An enchantress needs to save the souls of her two children. She recruits a nasty guy with a magic sword to help in her journey. It’s ‘enchantress accompanied by villain to fight “God”.
Forgotten Blade is a tale based on one of the oldest and most memorable tales: the journey / quest; the epic adventure where a person or group of people band together and set out on the unknown road, hoping for survival and success.
Writer Tze Chun, cofounder of TKO Studios, writer and producer of Fox’s Gotham and various other TV shows and motion pictures, turns out a world that reminds us sometimes of Jack ‘King’ Kirby: massive machines, BIG ideas, flawed Gods and DemiDudes.
Chun mixes and modifies plot, characters, and settings. His shots at the organized Church Citadel and all its little enfant-terribles, the lies and schemes; all of this is done magically, methodically.
Artist Tom Fejzula, from Barcelona Spain, is a frequent collaborator with Greg Rucka, John Arcudi, and Mike Mignola. Plus plenty of printed pieces such as the 300-page graphic novel adaptation of Fernando Aramburu’s Homeland.
Fejzula’s visual imagination and ability to move our eye around a page is a gift for shape and pattern. He designs the drawn page, he allows us in, wants us to come along for the dangerous ride, all the while saying… “Look over here, but now let’s move along quickly to the next scene, where I would like you to linger a little longer.” It’s in the angles of the bodies, of the futuristic vistas, the powers of the trappings of the AllFather, the creator of the world.
Lettering and book design is by Jeff Powell. Colour assistance by Roig and Helz. Editor is Sebastian Girner.
Forgotten Blade is memorable for its bravery, its willingness to march to the traditional beat of the ‘epic journey storyline. In other words, it’s impressive in scope and breathtaking in how it is executed.
TKO Studios, The Forgotten Blade, $19.99 for 176 pages
Newsdesk