El rey de los pájaros

Gamayun Tales #1

by Alexander Utkin, Fabián Ricardo Rodríguez Piastri (Translator)

Esta es la historia de cómo una pequeña manzana dorada desató una gran batalla. Todo empezó con una ratona y una gorriona, pero, pronto, todos los animales y pájaros acaban también en guerra. Al fin y al cabo, el rey de los pájaros nunca perdona… pero ¿qué ocurrirá cuando él mismo se encuentre a merced de un intrépido mercader?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Animals, Mythology, Fiction, Childrens

64 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2018

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful tale - beautiful art! A vibrant take on a Slavic myth that teaches young children that if you can help then you never know when you may be helped by who you helped. So often we fail to see how we are connected; how connections can help us all get through hard times - a wonderful lesson!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haven't really encountered anything published by Nobrow that's outright bad, but this is a little short. It was short but sweet, though it still felt like more could have been fitted into this graphic novel. I've read picture books published by Nobrow that feel more fulfilling than the King of Birds in 32 pages.

However, since it is short, I am looking forward to the next instalment!

[Goatllama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mythic nonsense. And, of course, I mean that in the best, most loving way possible. Myths don't need to make sense to us; we're not meant to understand the ways of gods and spirits. Mignola knows this, and Utkin obviously does as well (though I wonder how much of the original folklore has been changed/left alone). There are patterns to things, there is a keen sense of justice, and those that are savvy and follow the rules are rewarded. Those that do not... beware the King of Birds' wrath.

On a side note, as if the wonderful art hadn't already sucked me in, starting a book with "greetings, best beloved" would have done it. Massively charming.

[Kendall H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like an old tale being retold - which was the intent. The illustrations have an old-school feel to them, and the narrator conveys that traditional oral storytelling vibe. This story is simple - I could share it with my kids - and the "cliffhanger" sneaked up on me. I can't wait for the next one.

[Dean Simons · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is often a worry I have when I read comics based on folklore and fairy tale that the adaptation will come across as clunky and stilted, that the illustration be flat and the story just a rigid skeleton ill-prepared for words and panels.

Thankfully this is gorgeous and I look forward to the second volume.

[Aaron Flowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is nothing short of fun, and so well paced my interest didn’t lapse for a single panel. And the art! So spot on, lends itself incredibly well to the fairytale realm—Golden Book era nostalgia ahoy.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced, beautifully illustrated Russian folktales about loyalty, gratitude, family, and commitment that feel more hard-won than sentimentally-assumed.

[La Gran Biblioteca de David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hay cómics fantásticos que, además de entretener, te enseñan. Y este es uno de ellos. Cuentos de Gamayun es una trilogía de historias basadas en el folclore y mitología rusos, muy interesante y totalmente desconocidos para mí.

El narrador de estos cuentos es Gamayun, un pájaro mágico de la mitología eslava. Tiene cabeza de mujer y propiedades proféticas. Comienza con un acontecimiento que parece insignificante pero que tendrá consecuencias desastrosas. Un ratón y un gorrión se pelean por una manzana dorada. Esta proviene del jardín de una princesa guerrera y quien la comiese se convertiría en un ser joven y poderoso. Por diversas circunstancias, la manzana llega a manos del ratón. Este, ocultándosela al gorrión, se la come. Esta trifulca dará lugar a una cruenta guerra entre el reino animal y el reino aviar: entre mamíferos y aves.

En esta guerra, el Rey de los Pájaros cae gravemente herido. Pero va a ser encontrado por un humano, un mercader que, gracias a una serpiente, conoce el lenguaje de los animales. Este le ayudará a recuperarse y, por su tiempo y dedicación, se verá recompensado por el Rey. Pero antes deberá llevar a cabo una misión: acompañar al Rey a los distintos reinos de sus hermanas. Unos reinos de distintos metales con unos cofres misteriosos. Una trama llena de magia, batallas y aventuras.

El ritmo de la historia es bastante acelerado, sin pausas, pero bastante atractivo. Utkin maneja la narración bastante bien y sabe hilar y unir las diversas tramas que se van formando. Las historias que tenemos en este tomo están inconclusas, solo tenemos los comienzos (que imagino que conoceremos el desarrollo en posteriores tomos). De una trama principal (Iván Tsarevich que busca robar una manzana dorada) van saliendo como hilos de subtramas de los que van saliendo más.

En cuanto al dibujo, este tiene una clarísima influencia de la iconografía imperial rusa, especialmente en los ropajes. La paleta de colores, si bien no es muy extensa, sí está muy bien elegida y combinada con el dibujo. La composición de las viñetas es muy variada y dinámica, dándole más atractivo a este cómic.

En conclusión, un cómic que nos acerca a un tema exótico y poco conocido como es el folclore y la mitología ruso. Un dibujo con una clarísima iconografía rusa y una paleta de colores no muy extensa y apagada pero con una gran belleza. Una trama llena de guerras, de magia y de aventuras.

Más en mi blog La Gran Biblioteca de David: https://lagranbibliotecadedavid.blogs...

[Vertdeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superbe récit et mise en images de ce conte du folklore russe.
J'ai beaucoup aimé la narration, les personnages créés et la colorisation.

[Bogdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice artwork, colourful and round. The story also was not so bad, but nothing amazing either.

Still, worth a look. I don`t know yet if i`ll buy the second one, or not. I`m thinking...

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable story, and one with good art, but it feels a bit too short and simple. Also, there is a sort of misogynist tone to it (the older sister's are punished for not being immediately subservient to a request (the import of which is unclear)) that I'm sure is reflective of the original tale, but still feels a bit off. I was surprised that it is based on a Russian tale since the art seems like it is going for a sort of African vibe. I'm left really wondering what is in the box and hoping to read the next one since the one story I have that has a similar structure (normal person helps supernatural being, is taken to the being's realm as a reward, returns to a world where more time has passed than is expected and is given a box and told not to open it) is the Japanese tale of Urashima Taro, except here the box is supposedly a reward, and in that story it is more of a side effect.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childrens graphic novel-- fantasy. As soon as I opened this book, I suspected it was from another country. Sure enough it is a Slavic tale published from the UK. The artwork has a vintage look to it that goes with the mythological/ folk tale feeling. A young bird starts a war of the animals when his friend mouse doesn't share the golden apple. The king of the birds is injured in battle, and nursed back to health by a merchant and his wife. The king of the birds wishes to repay the merchant for his kindness and they set off to kingdoms far away.

An interesting book that is clearly the start of a series, this is a fast read filled with spite and adventure. I may or may not read the next entry, but that cliffhanger definitely left me wanting more.

[Mike E. Mancini]

Alarm bells might, and probably should, go off if one were confronted with folktales (no matter the culture they arrive from) told in comic form. The Tales are what they are; almost certainly better off being read in the original literary (or oral, I imagine) tradition it was intended as.

Unless (unless!) the art work serves to enhance the experience by enchanting the reader with pure aesthetic pleasure. This IS the exact case we have here with volume one The King of Birds, adapted and illustrated by the extremely talented Alexander Utkin.

Two more volumes await. As long as Utkin draws each and every volume as lovingly as the first, I’ll listen to old Russian folklore for as long as he tells them.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King of Birds is a beautiful and enchanting adaptation of a piece of Russian folklore. Alexander Utkin's art alone is worth the price of admission. The narrative is notably crunched because Utkin is planning to spread the entire story over several volumes - it's safe to say that's the only bad part of this graphic novel, the fact that I don't have the second and third volume at hand right now.

[Liesl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunning art and a beautiful retelling of Russian folklore. The story meanders along in a pleasant fashion, creating the sense of someone reading it to you (complete with narrator interjections). There are one or two points where the narrator promises the full story in a further volume, which is a little frustrating and makes me wish that this was a compilation of tales instead of just one, but not enough that I minded too much. A short, yet beautiful read.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute Russian folktale (or, technically, a mashup of them) about the King of Birds. I love the art and the fact the violence is very clean—no blood or graphic death/dismemberment so much as the fighting animals sort of gesture at each other and the "dead" ones lie on the ground.

I don't like the tease of, "And what happened next...? I will tell you another time." You started telling the story, I want to hear the rest!

(...I will still find the rest of the books to find out)

It's also the type of folktale where the human sees a majestic animal and decides he wants to kill it, or a snake bites him, and he thinks it is poisonous so starts to attack the snake until the snake manages to say the bite allows the human to understand animal speech. And also there's a test where the human has to do exactly as instructed or he will face severe consequences (which we never know what they are since he is obedient).

I like it but only as far as I can eventually find what happens next! Otherwise, I'll forget what happened and always wonder, like with Dead Cat Bounce and its teased but never materialised conclusion. Definitely recommended for folks who love folktales!

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russian folklore told as if you were sitting near the campfire and listening tot his wonderful, funny and heroic tale of courage, love, inventiveness and familybonds. The story has a universal touch and feel about it. The artwork is really exquisite and an adds even more joy tot he reading. This is something for both adults and children a like. Doesn’t everyone enjoy a good folktale? The only thing i find a bit annoying is that the story is spread over several books. Although each book is a joy in itself. Such a beautiful edition: thick pages, linnen back, colorful 3d cover. Well worth the money.

This series contains of 3 parts
1) The King of Birds
2) The Water Spirit
3) Tyna of the Lake

They should be read together, and in order, to really make sense.
I hope Alexander Utkin will make many more books.

[Hannah (hngisreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very lovely retelling of a Russian myth. The art is gorgeous and using Gamayun as the narrator reinforces the tradition of oral storytelling in a beautiful homage (side note: starting the tale with “Greetings, best beloved” was charming and instantly drew me in!).

That being said, the story arc felt a bit disconnected. Or, rather, there was too much exposition. There are, essentially, two stories before we get to the MAIN story. This being volume one, however, leads me to believe these almost prologues will become more important. Additionally, the cliffhanger ending made the story feel incomplete rather than ending with intrigue.

Nevertheless, this is a tale about sharing wealth & repaying debts & helping those in need. It’s about our connection to nature and each other. It is quick to read but very enjoyable. It’s the sort of story that makes you feel like a kid again.

[Marek · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is simple as in many folk tales, but with a moral lesson and it will warm your heart. The most unique part of The King of Birds is the art. Dynamic sketch-like drawings with vibrant colors, that will pop out from every page. Last but not least – book design, cotton spine, amazing paper. Don't expect epic fantasy on 900 pages, this is comic and you should enjoy every frame, every page. Looking forward for the next volume.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I'm not a huge fan of graphic novels about wars, but this Odyssean Russian folk tale has me hooked! The cliff-hanger at the end ensures I will be checking out the sequel tout de suite!

Gmayun, a magical bird from Slavic mythology, is our story teller. She rarely breaks in except to point out the obvious, such as "This is how a small apple sarted a big war."

Audience: 2nd grade-MS
Curriculum Connections: mythology, graphic novels, folk tales, FUN!

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciated the novelty of this book and loved the art. But. This has the air of a trickster tale or a fable. The point of the story often lies in the outcome, and since this is part of a series, there was no ending. No moral. It kind of fell flat for me when it just ended, with a "tune in next time."

[Donovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the modern telling of an old folk story and particularly enjoyed the narroration.
Most of the artwork was good, but the illustrator was clearly cribbing some Disney's Lion King for a portion of the story- unless Disney managed to crib his work prior to that film- it wouldn't be the first time that had happened.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russiske folkeeventyr i utrolig vakker tegneserieform. Kunne gjerne vært mye lengre, men det fine med den knappe formen (og det relativt enkle språket)er jo at den kan fungere som lettlest-variant på ungdomstrinnet f.eks. (og det kommer flere bøker i serien). Skikkelig fin fargepalett og stilige tegninger på oppslag med ryddig layout.

[Ellon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weird story. It’s like a fable but there is no lesson. The narrator hints at other stories that we’ll “get to later.” The illustrations are in a style that reminds me of old ads from the 50s. Very odd book. I’m not sure how it got nominated for the Black Eyed Susan Award. I still might read the sequel though because I want to find out what happens with the golden chest.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

BK 1 focuses on a man who is bitten by a snake which gives him the ability to hear and talk to animals. There are 3 chests - bronze, silver and gold for him to choose from. The graphic novel is based on Russian and Slavic folktales. Think Garden of Eden, The Lion King and Gumayan a legendary creature.

[Lucía · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done, but so insubstantial. It alludes to stories and promises to tell them later, but then just ends abruptly. Perhaps it would've been better to wait and publish a slightly larger collection of stories, rather than this rather unsatisfying book?

[Renato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read and it's one of those books that makes you want to read the sequel right after. Based on Russian folklore it was a refreshing tale that I had never heard about before. The artwork is beautiful and the story is compelling. Can't wait for the next one.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art of this graphic novel feels heavily influenced by 40s and 50s Disney animation-it’s vivid and gorgeous and a bit retro. The story is fast-paced and engaging, but oh the cliffhangers! Feels almost like a marvel/DC tale that you know will pick up in the next issue.

[Tris The Book Whisperer · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are 3 tales in the Gamayun Tales by
@NobrowPress
. Each is a glorious retelling of Russian Folklore in Graphic Novel format. With beautiful illustrations, and stories filled with magic & adventure, they have a narrated style which is easy to read & enjoy.

[Bookishlor · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

Very interesting artwork and folktale stories, however it's told in a way that makes all the stories one long story that's connected and doesn't ever end. So don't expect any kind of ending.