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Birdking
Birdking Volume 1
From the creators of Raiders, Daniel Freedman and and CROM , comes an original dark fantasy graphic novel of epic adventure and magic.
Bianca, teenage apprentice to an infamous arcane blacksmith, is forced to flee her homeland and seek out Atlas, a fabled land of light ruled by “the clean god.” She is joined by a mysterious guardian spirit known only as the “BirdKing”. Together they will have to overcome dozens of enemies to reach Atlas and along the way, unravel the mystery of the BirdKing and their ancestral connection.
Bianca, teenage apprentice to an infamous arcane blacksmith, is forced to flee her homeland and seek out Atlas, a fabled land of light ruled by “the clean god.” She is joined by a mysterious guardian spirit known only as the “BirdKing”. Together they will have to overcome dozens of enemies to reach Atlas and along the way, unravel the mystery of the BirdKing and their ancestral connection.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2022
19 people are currently reading
521 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
January 27, 2025
I really enjoyed this grimdarkish fantasy story - it has lovely worldbuilding, which gets more intricate the further you get. It has likeable characters and baddies, that remind me of Souls-likes. Crom's art really works, his designs are arresting and his fight sequences are actually readable (a rare thing, I can tell you). He also does the no-background-but-a-solid-colour thing, which I normally really dislike, but it doesn't bother me here, and I really don't know why.
Yeah.
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
November 25, 2022
Both art and writing conflict with not just each other, but themselves - so the tale ends up uncanny in all the wrong ways and its merits, fair few as there are, never really shine for me. At least it all gives something to talk about and try analyze in more detail.
A young apprentice blacksmith ends up - partly by her own fault - kicked out into the world to fend for herself while the forces of darkness close in on her. She loses her mentor slash father figure, but gains a mysterious protector in exchange. A minion of the great enemy gets a bit too personal on his quest for revenge - too much smugness beaten out of him with little to replace it with - someone to sympathize with even on the wrong side, as opposed to all the weird dark demon-stuff. There's enough characterization to make me feel for them, and I even sense some growth in both. All the pieces are in place...
...but the beats land in slightly wrong spots, with a poor pacing that leads to wasting much of the potential dramatic impact. There's too much time spent in prologue and preamble before the story proper kicks off, farewells and ore-minings that could have been summed up in less time or perhaps told partly in flashbacks: I understand their story significance, but they take too much of the runtime. The bad guys came into the story in a bad way: splitting it up in two scenes, with a lot of the above stuff in between to break things up, came across as a lot of wasted space. Could have deleted the first scene and told the few important bits in exposition and flashback, to give their true colours and the ensuing fight the dramatic impact it needed. A major death takes place right when I expected it the least: he soldiers through the initial wounding, but fails to last long enough for the big dramatic moment that I was led to anticipate. Finally, the book comes to a dead stop at the strangest of places with no resolutions, no answers, no big reveals or twists, just a quick fight and a character moment with no follow-up.
It's like if Fellowship of the Ring had ended not in the breaking of the fellowship, not in Gandalf's fall, not upon arriving in Rivendell or following the decisions made there, but right as they beat off the Watcher in the Water and enter Moria. All the while spending precisely as much time as it did in the birthday parties and Tom Bombadils and other stuff. It completely throws me off. The volume should have ended earlier - perhaps at the point of death, with one final tease of the true antagonist empowering the little minion for revenge. Then save the rest for Volume Two, which would contain all the final confrontations and resolutions, great triumphs over evil, and the characters blooming into their full potential. I might have looked forward to it in that case, a little, though it would still not be without its rough edges and weird bits. As it stands, I slipped out of its grasp.
The writing and dialogue is similarly weird. Splitting up the speech bubbles into a lot of little ones is a fine trick, making it easier to follow what's going on with no big text walls to snore me into a lull. But the prose is basic at best, and has the occasional poor word choice or a bit attempt at purpliness that doesn't come across well, especially in the chapter breaks. It's never that bad, it doesn't throw me off completely, but it tries a bit more than it can manage and ends up stumbling as a result of it.
The art has a similar sort of incongruity going on, in parts good or even great, in others, very off-putting. There's some fine designs and effective worldbuilding, a fantasy world brought to life with vibrant energy - and yet the characters are much too simplistic and cartoonish and simply do not fit in. It's all too bright and colorful, too. None of it lends well to such a dark tale of mystery and horror, of bloodshed and black gods. The dissonance could be effective if done on purpose and with an end goal of some kind - humor, perhaps - but I don't see any of that here: the story and the art just don't mesh too well.
Maybe I'll pick up the second volume as well, if I happen to catch it when it comes up, but I won't be actively looking forward to it and probably forget all about it soon. Two stars with a bit of extra, but can't quite make it to two-and-a-half.
A young apprentice blacksmith ends up - partly by her own fault - kicked out into the world to fend for herself while the forces of darkness close in on her. She loses her mentor slash father figure, but gains a mysterious protector in exchange. A minion of the great enemy gets a bit too personal on his quest for revenge - too much smugness beaten out of him with little to replace it with - someone to sympathize with even on the wrong side, as opposed to all the weird dark demon-stuff. There's enough characterization to make me feel for them, and I even sense some growth in both. All the pieces are in place...
...but the beats land in slightly wrong spots, with a poor pacing that leads to wasting much of the potential dramatic impact. There's too much time spent in prologue and preamble before the story proper kicks off, farewells and ore-minings that could have been summed up in less time or perhaps told partly in flashbacks: I understand their story significance, but they take too much of the runtime. The bad guys came into the story in a bad way: splitting it up in two scenes, with a lot of the above stuff in between to break things up, came across as a lot of wasted space. Could have deleted the first scene and told the few important bits in exposition and flashback, to give their true colours and the ensuing fight the dramatic impact it needed. A major death takes place right when I expected it the least: he soldiers through the initial wounding, but fails to last long enough for the big dramatic moment that I was led to anticipate. Finally, the book comes to a dead stop at the strangest of places with no resolutions, no answers, no big reveals or twists, just a quick fight and a character moment with no follow-up.
It's like if Fellowship of the Ring had ended not in the breaking of the fellowship, not in Gandalf's fall, not upon arriving in Rivendell or following the decisions made there, but right as they beat off the Watcher in the Water and enter Moria. All the while spending precisely as much time as it did in the birthday parties and Tom Bombadils and other stuff. It completely throws me off. The volume should have ended earlier - perhaps at the point of death, with one final tease of the true antagonist empowering the little minion for revenge. Then save the rest for Volume Two, which would contain all the final confrontations and resolutions, great triumphs over evil, and the characters blooming into their full potential. I might have looked forward to it in that case, a little, though it would still not be without its rough edges and weird bits. As it stands, I slipped out of its grasp.
The writing and dialogue is similarly weird. Splitting up the speech bubbles into a lot of little ones is a fine trick, making it easier to follow what's going on with no big text walls to snore me into a lull. But the prose is basic at best, and has the occasional poor word choice or a bit attempt at purpliness that doesn't come across well, especially in the chapter breaks. It's never that bad, it doesn't throw me off completely, but it tries a bit more than it can manage and ends up stumbling as a result of it.
The art has a similar sort of incongruity going on, in parts good or even great, in others, very off-putting. There's some fine designs and effective worldbuilding, a fantasy world brought to life with vibrant energy - and yet the characters are much too simplistic and cartoonish and simply do not fit in. It's all too bright and colorful, too. None of it lends well to such a dark tale of mystery and horror, of bloodshed and black gods. The dissonance could be effective if done on purpose and with an end goal of some kind - humor, perhaps - but I don't see any of that here: the story and the art just don't mesh too well.
Maybe I'll pick up the second volume as well, if I happen to catch it when it comes up, but I won't be actively looking forward to it and probably forget all about it soon. Two stars with a bit of extra, but can't quite make it to two-and-a-half.
September 19, 2022
So I first heard about BirdKing thanks to the artist Crom. I began following him earlier this year on Instagram and I love his art. I heard he illustrated comic books and knew I had to get my hands on a copy of Birdking Vol. 1. Last week, I got a fresh haircut, and walked into the comic shop next door and they had the graphic novel displayed, so I considered this kismet.
Bold colors, sweeping landsapes, lovely typography especially the sound effects, and great art by Crom can be found inside this volume. Birdking is about this teenage blacksmith apprentice girl named Bianca who wanders about this dangerous land and is kept in the dark about the world at large. We slowly learn there is magic, lore, old gods hidden in the pages of the book, but this is given to use in pieces.
Bad shit goes down and Bianca aligns forces with the silent yet mysterious BirdKing. They head down south towards Atlas in search of answers with a ton of enemies on their tail.
It's a fun, nostalgic graphic novel, but I think the writing leaves you wanting a lot more than what is delivered. There's a lack of emotional weight to Bianca, and the dangers of the world seem at arm's distance. I understand she's a teenager and maybe I'm not the primary age group, but I feel like there should have been more hard-hitting consequences and more of an emotional reaction from Bianca. Despite my misgivings, I feel like there's a lot of good stuff to come. I'd give this 3.5 stars, but I'm going to boost it to 4 stars mainly because it was overall an enjoyable read and a feast for the eyes. I'm looking forward to Vol. 2.
Bold colors, sweeping landsapes, lovely typography especially the sound effects, and great art by Crom can be found inside this volume. Birdking is about this teenage blacksmith apprentice girl named Bianca who wanders about this dangerous land and is kept in the dark about the world at large. We slowly learn there is magic, lore, old gods hidden in the pages of the book, but this is given to use in pieces.
Bad shit goes down and Bianca aligns forces with the silent yet mysterious BirdKing. They head down south towards Atlas in search of answers with a ton of enemies on their tail.
It's a fun, nostalgic graphic novel, but I think the writing leaves you wanting a lot more than what is delivered. There's a lack of emotional weight to Bianca, and the dangers of the world seem at arm's distance. I understand she's a teenager and maybe I'm not the primary age group, but I feel like there should have been more hard-hitting consequences and more of an emotional reaction from Bianca. Despite my misgivings, I feel like there's a lot of good stuff to come. I'd give this 3.5 stars, but I'm going to boost it to 4 stars mainly because it was overall an enjoyable read and a feast for the eyes. I'm looking forward to Vol. 2.
September 8, 2025
Birdking offers my favorite kind of fantasy: a grimdark landscape of ancient husks and remnant palaces from a long forgotten age. The current age is one of war, with a monstrous despot valiantly holding off (potentially) heroic forces.
Within this frightening world, we find Bianca, the teenage apprentice to a skilled blacksmith. He's apparently the last of a certain sect of smiths who can work with magical weapons, giving him some small freedoms in a culture constantly at war. Lo and behold, Bianca also wields these powers, making her a much desired commodity. Fortunately, she's awakened an ancient power who can help keep her safe.
This first Birdking volume ably introduces the world, the characters, and the quest, which is basically for Bianca to make it away from the mad, evil king. It's an entirely engaging read, much improved by Crom's charismatic art (he'd fit right in the Mignola wheelhouse). Very much looking forward to additional books in this series.
Within this frightening world, we find Bianca, the teenage apprentice to a skilled blacksmith. He's apparently the last of a certain sect of smiths who can work with magical weapons, giving him some small freedoms in a culture constantly at war. Lo and behold, Bianca also wields these powers, making her a much desired commodity. Fortunately, she's awakened an ancient power who can help keep her safe.
This first Birdking volume ably introduces the world, the characters, and the quest, which is basically for Bianca to make it away from the mad, evil king. It's an entirely engaging read, much improved by Crom's charismatic art (he'd fit right in the Mignola wheelhouse). Very much looking forward to additional books in this series.
February 15, 2024
I'm real split on this one. It's simultaneously a beautiful book yet also....ugly? Rough around the edges too? It's conflicting for me. The basic plot of it is simple, nothing new or seriously compelling, but I enjoyed it once the action picked up. I love the Bird King's design, and I love giant swords. I will try volume two.
March 27, 2025
CROM is excellent and Freedman tells another compelling LOTR fantasy yarn. I like the characters, especially the silent titular character a creature that is usually war hungry but this one seems to care more about birds and protecting Bianca.
The fun artwork carries this one quite a bit. Its parts DWJ and Mignola with an alt edge/freedom to it. Love it.
The fun artwork carries this one quite a bit. Its parts DWJ and Mignola with an alt edge/freedom to it. Love it.
May 10, 2024
Lu via la plate-forme de services de presse numériques NetGalley.
J’ai beaucoup aimé ce premier tome !! C’est de la dark fantasy avec un dessin coloré qui fait penser à du jeu vidéo indé. On suit une apprentie forgeronne très bavarde et remplie de questions sur le monde qui l’entoure, son maître étant un vieux guerrier mystérieux. J’ai déjà envie de lire le prochain tome. Le design du « birdking » est excellent et j’ai vraiment hâte d’en apprendre plus sur lui.
J’ai beaucoup aimé ce premier tome !! C’est de la dark fantasy avec un dessin coloré qui fait penser à du jeu vidéo indé. On suit une apprentie forgeronne très bavarde et remplie de questions sur le monde qui l’entoure, son maître étant un vieux guerrier mystérieux. J’ai déjà envie de lire le prochain tome. Le design du « birdking » est excellent et j’ai vraiment hâte d’en apprendre plus sur lui.
Read
October 3, 2023There's a fantasy land divided into various kingdoms, a dark lord, a kid who doesn't seem like a big deal until her heritage comes to light, whatever. But the look of it! I'd seen images of the Birdking himself around the place, and been intrigued (admittedly not enough to buy this, but certainly sufficiently to yoink it as soon as I spotted it in the library), but what I hadn't registered, or at least hadn't registered that I'd registered, was the edge of comedy to him, the way the skull looks slightly swamped as it peers over that collar. It's the same thing which makes a lot of modern Space Marines look a bit silly, but here it feels more deliberate, less like the clashing legacy of past design decisions, meaning it raises rather than lowers the level of awesome in the image. And that keeps happening - the epic landscapes, the brooding people, the savage conflicts, all feel suitably metal, but have too a note of the cartoonish, as if Crom's art is what happens after Daniel Warren Johnson's art started hanging out with Kyle Starks' art (the sound effects in particular are pure Starks) and realised it would be much closer to the coolness it desperately craves if it replaced all that tedious moping with a little half-smile.
July 13, 2023
Didnt like the drawings, the story I Nederländerna got into.
September 12, 2023
Don't get fooled by cartoonish art, this is quite dark fantasy story, that contrast with eye-catching vivid colors.
Story offers quite usual premise, but there are nice ideas, some funny moments and event some sad ones that will touch you. I loved some 'quitet' parts, where silence helped to create right atmosphere.
Only downside is, that first book is just opener and you need to wait for next volume for whole (hopefully) story.
Story offers quite usual premise, but there are nice ideas, some funny moments and event some sad ones that will touch you. I loved some 'quitet' parts, where silence helped to create right atmosphere.
Only downside is, that first book is just opener and you need to wait for next volume for whole (hopefully) story.
January 12, 2024
This was fun. I especially dug the art style, panel layouts, and lettering. It made for a fun af read-through.
A solid read and worth my time. :)
A solid read and worth my time. :)
August 21, 2024
This was great but not quite perfect so I can’t 5 it. Crom���s art and color palette fits the vibe. Dark fantasy lite. Definitely going straight into volume 2.
November 21, 2024
I want more. More birdking and Bianca.
April 22, 2025
3.7 ⭐️ Great art style & an overall fun read.
I will say the story doesn’t feel like anything I haven’t seen before and is quite a traditional fantasy story that feels fairly linear. Saying that, I’m still enjoying every second.
I think the main draw to this series for me is the main character (a girl who works as a blacksmith’s apprentice) who is fiery and slowly learning about her history, and the art style. The art for this I can’t really compare to any other comic, but it’s gritty, eerie, and a touch gothic which really lends itself to the story.
I’ll be grabbing the next in the series very soon.
TWs listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
TW// milf gore, blood, injury, death, loss of paren ts (past), fire/burns, death of a pet (horse), graphic animal death.
I will say the story doesn’t feel like anything I haven’t seen before and is quite a traditional fantasy story that feels fairly linear. Saying that, I’m still enjoying every second.
I think the main draw to this series for me is the main character (a girl who works as a blacksmith’s apprentice) who is fiery and slowly learning about her history, and the art style. The art for this I can’t really compare to any other comic, but it’s gritty, eerie, and a touch gothic which really lends itself to the story.
I’ll be grabbing the next in the series very soon.
TWs listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
TW// milf gore, blood, injury, death, loss of paren ts (past), fire/burns, death of a pet (horse), graphic animal death.
January 22, 2025
This is a first volume with a lot of potential to carry into a fascinating series, but on its own doesn’t give a huge pay-off. I felt distant from the characters’ motivations and world-views, which I think is important to establish before the big call-to-adventure. We have our plucky young protagonist coming of age on the backdrop of a darker world, but we’re so much more focused on moving the plot pieces around — and by the end, there’s still a lot we don’t know. I definitely get the feeling that we are building towards something interesting, but this first volume didn’t grip me and make me need Volume 2 ASAP.
If you enjoy the art style and tone of titles like Adventure Time and Nimona, if you’re looking for a grimdark YA comic and you’re willing to let it build — I think this title is worth checking out. I plan on continuing to the next volume eventually, I’m just not in a rush.
If you enjoy the art style and tone of titles like Adventure Time and Nimona, if you’re looking for a grimdark YA comic and you’re willing to let it build — I think this title is worth checking out. I plan on continuing to the next volume eventually, I’m just not in a rush.
May 22, 2022
trigger warning
After her master's death, apprentice blacksmith Bianca is joined by a wraith on her journey that will, hopefully, bring her to a place safe enough to stay in.
High fantasy, and you're dropped in a world so full of lore, that each chapter is started by giving small snippets of it. We meet Bianca and get to care about her - though not enough, I am sad to say.
It felt like stuff I read so much of in the past as an avid reader who adores the fantasy genre as a whole.
If I could read on now I could, but I doubt that when the next issue rolls around I'll care enough to do so.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
After her master's death, apprentice blacksmith Bianca is joined by a wraith on her journey that will, hopefully, bring her to a place safe enough to stay in.
High fantasy, and you're dropped in a world so full of lore, that each chapter is started by giving small snippets of it. We meet Bianca and get to care about her - though not enough, I am sad to say.
It felt like stuff I read so much of in the past as an avid reader who adores the fantasy genre as a whole.
If I could read on now I could, but I doubt that when the next issue rolls around I'll care enough to do so.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
September 9, 2024
Une bande dessinée fantasy avec un style de narration plutôt classique qui rappelle quelque peu Eragon et les jeux Final Fantasy. J'apprécie beaucoup le style graphique et les cases d'action qui donnent un côté cinématographique au déroulé des actions avec des inserts en arrière-plan.
J'attends de voir où le tome 2 va nous emmener avec curiosité.
Le carnet graphique en fin de bande dessinée devrait être un standard du genre dans l'édition tellement j'apprécie de voir le développement des personnages et de l'univers.
J'attends de voir où le tome 2 va nous emmener avec curiosité.
Le carnet graphique en fin de bande dessinée devrait être un standard du genre dans l'édition tellement j'apprécie de voir le développement des personnages et de l'univers.
October 29, 2024
A dark fantasy graphic novel where the main character, Bianca an arcane blacksmith, is forced to flee her homeland unraveling the mystery of the Birdking and their connection.
I enjoyed the style of drawing and bold colours and look forward to reading the next volume.
I enjoyed the style of drawing and bold colours and look forward to reading the next volume.
December 10, 2023
Beautifully simple, yet rich and effective in every way.
I am truly intrigued by the worldbuilding, style, and tone.
I need to see more!
I am truly intrigued by the worldbuilding, style, and tone.
I need to see more!
February 15, 2026
Fantastik şeylere her zaman bayılmamama rağmen nir çırpıda okudum. Beğendim.
#mignola çağrışımlı çizimler ve akıcı hikaye yeni evrene okuru hızla adapte ediyor. Esrarengiz, güçlü bir demirci usta, onun meraklı ve farklı çırağı, altı krallık, kadim meseleler ve bir yola düşme hali.
Türün sevenleri için belki orijinal şeyler vadetmiyor olabilir ama kesinlikle akıcı hikaye anlatım becerisi ve çizgileri için bir göz atmayı hak ediyor. Öneriyorum.
#mignola çağrışımlı çizimler ve akıcı hikaye yeni evrene okuru hızla adapte ediyor. Esrarengiz, güçlü bir demirci usta, onun meraklı ve farklı çırağı, altı krallık, kadim meseleler ve bir yola düşme hali.
Türün sevenleri için belki orijinal şeyler vadetmiyor olabilir ama kesinlikle akıcı hikaye anlatım becerisi ve çizgileri için bir göz atmayı hak ediyor. Öneriyorum.
October 28, 2025
I was hesitant to pick this up due to the art style and unclear premise, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Birdking gives an interesting perspective to the generic battle between evil necromancer and undefined «good». Setting the story within the lands that worship the evil and trult believe in the virtue of their cause makes the conflict feel a lot more realistic even if it is purely fantasy. The pacing of the story is quite slow, but it doesn’t feel that way due to the use of fewer big panels. I’m interested to see where this story goes next!
February 15, 2023
Bad things First.
The dialog felt a bit off to me like it was missing some gravitas and some subtlety in places.
But it has just the greatest of vibes When it tries!
And the worldbuilding is on point!
The dialog felt a bit off to me like it was missing some gravitas and some subtlety in places.
But it has just the greatest of vibes When it tries!
And the worldbuilding is on point!
April 25, 2025
The art is gorgeous. Very stylized and reminiscent of Mignola’s. The bleakness of it all is contrasted heavily with the beautiful bright colors. At times when the world goes dark, it emphasizes the danger.
The forlorn world seems heavily inspired by Dark Souls. It’s a cursed oppressive world filled with wretched soldiers. They sport dirty intricate armors with cruel looking weapons. Massive warriors roam the beautifully designed environments.
I’m immediately invested in the story and history of the world. It moves extremely quick though. I guess that’s better than it dragging.
I look forward to reading the rest.
The forlorn world seems heavily inspired by Dark Souls. It’s a cursed oppressive world filled with wretched soldiers. They sport dirty intricate armors with cruel looking weapons. Massive warriors roam the beautifully designed environments.
I’m immediately invested in the story and history of the world. It moves extremely quick though. I guess that’s better than it dragging.
I look forward to reading the rest.
Read
July 22, 2025This was all that I needed it to be. The writing was not anything special or interesting; there is clearly more passion devoted to the worldbuilding. But I don't mind. It's basically just cool fantasy stuff done very well, with simple but appealing art that complements it nicely.
November 9, 2022
I really loved the art in this, it’s great for fans of Mignola and McLean but the narrative couldn’t have been all that as I struggle to recall it only a week after reading it.
Read
November 12, 2022unfortunately got bored with this one, the story is ok? mais sans plus
characters design are great, not so much for the backgrounds and some of the panelling
characters design are great, not so much for the backgrounds and some of the panelling
February 11, 2023
Great world building (the artwork seems gothic inspired) which set the stage for a great balance of otherworldly magic. I would have loved more backstory. Hopefully volume two gives more.
January 1, 2024
Looking forward to more of these characters, this world and this art!
March 13, 2024
Beautiful art with great colours that manage to be bright but not bright enough to feel weird in this dark gloomy world. The story’s just getting started, but feels like it could be a nice fantasy-buddy-journey-revenge ride
January 21, 2023
Het beroerde is alleen dat dit volume 1 is en ik nu moet wachten tot 2 uitkomt 🥲
Verder zet dit volume een mooie toon voor verdere delen en wordt er een wereld gebouwd die tot lezen uitnodigd.
Verder zet dit volume een mooie toon voor verdere delen en wordt er een wereld gebouwd die tot lezen uitnodigd.
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