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THE RICHARD CORBEN LIBRARY #1
Murky World
Collects the entire Murky World series in print for the first time—first in a series of deluxe graphic novels from renowned creator Richard Corben’s library!
“Mr. Richard Corben... a genuine giant of his chosen medium.”–Alan Moore
The first-ever volume collecting Richard Corben's entire Murky World series, it features never-before-seen sketch material, the Dark Horse Presents one-shot, and an introduction by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, all presented in a gorgeous hardcover with a dust jacket.
In Murky World , Tugat the warrior wakes from a strange dream only to find himself in a bizarre land populated by hungry deadlings, cruel necromancers, buxom cyclopes, evil cults, and more as he sets off on a dangerous journey with his beloved horse Frix.
Corben is known for his legendary fantasy underground masterpieces published by Fantagor Press as well as Heavy Metal. His work has been recognized internationally, winning one of the most prestigious recognitions in comics literature, the Grand Prix at Angoulême International Comics Festival . In 2012, Corben was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.
For mature audiences.
“The artist I most want to aspire to is Richard Corben. His style is visual and it tells the story just as you see it... ...my favorite is Corben. I love everything he does, I love his stuff ...he’s an amazing artist.”–Guillermo del Toro
"Richard Corben stands among us like an extraterrestrial peak. He has sat in his throne a long time, above the moving and multi-colored field of world comics, like an effigy of the leader, a strange monolith, a sublime visitor, a solitary enigma"–Moebius
“Mr. Richard Corben... a genuine giant of his chosen medium.”–Alan Moore
The first-ever volume collecting Richard Corben's entire Murky World series, it features never-before-seen sketch material, the Dark Horse Presents one-shot, and an introduction by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, all presented in a gorgeous hardcover with a dust jacket.
In Murky World , Tugat the warrior wakes from a strange dream only to find himself in a bizarre land populated by hungry deadlings, cruel necromancers, buxom cyclopes, evil cults, and more as he sets off on a dangerous journey with his beloved horse Frix.
Corben is known for his legendary fantasy underground masterpieces published by Fantagor Press as well as Heavy Metal. His work has been recognized internationally, winning one of the most prestigious recognitions in comics literature, the Grand Prix at Angoulême International Comics Festival . In 2012, Corben was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.
For mature audiences.
“The artist I most want to aspire to is Richard Corben. His style is visual and it tells the story just as you see it... ...my favorite is Corben. I love everything he does, I love his stuff ...he’s an amazing artist.”–Guillermo del Toro
"Richard Corben stands among us like an extraterrestrial peak. He has sat in his throne a long time, above the moving and multi-colored field of world comics, like an effigy of the leader, a strange monolith, a sublime visitor, a solitary enigma"–Moebius
168 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2023
11 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Richard Corben
543 books148 followersAmerican illustrator and comic book artist best known for his comics featured in Heavy Metal magazine. He won the 2009 Spectrum Grand Master Award. In 2012 he was elected to the The Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 18, 2023
Corben is always so hard to rate or review. His art is amazing, but almost aggressively poisoned by male gaze in a way that even a lot of his original cohorts (the US underground comix scene in the 60s-70s) material isn't. His storytelling has grown significantly, but his tendency towards petty bigotries hasn't waned. I want this, I'm glad I've read it (again, a lot of Corben's art is truly beautiful), and I'd absolutely never recommend it or Corben generally to...anyone, really. There are better UG comic artists, there are better Heavy Metal artists, there are better horror and fantasy solo comic creators, and, despite Mignola's gushing intro, there are better Hellboy artists.
November 4, 2023
Richard Corben's final large work was serialized Dark Horse Presents ages ago and had a B+W one-shot comic. It's been long enough that this was basically all new to me. It's a cliche-ridden fantasy book, the subject Corben started in Den but its a lot of fun. Great oddball storylines and artwork.
September 26, 2024
Una aventura de espada y brujería muy en el estilo de Den. Divertida y bien dibujada. Una buena muestra del trabajo más personal de Corben.
May 7, 2023
A fitting momento of a rare talent.
July 28, 2024
Murky World is one of the last major works that Richard Corben completed before his death in 2020. It's not among his best works, given the rather plodding, repetitive story, but the visuals are as striking as ever. The bleakness of the desert setting is perfectly exploited by the author, as his muscular (and always minimally clothed) characters leap into all sorts of exotic action.
Scattered throughout the narrative are a number of references to Clark Ashton Smith's (CAS) fictional realm of Zothique. That's not a huge surprise since Corben created a comics version of at least one of CAS' short stories, but for the reader that catches the references, it's interesting to speculate if Murky World perhaps really is meant to be set in that borrowed universe.
Scattered throughout the narrative are a number of references to Clark Ashton Smith's (CAS) fictional realm of Zothique. That's not a huge surprise since Corben created a comics version of at least one of CAS' short stories, but for the reader that catches the references, it's interesting to speculate if Murky World perhaps really is meant to be set in that borrowed universe.
September 14, 2023
“Murky World” is the kind of artistic effort others in the industry appreciate, but is lost on the general public. A spoof on “Conan the Barbarian,” a man is assigned a quest of unknown origin and travels through strange lands constantly pursued and battling for his life. The art can sometimes be cool, but the inconsistencies of the protagonist’s age and lack of an actual story will make the readers lose interest real quick.
December 20, 2023
Bu tarz kitapları okuyup bir çırpıda tüketenler bu hikayelerin Heavy Metal gibi bir magazin için yazılıp belirli periyodlarla çıktığıngöz ardı edip yanlış kanılara varabiliyor.Ama dönemine göre her 16 sayfasında bir donraki macerayı merak ettirecek şekilde bitirmek ayrı bir ustalık.
Corben çok fantastik bir adam kendine has stili yenilikçi ve cesur tercihleri onu taklit edilemez kılmış huzur içinde yatsın.Murky World'de o işlerinden biri saf ve biraz salak bir barbarın iğrenç bir dünyada ustasını kaybetmesi,kadınlar tarafından sürekli kandırılması ve başından geçen binbir derdi anlatıyor Murky World.Yanlış değilsem Corben'in bilgisayar/3d teknikleri ilk kullanmaya başladığı iş bu.Hâliyle figürler ve çizimler baya bozuk.Ama yine de Corben fanları için (ben dahil) bulunmaz bir nimet.
Kıyamadım 3.5'tan 4 verdim bir gün tekrar ziyaret eder miyim bilmiyorum ama sayfalarını sık sık karıştıracağım bir eser olduğundan eminim.
Corben çok fantastik bir adam kendine has stili yenilikçi ve cesur tercihleri onu taklit edilemez kılmış huzur içinde yatsın.Murky World'de o işlerinden biri saf ve biraz salak bir barbarın iğrenç bir dünyada ustasını kaybetmesi,kadınlar tarafından sürekli kandırılması ve başından geçen binbir derdi anlatıyor Murky World.Yanlış değilsem Corben'in bilgisayar/3d teknikleri ilk kullanmaya başladığı iş bu.Hâliyle figürler ve çizimler baya bozuk.Ama yine de Corben fanları için (ben dahil) bulunmaz bir nimet.
Kıyamadım 3.5'tan 4 verdim bir gün tekrar ziyaret eder miyim bilmiyorum ama sayfalarını sık sık karıştıracağım bir eser olduğundan eminim.
October 17, 2023
Ugly, juvenile, and boring.
June 19, 2023
I’ve known about Richard Corben for some time and became a fan after a friend’s enthusiasm about Corben and Jack Kirby finally rubbed off on me. Looking back now I wonder why I didn’t get them sooner. Corben and Kirby’s vision of their worlds are unique to them and I’d say both were equally talented and driven by the desire to create those odd worlds. The difference I think between them is that Kirby came first and established a universe which ultimately made Marvel the top publisher in comics. Corben created work for himself and for the underground fans that adored his unique creations. Corben also wasn’t for kids.
I know Corben today is considered a great talent and legend, but not that long ago he was looked down as an erotic artist who seemed to be fascinated by the exaggerated depictions of both men and women. Much like Crumb his work had a more mature following and wasn’t as accessible as the superheroes. Corben followed the underground and the horror and sci-fi magazines that were also supposedly for adults, but some adolescent boys I imagined found a way to keep them in their rooms away from the eyes of their parents who would certainly not understand Corben’s world and especially the nude or almost nude characters in his stories.
I’ve read Den and a handful of other adult themed books by the creator and later his run for both DC and Marvel Comics. I especially loved his collaboration with Mike Mignola on Hellboy. Murky World is similar to some of the work he did with Den. It is about a lone hero who manages to get into tough situations with both men and women and usually creatures of some kind. Murky World doesn’t experiment in technique as much as Den did several decades prior, but it does continue the tradition of making very engaging almost lovable characters that most certainly will hurt the protagonist and cause him much grief.
The storytelling and world is definitely Corben. He dances with weird distortions of his characters sometimes without reason and often without warning. The desire to balance the grotesque and beautiful sometimes in the same people. His exaggeration gives these villains and heroes a life that draws you into this world tightly rarely letting go. The world Corben builds is treacherous and the characters don’t seem to make it toward the end of the book without scars of some kind. Both emotional and physical. There are ancient lessons that one learns from Corben’s world that seem outdated in today’s world, but it almost seems to predict what the future will be once more. Doesn’t history almost always repeat itself. Although masculinity and femininity are big elements in Corben’s work he isn’t afraid to change the roles of men and women and reverse the ideas of what is feminine and masculine. It challenges the viewer’s personal ideas as to what they find appealing in both genders and often times makes us see that perhaps the lines are as clearly drawn as the way the roles of men and women have been defined in our culture. In many ways Corben is a master of creating an ambiguity in the sexes and forcing us to imagine that men and women in his world is truly equal. I’d say both Crumb and Corben are often mistaken as macho when in fact the women in their worlds often times are more powerful than the men.
The book itself was designed very well and the letterer Clem Robins did a great job sticking to a font that felt comfortable in the odd world. Corben might have created the sound effects because they match same kind of esthetic choices in those books. I don’t mind those odd choices, but I’d wish they weren’t so clearly digital at times and placed haphazardly. I liked when Corben did his own hand lettered sound effects and title work rather than his later digitized type.
Another thing that seemed a little tiresome was the old hag who appears a little too often for my tastes. She repeats phrases that are very nostalgic of old Tales from the Crypt or the Warren magazines that Corben happened to have worked on. I understand it was serialized and she was used as bookends to each chapter, but I almost wished it could have been cut in half or taken out so the story continued uninterrupted. Also some parts of the art feels a little rough. It was done in grayscale in the earlier version so the coloring process might have been slightly rushed. I don’t mind it. I’m just aware of it the same way Den has some rough areas in the art at times.
Murky World was a trip through the mind of this very unique artist. All the things you love about Mad Max and Heavy Metal Magazine are here. If this is the first time you experience Corben I hope you give it a chance. Revisit it. Get the new Den graphic novels that are being produced in the next few years (2023-2025) by Dark Horse and supervised by the great Jose Villarubia.
I know Corben today is considered a great talent and legend, but not that long ago he was looked down as an erotic artist who seemed to be fascinated by the exaggerated depictions of both men and women. Much like Crumb his work had a more mature following and wasn’t as accessible as the superheroes. Corben followed the underground and the horror and sci-fi magazines that were also supposedly for adults, but some adolescent boys I imagined found a way to keep them in their rooms away from the eyes of their parents who would certainly not understand Corben’s world and especially the nude or almost nude characters in his stories.
I’ve read Den and a handful of other adult themed books by the creator and later his run for both DC and Marvel Comics. I especially loved his collaboration with Mike Mignola on Hellboy. Murky World is similar to some of the work he did with Den. It is about a lone hero who manages to get into tough situations with both men and women and usually creatures of some kind. Murky World doesn’t experiment in technique as much as Den did several decades prior, but it does continue the tradition of making very engaging almost lovable characters that most certainly will hurt the protagonist and cause him much grief.
The storytelling and world is definitely Corben. He dances with weird distortions of his characters sometimes without reason and often without warning. The desire to balance the grotesque and beautiful sometimes in the same people. His exaggeration gives these villains and heroes a life that draws you into this world tightly rarely letting go. The world Corben builds is treacherous and the characters don’t seem to make it toward the end of the book without scars of some kind. Both emotional and physical. There are ancient lessons that one learns from Corben’s world that seem outdated in today’s world, but it almost seems to predict what the future will be once more. Doesn’t history almost always repeat itself. Although masculinity and femininity are big elements in Corben’s work he isn’t afraid to change the roles of men and women and reverse the ideas of what is feminine and masculine. It challenges the viewer’s personal ideas as to what they find appealing in both genders and often times makes us see that perhaps the lines are as clearly drawn as the way the roles of men and women have been defined in our culture. In many ways Corben is a master of creating an ambiguity in the sexes and forcing us to imagine that men and women in his world is truly equal. I’d say both Crumb and Corben are often mistaken as macho when in fact the women in their worlds often times are more powerful than the men.
The book itself was designed very well and the letterer Clem Robins did a great job sticking to a font that felt comfortable in the odd world. Corben might have created the sound effects because they match same kind of esthetic choices in those books. I don’t mind those odd choices, but I’d wish they weren’t so clearly digital at times and placed haphazardly. I liked when Corben did his own hand lettered sound effects and title work rather than his later digitized type.
Another thing that seemed a little tiresome was the old hag who appears a little too often for my tastes. She repeats phrases that are very nostalgic of old Tales from the Crypt or the Warren magazines that Corben happened to have worked on. I understand it was serialized and she was used as bookends to each chapter, but I almost wished it could have been cut in half or taken out so the story continued uninterrupted. Also some parts of the art feels a little rough. It was done in grayscale in the earlier version so the coloring process might have been slightly rushed. I don’t mind it. I’m just aware of it the same way Den has some rough areas in the art at times.
Murky World was a trip through the mind of this very unique artist. All the things you love about Mad Max and Heavy Metal Magazine are here. If this is the first time you experience Corben I hope you give it a chance. Revisit it. Get the new Den graphic novels that are being produced in the next few years (2023-2025) by Dark Horse and supervised by the great Jose Villarubia.
September 21, 2024
Maravilloso. Corben por siempre
August 1, 2023
I discovered Corben via the Murky Worlds serialized in the back of Heavy Metal magazine.
Such a cool take on the Iron/Bronze age, framing it as place where our pre-human past has not quite expired. Corben has his own particular physiognomy and anatomy, like an atavistic, degenerate, somehow more lurid but less sexual under side of the Frank Frazetta coin.
Wish there was more.
Such a cool take on the Iron/Bronze age, framing it as place where our pre-human past has not quite expired. Corben has his own particular physiognomy and anatomy, like an atavistic, degenerate, somehow more lurid but less sexual under side of the Frank Frazetta coin.
Wish there was more.
Read
August 17, 2024MGLISTY WYMIAR Richarda Corbena, to przygoda, która łączy w sobie wiele ciekawych, czasem sprzecznych emocji. Jest śmiech, ale jest też strach, jest piękno dopracowanej kreski i obrzydzenie do wstrętnych postaci... narysowanych z kunsztem, wypukłością, życiem. Komiks działa na wyobraźnię, jego moc tkwi w zdaniu, które go promuje z celnością "Deliryczna degrengolada w gęstym fantastycznym sosie."
Dla mnie to silna groteska z wyrazistym, ostrym, rubasznym językiem i warstwą artystyczną, która przywołuje na myśl gry komputerowe i przypomniała mi inny komiks od Kultury Gniewu pt. LUCY. NADZIEJA Liberatore Tanino i Norberta Patricka (polecam).
Nasz główny bohater - wojownik Tugat rusza, za namową starej baby w niebezpieczną podróż po MGLISTYM WYMIARZE. Niestety nie jest on zbyt mądry, raczej głupi i naiwny a jego decyzje zdają się być wręcz katastrofalne i wszystko wskazuje na to, że skończy się ta dzika droga dla niego straszliwą śmiercią... A może nie?
Prawda jest taka, że pod warstwą humorystyczną, pod grubym kocem groteski i szyderstwa Corben ukrył metafory, wiele metafor. Ja pewnie widzę tylko kilka, tych oczywistych, jak fakt, że głupim można nazwać naiwnego, że nie można wierzyć pozorom, że główny bohater, choć wydaje się "ograniczony" ma w sobie honor i męstwo, które stracił cały "postępowy" świat, że pracownik może być zombie a niewolnictwo, to popularna forma wyzysku... i oczywiście, że nie można wierzyć kobiecie.
Przyznaję, że na początku nie poczułam tej historii, tej estetyki także, ale teraz - już po lekturze - wracam z uznaniem do tej graficznej opowieści. Jest nie tylko silnie angażująca, wręcz narzucająca się wyobraźni, ale także sprytna, okrutna - słusznie, bezwzględna - tam gdzie trzeba i błyskotliwa, zarówno w przesłaniu, jak i kresce, która wyrywa się z kartki.
MGLISTY WYMIAR jest świetnie wydany i jeśli szukacie czegoś dziwnego, ale do przemyśleń, czegoś dla dorosłego czytelnika, który nie obawia się nietypowego humoru, karykaturalnych twarzy, wykrzywionej kobiecości i stojącej na głowie męskości - to proszę bardzo! Oto CORBEN! Straszny, fantastyczny świat, bezwzględny i bohater, który zdaje się po prostu być - na złość całej reszcie.
nigdy nie ufaj kobiecie
Wydawnictwo Kultura Gniewu
egzemplarz recenzencki
Dla mnie to silna groteska z wyrazistym, ostrym, rubasznym językiem i warstwą artystyczną, która przywołuje na myśl gry komputerowe i przypomniała mi inny komiks od Kultury Gniewu pt. LUCY. NADZIEJA Liberatore Tanino i Norberta Patricka (polecam).
Nasz główny bohater - wojownik Tugat rusza, za namową starej baby w niebezpieczną podróż po MGLISTYM WYMIARZE. Niestety nie jest on zbyt mądry, raczej głupi i naiwny a jego decyzje zdają się być wręcz katastrofalne i wszystko wskazuje na to, że skończy się ta dzika droga dla niego straszliwą śmiercią... A może nie?
Prawda jest taka, że pod warstwą humorystyczną, pod grubym kocem groteski i szyderstwa Corben ukrył metafory, wiele metafor. Ja pewnie widzę tylko kilka, tych oczywistych, jak fakt, że głupim można nazwać naiwnego, że nie można wierzyć pozorom, że główny bohater, choć wydaje się "ograniczony" ma w sobie honor i męstwo, które stracił cały "postępowy" świat, że pracownik może być zombie a niewolnictwo, to popularna forma wyzysku... i oczywiście, że nie można wierzyć kobiecie.
Przyznaję, że na początku nie poczułam tej historii, tej estetyki także, ale teraz - już po lekturze - wracam z uznaniem do tej graficznej opowieści. Jest nie tylko silnie angażująca, wręcz narzucająca się wyobraźni, ale także sprytna, okrutna - słusznie, bezwzględna - tam gdzie trzeba i błyskotliwa, zarówno w przesłaniu, jak i kresce, która wyrywa się z kartki.
MGLISTY WYMIAR jest świetnie wydany i jeśli szukacie czegoś dziwnego, ale do przemyśleń, czegoś dla dorosłego czytelnika, który nie obawia się nietypowego humoru, karykaturalnych twarzy, wykrzywionej kobiecości i stojącej na głowie męskości - to proszę bardzo! Oto CORBEN! Straszny, fantastyczny świat, bezwzględny i bohater, który zdaje się po prostu być - na złość całej reszcie.
nigdy nie ufaj kobiecie
Wydawnictwo Kultura Gniewu
egzemplarz recenzencki
July 6, 2023
This is an absolutely beautiful book with wild art and a wild story. I found the narrative disjointed and hard to follow at times. I would have loved for it to continue though. I feel like it ended too abruptly.
June 21, 2023
I love the art of Richard Corben.
June 4, 2023
Dumb Conan.
Makes me want to read Aragones Groo.
Makes me want to read Aragones Groo.
December 26, 2023
Corben is a brilliant artist, but it is hard to generate story in the little serialized bursts afforded to Murky World. Fantastic to look at, though.
August 4, 2024
Dibujo excepcional, guion no tanto (un poco turbio). Je.
July 18, 2025
What can I say? Straight away, this book reminded me a *lot* of Corben's other mature works: Rat God, ‘Denaeus’ (from Shadows on the Grave), Starr the Slayer… the first two of which I quite like. Will it take those elements further?
I started with the B&W story in the back. This initial comic release would have been the first exposure for many readers, so why not for me, too? It was OK. Kinda familiar feeling. More than a few panels were visually unclear, but I felt I got the gist. To be honest, the fantasy milieu doesn't speak to me much these days: Old men riding through the desert with horses, getting rooked by genies or odd-looking women with outsized mammary glands hidden by large tunics (with a strong yet confusing sense of both ethnicity and gender). And the greedy, balding fat man who gets his just desserts, a Corben staple.
The color version, the main feature, is kind of a re-envisioning of possibilities, beginning at an earlier point in time. I like some of the color palette choices. And the story is engaging. Originally serialized in Heavy Metal, the episodic titling is retained, maintaining the natural rhythm and flow. Our hero Tugat is literally, physically propelled into his quest or adventure by our narrator Mag the Hag and seems to routinely overestimate his own abilities as he encounters scenes weirder, and forces more powerful, than he could anticipate. (And what is he hoping to accomplish anyway?)
If you're on board with Corben's mature, expressionist Distort-O-Vision™ style, this is a good one. Lots of color, lots to look at. A meaty book. I liked it. If I recall, this was his second-to-last work, the last being Dimwood. This one skews more toward the Denaeus/fantasy end of the spectrum, where Dimwood leans into Rat God's repressed Victorian & boggy forest elements. There's some sketch material at the end, a couple unused pages, and two original color pieces used in a slip-cased European release. The intro by Mike Mignola includes a candid photo of the two artists in conversation, with Corben wearing thick suspenders and a T-shirt referencing Poe's The Raven.
Who knew? Underneath the excessively formal dust cover (which got damaged on my copy) is a nifty-looking, very enjoyable hardcover!
I started with the B&W story in the back. This initial comic release would have been the first exposure for many readers, so why not for me, too? It was OK. Kinda familiar feeling. More than a few panels were visually unclear, but I felt I got the gist. To be honest, the fantasy milieu doesn't speak to me much these days: Old men riding through the desert with horses, getting rooked by genies or odd-looking women with outsized mammary glands hidden by large tunics (with a strong yet confusing sense of both ethnicity and gender). And the greedy, balding fat man who gets his just desserts, a Corben staple.
The color version, the main feature, is kind of a re-envisioning of possibilities, beginning at an earlier point in time. I like some of the color palette choices. And the story is engaging. Originally serialized in Heavy Metal, the episodic titling is retained, maintaining the natural rhythm and flow. Our hero Tugat is literally, physically propelled into his quest or adventure by our narrator Mag the Hag and seems to routinely overestimate his own abilities as he encounters scenes weirder, and forces more powerful, than he could anticipate. (And what is he hoping to accomplish anyway?)
If you're on board with Corben's mature, expressionist Distort-O-Vision™ style, this is a good one. Lots of color, lots to look at. A meaty book. I liked it. If I recall, this was his second-to-last work, the last being Dimwood. This one skews more toward the Denaeus/fantasy end of the spectrum, where Dimwood leans into Rat God's repressed Victorian & boggy forest elements. There's some sketch material at the end, a couple unused pages, and two original color pieces used in a slip-cased European release. The intro by Mike Mignola includes a candid photo of the two artists in conversation, with Corben wearing thick suspenders and a T-shirt referencing Poe's The Raven.
Who knew? Underneath the excessively formal dust cover (which got damaged on my copy) is a nifty-looking, very enjoyable hardcover!
August 15, 2024
Krystalicky čistá corbenovina, ve které je všechno, co ho dělá tím, kým je. Jsem rád, že u nás takové legendě konečně publikovali něco v tak velikém formátu a ještě v prvotřídní kvalitě a co je, prakticky skoro kompletně, v jeho režii. Já, jakožto Corbenův fanoušek od první chvíle kdy jsem spatřil jeho práci, jsem nemohl odolat a očekával 'Murky World' (Šerosvět) s velikým nadšením. Jak píše Mignola v úvodu, "většina umělců dává do svojí tvorby svůj um, ale už ne tolik ze sebe" (u mainstreamového komiksu to tak často platí, ne ale v případě Richarda Corbena). (...) Tugat, klasický hrdina corbenovského typu - v jádru dobrý, silný, ale naivní, procitá a je sudičkou, která provází příběhem (taky klasický motiv), vržen do "vrstev" příběhu, napřed se snaží zachránit a shledat s jedinou bytostí, která je vůči němu skutečně nezrádná, kobylou Frix, která jediná zbyla po smrti jeho mistra. Tugat se cestou brzy sblíží s krásnou Mojou, jejíž přízeň se snaží získat, zachrání dvě sestry amazonky, narazí na kyklopy, nekromanty, nemrtvé a musí přestát nejedno spiknutí místních lo(r)dů a zrádců. Co je sen a co realita... se vlastně neví do poslední chvíle, jak se Tugat konstantně probírá z (v konci náznakem nekonečných) vrstev a mění podobu (nebo spíš stáří?). Jako probrat se ze snu, kde to "nějak dopadlo" do dalšího špatného snu. Motiv důvěřování zrádným ženám, které ho pořád a opakovaně zrazují je podaný řádně komicky, je to jako kdyby mužův úděl byl v tom být podveden a zrazován - "za svou naivní čest si nic lepšího nezasloužíš". Nutno podotknout, že svaly a nahota opět hrajou prim a Moja a její figura a vyholená mušlička je taky něco vypulírované do jisté dokonalosti. Tohle je takové to pozdní vyzrálé řemeslné dílo skutečného mistra, který si "svoje nadšení pro práci držel do pozdních let" a ta hravost je v jistém smyslu velmi očividná. A já jsem rád, že po celkem průměrnějším dílku (Bůh krys), které jsem si sice přečetl, ale nekoupil, jsem si konečně mohl něco jako tohle od Corbena pořídit k uctění jeho památky, ač velmi dodatečně.
October 10, 2024
POPKULTUROWY KOCIOŁEK:
Głównym bohaterem komiksu jest dzielny, ale niezbyt rozgarnięty wojownik Tugat, który przemierza tytułowy Mglisty Wymiar. Jego przygody są niczym sen, pełen dziwnych stworzeń, surrealistycznych scenerii i nieoczekiwanych zwrotów akcji. Dla niego samego jest to wszystko koszmarem, z którego chciałby się jak najszybciej obudzić. W podróży towarzyszy mu tajemnicza staruszka, która komentuje jego poczynania i wierna klacz, którzy są jego jedynymi sprzymierzeńcami w otaczającej go mocno pop… specyficznej scenerii.
Richard Corben słynie z tworzenia mocno nietuzinkowych scenariuszy nasyconych dużą dawką specyficznego poczucia humoru. Taka też jest zawartość albumu Mglisty Wymiar. Komiksu gdzie płynna narracja miesza się z dynamiczną akcją, grozą, groteską, wszechobecnym szaleństwem, absurdalnym humorem i piętrzącymi się metaforami.
Corben nie boi się tu prezentować brudu, brutalności i wulgarności w dość bezpośredniej formie. Ponadto nie ukrywa on swojej fascynacji ludzkim ciałem, co może nie wszystkim odpowiadać. Takie podejście nadaje jednak komiksowi autentyczności i sprawia, że jest on jeszcze bardziej intrygujący.
Mamy tutaj więc do czynienia z dziełem bardzo, ale to bardzo specyficznym, do którego trzeba podejść co najmniej kilkukrotnie. Jeżeli chcemy zrozumieć, chociaż w małej części niektóre fabularne pomysły autora i odkryć głębię zaprezentowanych przez niego wydarzeń, trzeba tytuł przeczytać kilka razy. Nawet wtedy nie zrozumiemy wszystkiego i duża część scenariusza będzie się nadal wydawać nam dziwna, aby nie użyć tu bardziej dosadnego określenia.
Taka forma prezentacji historii jest zarówno wielkim atutem komiksu, jak i jego wadą. Nie każdy bowiem ma cierpliwość, aby analizować pomysły twórcy i doszukiwać się w nich pewnych poukrywanych znaczeń. Momentami opowieść cierpi również tu na pewny brak spójności. Wątki w niektórych momentach wydają się urywane, a wydarzenia czasami nie są wystarczająco wyjaśnione...
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/mglis...
Głównym bohaterem komiksu jest dzielny, ale niezbyt rozgarnięty wojownik Tugat, który przemierza tytułowy Mglisty Wymiar. Jego przygody są niczym sen, pełen dziwnych stworzeń, surrealistycznych scenerii i nieoczekiwanych zwrotów akcji. Dla niego samego jest to wszystko koszmarem, z którego chciałby się jak najszybciej obudzić. W podróży towarzyszy mu tajemnicza staruszka, która komentuje jego poczynania i wierna klacz, którzy są jego jedynymi sprzymierzeńcami w otaczającej go mocno pop… specyficznej scenerii.
Richard Corben słynie z tworzenia mocno nietuzinkowych scenariuszy nasyconych dużą dawką specyficznego poczucia humoru. Taka też jest zawartość albumu Mglisty Wymiar. Komiksu gdzie płynna narracja miesza się z dynamiczną akcją, grozą, groteską, wszechobecnym szaleństwem, absurdalnym humorem i piętrzącymi się metaforami.
Corben nie boi się tu prezentować brudu, brutalności i wulgarności w dość bezpośredniej formie. Ponadto nie ukrywa on swojej fascynacji ludzkim ciałem, co może nie wszystkim odpowiadać. Takie podejście nadaje jednak komiksowi autentyczności i sprawia, że jest on jeszcze bardziej intrygujący.
Mamy tutaj więc do czynienia z dziełem bardzo, ale to bardzo specyficznym, do którego trzeba podejść co najmniej kilkukrotnie. Jeżeli chcemy zrozumieć, chociaż w małej części niektóre fabularne pomysły autora i odkryć głębię zaprezentowanych przez niego wydarzeń, trzeba tytuł przeczytać kilka razy. Nawet wtedy nie zrozumiemy wszystkiego i duża część scenariusza będzie się nadal wydawać nam dziwna, aby nie użyć tu bardziej dosadnego określenia.
Taka forma prezentacji historii jest zarówno wielkim atutem komiksu, jak i jego wadą. Nie każdy bowiem ma cierpliwość, aby analizować pomysły twórcy i doszukiwać się w nich pewnych poukrywanych znaczeń. Momentami opowieść cierpi również tu na pewny brak spójności. Wątki w niektórych momentach wydają się urywane, a wydarzenia czasami nie są wystarczająco wyjaśnione...
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/mglis...
September 26, 2024
Už osm let si k Corbenovi hledám cestu a pořád nevím, jestli mám jeho práci rád, anebo jestli ji nesnáším. Možná je na čase smířit se s tím, že tu cestu nikdy nenajdu. Když pominu jeho dobrou práci na Hellboyovi, tak jsem byl docela spokojený s Bohem krys. U Šerosvěta je můj dojem opět velmi rozpačitý. Napsat proč ale není vůbec jednoduché. Nejde to smáznout jednou větou, že je to škaredě nakreslené, anebo že je ten příběh nudný. U Corbena je všechno velmi specifické a svérázné. Pokusím se to rozvést.
První, co vás na Šerosvětu zaujme, je kresba. Corben umí velmi dobře kreslit ošklivost a rozklad. Také jeho anatomie obličejů a žen celkově je velmi svérázná. Ale na to se dá přistoupit v rámci jeho stylu a nadsázky. Větší problém mám s tím, že není konzistentní. Jednak nejsou obličeje pořád stejné a taky nejsou všechny panely stejně pečlivě prokreslené. Na jednom panelu se kocháte prokreslenými a skvěle vystínovanými svaly s vystouplými žílami, a na vedlejším panelu máte obrázek postrádající detaily, či je obličej deformovaný jinak než předtím. Navíc Corben zde často používá velmi extrémní úhly, divnou perspektivu a agresivní stíny, takže je někdy těžké na první pohled poznat, na co se díváte.
Co se týká příběhu, tak je to velmi jednoduché fantasy, které ale má, bohům žel, velmi nepravděpodobné zvraty. Navíc, když se zamyslíte nad detaily, ten příběh drží pohromadě jen velmi těžko. Nedá se říci, že v příběhu chybí humor. Neustále to pracuje s nadsázkou. Chybí tomu ale humor dost výrazný na to, aby vykompenzoval to, co se mi na ději nelíbí.
První, co vás na Šerosvětu zaujme, je kresba. Corben umí velmi dobře kreslit ošklivost a rozklad. Také jeho anatomie obličejů a žen celkově je velmi svérázná. Ale na to se dá přistoupit v rámci jeho stylu a nadsázky. Větší problém mám s tím, že není konzistentní. Jednak nejsou obličeje pořád stejné a taky nejsou všechny panely stejně pečlivě prokreslené. Na jednom panelu se kocháte prokreslenými a skvěle vystínovanými svaly s vystouplými žílami, a na vedlejším panelu máte obrázek postrádající detaily, či je obličej deformovaný jinak než předtím. Navíc Corben zde často používá velmi extrémní úhly, divnou perspektivu a agresivní stíny, takže je někdy těžké na první pohled poznat, na co se díváte.
Co se týká příběhu, tak je to velmi jednoduché fantasy, které ale má, bohům žel, velmi nepravděpodobné zvraty. Navíc, když se zamyslíte nad detaily, ten příběh drží pohromadě jen velmi těžko. Nedá se říci, že v příběhu chybí humor. Neustále to pracuje s nadsázkou. Chybí tomu ale humor dost výrazný na to, aby vykompenzoval to, co se mi na ději nelíbí.
August 13, 2025
Strange lands, weird creatures, bizarre people....all beautifully illustrated by the great Richard Corben.
So appearently this was serialized in Heavy Metal, back in the days when Heavy Metal was mostly underground type comics, and you can definetely feel that "underground" vibe to it. Corben has always had that type of "backroom dealings" type of art style to it, and it is certainly present here. The story has to do about a warrior going on adventures through this weird land, and encountering all manner of strange things. Ultimately, it doesnt make a ton of sense, but it's ok, cause the highlight is Corben's art in my opinion.
I first saw his art in Hellboy and was instantly fascinatied by the style. I would look up his work on the internet, but it was hard to come by in terms of phsyical copies of books he worked on. My library recently picked up a copy of this, and man it is awesome. Im struck by not only the pencil work, but the shading, the modeling, the design - Corben was just a virtuoso at illustrating and this book really showcases why he's considered one of the best. It was originally in black and white, which looks really cool (there's some extra material in the back to show you what that looked like) but the color takes nothing away from the effect.
If you're a fan of Corben, you have to check this out.
So appearently this was serialized in Heavy Metal, back in the days when Heavy Metal was mostly underground type comics, and you can definetely feel that "underground" vibe to it. Corben has always had that type of "backroom dealings" type of art style to it, and it is certainly present here. The story has to do about a warrior going on adventures through this weird land, and encountering all manner of strange things. Ultimately, it doesnt make a ton of sense, but it's ok, cause the highlight is Corben's art in my opinion.
I first saw his art in Hellboy and was instantly fascinatied by the style. I would look up his work on the internet, but it was hard to come by in terms of phsyical copies of books he worked on. My library recently picked up a copy of this, and man it is awesome. Im struck by not only the pencil work, but the shading, the modeling, the design - Corben was just a virtuoso at illustrating and this book really showcases why he's considered one of the best. It was originally in black and white, which looks really cool (there's some extra material in the back to show you what that looked like) but the color takes nothing away from the effect.
If you're a fan of Corben, you have to check this out.
August 8, 2023
Tits sag. Prostrates balloon up. Richard Corben's art though never experienced any noticeable decline during his long career though, and in fact, I'd argue that he was still growing as an artist right until the very end, and Murky World is proof of that.
Tugat is Den but written by an older artist, with a lot of experience. For every Conan who went from barbarian to king, there are thousands of Tugats who just muddle through life and don't ever quite make it, but still persist. There is beauty in that.
Tugat is Den but written by an older artist, with a lot of experience. For every Conan who went from barbarian to king, there are thousands of Tugats who just muddle through life and don't ever quite make it, but still persist. There is beauty in that.
July 19, 2025
The story is similar to the first Den book. A muscular, yet naive manchild named Tugat gets caught up in events he never asked for. His trust is constantly betrayed by the people he falls in with, yet he somehow prevails.
I had complained about the bodily distortions that Corben used in Neverwhere, but after reading this story that he created over 30 years later, I now realize that the often grotesque humans are merely his drawing style.
I had complained about the bodily distortions that Corben used in Neverwhere, but after reading this story that he created over 30 years later, I now realize that the often grotesque humans are merely his drawing style.
September 26, 2023
The art is great, but where's the story? Very episodic and no conclusion at all, and ultimately rather dumb to boot. I think Corben was better when illustrating others' writing. Anyway, it's nice to have this all together in one place and it looks like Dark Horse is going to be collecting and releasing more of his artwork in the months/years to come.
February 18, 2024
Murky Minds…
Corben’s artwork is superb in one’s opinion. The story of Tugat the semi-moron traverses thru a realm called Murky World. Tugat, despite his hopeless naïveté, manages to survive from one ordeal to the next. Who knows what will happen next? Will his brain become clarified or what? Guess that’s why it’s called “Murky World.”
Corben’s artwork is superb in one’s opinion. The story of Tugat the semi-moron traverses thru a realm called Murky World. Tugat, despite his hopeless naïveté, manages to survive from one ordeal to the next. Who knows what will happen next? Will his brain become clarified or what? Guess that’s why it’s called “Murky World.”
August 20, 2024
It’s Corben; of Course it’s Five Stars!
First time I’ve read Murky World, but it was as fun a read or more than Den. Tugat stumbles from one adventure to another, always just a misstep from death while seeking a woman to be his companion as he wanders a harsh world. Life is, however, full of disappointments.
First time I’ve read Murky World, but it was as fun a read or more than Den. Tugat stumbles from one adventure to another, always just a misstep from death while seeking a woman to be his companion as he wanders a harsh world. Life is, however, full of disappointments.
February 6, 2025
Not one of Corben’s best. His signature rendered art style is on display, but the characters are inconsistent and misproportioned.
The biggest problem, however, is the plot. A stream of consciousness without logic, direction, or meaning. Tugat wanders around getting in and out of danger. An old witch observes his progress or lack thereof.
The biggest problem, however, is the plot. A stream of consciousness without logic, direction, or meaning. Tugat wanders around getting in and out of danger. An old witch observes his progress or lack thereof.
July 22, 2023
The art in this is just plain fugly. The proportions are all exaggerated and wrong. Corben's art is typically better than this. The fantasy world he's created is fine. The main character is an idiot who is constantly fooled and beaten, often lucky to escape alive.
January 3, 2025
Richard Corben's art is definitely not my cup of tea, and I didn't particularly enjoy the story, nor the characters.
A Conan-like series of adventures, with Turgat as protagonist, strong but quite feeble minded. It was a mindless fun read, with not a lot of emphasis in the fun part.
A Conan-like series of adventures, with Turgat as protagonist, strong but quite feeble minded. It was a mindless fun read, with not a lot of emphasis in the fun part.
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