants Bliss as his queen despite the fact she's not into him, he also seems to be racist coming from Howard's own racism. Add that to the belief that embracing a savage lifestyle reveals people's real character; all that can mean is pessimistically seeing people for their worst traits. That can lead to factionalism over petty slights.
But in the end, this is more of building back up what people love about sword-and-sandal barbarians. It's about having the strength necessary to get back up after every complication in life knocks people down. There is real passion to be found that can fill people with life for people who just don't fit in with things; especially when it looks like the world is ready to cave everything in. The only necessary thing to do is compromise where people can.
September 5, 2025
Crone
Dark Horse, collects issues 1-5
Then. The Warlord D’kayde and his foot soldiers battle his greatest enemy, Bloody Bliss, and her allies, Vor the Lion and Gaspar Rogue. “Hold the line, you wretched fools. She’s only a woman.”
Now. The old crone of Mount Brawning has unexpected visitors. One is a bear. The others are Bliss’ old ally Gaspar and his daughter Corinne. Bliss dispatches the bear. She invites them to stay for dinner, “We’re having grizzly stew.”
Gaspar has unexpected news – D’kayde has returned and is raising an army.
Shocking because Bliss decapitated him in their last encounter.
We get more of Bliss’ backstory, her relationship with a former D’kayde prisoner named Ella.
Bliss is eventually convinced to pick up her sword Mordenstorm again. The group encounter some of D’kayde’s men. Bliss engages and shatters her sword. “A broken blade still cuts deep.”
Gaspar’s son Anton and his men show up. Corinne and Bliss are having a heart to heart when D’kayde and his soldiers attack.
Bliss responds, “I killed you once! I’ll kill you again!”
We learn the secret of D’kayde’s return. I did not see that coming!
More twists. More betrayals. More battles.
Solid story. Decent art. Obvious comparisons to that other redhead, the great Red Sonja. There’s an explanation regarding Bliss’ battle attire that applies to Red Sonja too.
“The outfit was meant to distract the men who opposed her… a moment of lust proved deadly to more than a few of our enemies.”
Fun read. If you like Conan, Northlanders, Kull, Red Sonja, and Barbaric, I recommend Crone.
And if you don’t like those comics, I still recommend it.
Dark Horse, collects issues 1-5
Then. The Warlord D’kayde and his foot soldiers battle his greatest enemy, Bloody Bliss, and her allies, Vor the Lion and Gaspar Rogue. “Hold the line, you wretched fools. She’s only a woman.”
Now. The old crone of Mount Brawning has unexpected visitors. One is a bear. The others are Bliss’ old ally Gaspar and his daughter Corinne. Bliss dispatches the bear. She invites them to stay for dinner, “We’re having grizzly stew.”
Gaspar has unexpected news – D’kayde has returned and is raising an army.
Shocking because Bliss decapitated him in their last encounter.
We get more of Bliss’ backstory, her relationship with a former D’kayde prisoner named Ella.
Bliss is eventually convinced to pick up her sword Mordenstorm again. The group encounter some of D’kayde’s men. Bliss engages and shatters her sword. “A broken blade still cuts deep.”
Gaspar’s son Anton and his men show up. Corinne and Bliss are having a heart to heart when D’kayde and his soldiers attack.
Bliss responds, “I killed you once! I’ll kill you again!”
We learn the secret of D’kayde’s return. I did not see that coming!
More twists. More betrayals. More battles.
Solid story. Decent art. Obvious comparisons to that other redhead, the great Red Sonja. There’s an explanation regarding Bliss’ battle attire that applies to Red Sonja too.
“The outfit was meant to distract the men who opposed her… a moment of lust proved deadly to more than a few of our enemies.”
Fun read. If you like Conan, Northlanders, Kull, Red Sonja, and Barbaric, I recommend Crone.
And if you don’t like those comics, I still recommend it.
April 3, 2021
There's some good stuff tucked in here, but ultimately Crone feels derivative - a Red Sonja story with the numbers filed off. The story of an old hero coming out of retirement is fairly by the numbers, the villain's motivation doesn't really hold up, and the ending is a bit too abrupt. Pity...there was a lot of potential in this one.
January 4, 2026
Old Lady Xena
TBH, I was wondering why the summary ame dropped Xena instead of seeming more like Sonja, then I hit the romance drama and pretty much checked out. When the antagonist's goal is to wife the heroine, I bail.
TBH, I was wondering why the summary ame dropped Xena instead of seeming more like Sonja, then I hit the romance drama and pretty much checked out. When the antagonist's goal is to wife the heroine, I bail.
March 4, 2021
Lose the thong, and it’s not a bad tale...grimdark, lots of blood and scowling, none of that worldbuilding nonsense. But geez, lose the thong already! This is 2021, isn’t it?
May 20, 2021
Really fun, but slightly predictable. The story is fantastic, I just wish it was a bit different than I expected.
July 29, 2023
A forgettably disappointing little fantasy tale which fails to really cook up anything worthwhile using the Red Sonja/Unforgiven-flavoured ingredients it tries to work with.
A shame, really, because I do think that this recipe COULD work...but not the way this team has prepared it.
A shame, really, because I do think that this recipe COULD work...but not the way this team has prepared it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews