Ironwolf: Fires of the Revolution

by Howard Chaykin, John Francis Moore, Mike Mignola (Artist)

After renouncing his royal heritage, the unlikely hero called Ironwolf fights against the decadent Empire Galaktika, battling a drug-fueled conspiracy led by aristocratic despots and a beautiful but deadly Empress. This colourful, galaxy-spanning tale mixes the high style of classic swashbuckling adventures with futuristic mayhem. Suggested for mature readers.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comic Book, Action, Fiction

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book artist and writer. Chaykin's influences include his one-time employer and mentor, Gil Kane, and the mid-20th century illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Parker.

Reviews

[Emilio Arias H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy buen cómic de ciencia ficción, de la rama del steampunk, que tiene cierta mirada socialista y revolucionaria que me descoloca, viniendo de una historieta estadounidense. Según leí, otras creaciones de Howard Chaykin, como la reelaboración del personaje de los 40 Blackhawk, también están ligadas al comunismo.
Chaykin y Moore (un tal John Francis, no Alan) logran crear un universo ficticio compacto y extrapolable al mundo real. Básicamente de lo que se habla es de cuestiones políticas, y todo lo que eso comprende: negociados, intereses personales, traición, amiguismo, hipocresía, soberbia... También hay algunas pinceladas de contaminación ambiental, en donde la chatarra espacial funciona como símbolo, y de adicción a las drogas y su utilización como negocio rentable. Temas de una vigencia apabullante.
En el apartado gráfico, encontramos a un enorme Mike Mignola que está en su mejor momento tanto en el dibujo como en la narrativa. Aunque debo decir que odio sus pies. Cuando no los difumina con el fondo, ayudado de unas rayas paralelas, simplemente dibuja un triángulo u otra figura poligonal de color negro y ya... ¡despachada la extremidad inferior del personaje! Ni a las pezuñas de un jabalí se gasta en dar detalles...

[Paul Spence · Rating 3 out of 5]

The world of Lord Ironwolf, the Empire Galaktika, and the 61st century, appeared in three issues of DC's Weird Stories back in the mid 70's. The series was cancelled, but there was a small, but devoted fanbase, for the Ironwolf saga.

This book was DC giving Howard Chaykin a chance to revisit the world he had created 20 years earlier and bring the story to a conclusion.

The basic story line is straight forward enough. We have Lord Ironwolf going for revenge against the worst of the worst- fascist cretins and spoiled, decadent royals, as well as actual monsters posing as something close to human.

This collaborative effort by Howard "have I made everyone mad yet?" Chaykin, John "Give me a lead and I'll run with it" Francis Moore, and Michael "dark and desperate is my favourite" Mignola, has delivered a science fiction tale with a bite. It looks older, like the future came and went and left a smouldering decadence in it's wake. It's this sense of old European cities rebuilt after the blitz but still having that stain that makes this SF more poignant, less than new and dark with obvious danger.

There's the rebellious aristocrat, Ironwolf, forsaking his class and his stature to keep his legacy from being exploited by an opportunistic family, and the folk they'll literally sell their souls to in order to maintain some semblance of the lush life after losing the war. After getting "caught" Ironwolf is struggling not only to survive but to somehow make revenge upon those who sold him out to corrupt dictatorial royals and their inhuman allies.

This story's strong suit is the complexity of the situation.

From jaded royals, to the discontented people on the street, being fooled into supporting their own near slavery; there is only one man who wants to improve their lot. And he's a faded royal himself. The odds are very much against him until a new set of players arrive. Ironwolf acquires new allies, ones who need him as much as he needs them.

Does the gambit work out for the vengeful and somewhat opportunistic Lord Ironwolf?
I'm not telling.

One thing I have to say is how much I enjoyed the trip. Once again Chaykin and Mignola deliver a sharp, well illustrated tale that has a way of sticking in your mind long after you've read it. That's because it's an eternally timely tale about people, their motives, flaws and aspirations.

Besides, who doesn't love a good tale of one man's pursuit of vengeance against world class cretins?

[Index Purga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Segunda edición en castellano (la primera estuvo a cargo de Zinco 12 años antes), editado como tomo 3 de la colección Clasicos DC.
Incluye:
· Créditos y carátulas (3 páginas)
· Dedicatorias (1 página)
· Introducción de Walter Simonson (2 páginas)
· Fragmento De los Diarios Orales de Homer Glint. (1 página)
· Ironwolf: Fires of the Revolution (96 páginas)
· Biografiás [sic] (1 página)

[Matty Dub · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant graphic novel, all original as well and absolutely criminal that nothing else came of it. A classic masses vs aristos tale with an unlikely hero and populated by humans, mutants and vampires. Mignola kills it with his unique brand of storytelling and the script by Chaykin and Moore is great. I can’t recommend this enough!

[Kiel Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork is five stars. The story is lost on me — exonerated here for providing a growth medium to such indelible visuals.

[Leif · Rating 4 out of 5]

So-so space opera elevated by Mignola's awesome artwork.

[Helmut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mignola - mehr muss man nicht sagen

Auch wenn Mike Mignola hier noch am Anfang seiner Karriere ist, und sein Stil noch deutlich abweicht von seinen Meisterwerken späterer Hellboy-Zeit, ist doch schon klar erkennbar, wo der Trend hingeht. Dicke Tuschung, viele schwarze Bereiche, die ihm eigene Art, Gesichter in die Leere schauen zu lassen und eine extrem dichte Atmosphäre aufzubauen. Top.

Die Story ist gut, aber nicht herausragend. Das Problem ist, dass man irgendwie das Gefühl hat, in der Mitte einer Fortsetzungsgeschichte einzusteigen, da von Anfang an die Charaktere miteinander handeln und reden, als ob da vor der ersten Seite noch etwas passiert wäre. Das tut dem Gesamteindruck aber keinen Abbruch; Mignola-Fans müssen diesen Titel eh haben, und auch Fans von Steampunk- und Science-Fantasy-Geschichten kommen daran nicht vorbei.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cynical space opera that ties in with his Twilight mini-series, Ironwolf is an aristocrat on an isolated planetary system who renounces his title to overthrow the ruling monarchy. On the eve of a hollow victory, he is betrayed and wakes up after a long convalescence to find that history has left him behind. With the help of a few outworlders looking for a stolen immortality drug, he sets out to seek revenge and justice and more equitable political system.

It's all wonderfully baroque with fantastically moody Mike Mignola art.

[Rawle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I thought it would be. I thought I knew this character from my early days reading DC Comics. However I realize I didn't really know him at all. THis might have been a better experience if I had read the originals. The story rushed and the characters never fully developed. The one thing that resonated with me - as with the teenager who purchased this book when it was first released - was Mike Mignola's art. Three stars for the art.

[Rizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a spinoff of Chaykin's cosmic epic, Twilight, as well as a reboot of his 70's character Ironwolf. While this may not be quite as ambitious as the insane, operatic Twilight, it may be a more satisfying read for most people (myself included). This is a much easier to follow story, taking place in the middle of Twilight, but not requiring any knowledge of that series or its grandiose mythology. This is a much simpler tale. It's a gothic sci-fi story of plucky rebels rising up against a corrupt and vampiric aristocracy. Maybe it was just Mignola's incredible art that wooed me into loving this, I'm not sure, but I enjoyed it way more than expected. Twilight definitely had more to chew on, but I was left with a distinct feeling that it ended up being less than the sum of its (really cool) parts. It felt unfocused with too many characters and a lot of handwaving, but Ironwolf has no such problems. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a sci-fi story with a bit of a gothic bent to it. Or, of course, anyone who simply wants to experience more of Mike Mignola's glorious art.

[Skeeffe · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of big ideas and expansive world building packed into this little volume, and I think it's a bit much considering the size of its binding. Most of the dialogue is expository. I wish there had been more time to develop character and tone. The conclusion is satisfyingly explosive, but I think it has a hard time getting there. If this has been able to go on for longer, I could see it having become something great.

The art is, of course, impeccable - it's Mignola. The use of negative space and silhouette, the monsters, the esoteric and gothic motifs, it's all massively compelling. It saves what would have otherwise been a messy, forgettable run of comics.

[Tony Laplume · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know there’s a point in here somewhere, but I think it’s mostly in Walt Simonson’s introduction as he spells out the origins and then takes a dig at the Image generation. And then you get to see Chaykin, Moore and Mignols jamming on a seemingly endless montage sequence vaguely riffing on a central theme of that old revolution story. If there’s more to be found within, it wasn’t apparent to this reader…

[Luis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not bad. I picked it up because Mignola drew it (also Howard Chaykin wrote it, and I liked their collaboration on Fafhrd and Gray Mouser.)
At times the story was confusing, but nevertheless I wouldn't mind seeing more stories set in this world. And as always, the art by Mignola was fantastic.

[Mikael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good art, a little quick on the takes but it scratches a particular itch for feudal sci-fi.

[Brannigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story has some good ideas but the actual style hasn’t aged well. The art is very good but you can tell he’s still finding his style. Only for the completist.

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mignola is always a good read, but the writing in this was oddly paced. Ultimately a cool world that needed another volume to develop.

[Andi Chorley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing art and an ambitious story. This probably had legs for expansion but do not think that happened.

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a bizarre story. Chaykin goes all over the place. Perhaps a few edits would have helped.

Mike Mignola's artwork is fantastic with P. Craig Russell inking.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really my kind of book. Thought with the big names associated with it, it would have a stronger plot.

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am sad that there does not appear to be more of this

[Reyel2107 · Rating 5 out of 5]

just love this space opera !!!!!

[Guido · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edición de la colección Clásicos DC de Norma. Incluye fragmento De los Diarios Orales de Homer Glint.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

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