By Rosinski & Sente
Publisher: Cinebook
ISBN: 9781849185295
Every time I open a new Thorgal book I’m impressed with the artistic efforts of Grzegorz Rosinski. Not only does he never cut a corner, but some panels, in the hands of another artist, simply wouldn’t contain the level of detail he commits to. The opening page has a beautiful painting of a sailing boat out on the ocean to set the scene; by page two, Rosinski gives us a busy dock at a port AND a bird’s eye view across bustling city streets. By page six, it’s a full page illustration of Baghdad. And so it goes on, page after page. It’s an easy task to just tell the reader where you are and let them fill in the blanks in their mind, but Rosinski just can’t seem to help himself, layering complex vistas, streets and markets, often several times on a page. No complaints from me.
It’s this richness that draws you firmly into the story, with Thorgal continuing the pursuit of those that have taken his son. Leaving Europe behind, we’re now into the warmer climes of the ancient Middle East as the chase draws to its conclusion.
Naturally, due to the setting, there are elements of this story that rekindle memories of the Sinbad movies, what with old gods and magic. It also feels like a suitable time to bring this story thread to an end, although I wasn’t expecting how it would be done. Sente has had a tough act to follow, taking over the writing from Van Hamme, but it certainly feels as if he’s put his own personal stamp on the narrative. I’m looking forward to seeing where the new writer takes us next.
And if you liked that: There’s lots of amazing world-building across the series, and all are available at cinebook.com
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