I know quite a few people who read comics, their tastes vary, some like Marvel others like DC, but there's always a commonality between them, and that's that they like comics about superheroes. Superheroes... Don't get my wrong, I do like the X-Men... though I've never read any of the comics, and don't pretend to know anything about the X-Men's universe or their stories, but when it comes to superheroes, I never really got into them. Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, all the others... I've seen the Marvel movies, the Batman movies, and for me, seeing them once was enough. I just don't like them, I just can't connect to any of the characters. Even when they're darker and fleshed out with human flaws and secrets, I still just don't care. And for years I've been baffled as to why people flock to the theatres to see the newest Avenger's movie, or the newest Marvel movie, because... yeah they're flashy, and they have big-name Hollywood actors, but for the most part... the movies are dull, the characters are dull, the script's are poor, and you know the superheroes are always going to win, so... why. WHY.
All of that is not to say I didn't read comics growing up, I actually did... but, and if you know me well you wouldn't be surprised, they were all Star Wars comics. I ESPECIALLY enjoyed the Republic series that took place during the Clone Wars and highlighted the various battles and missions that took place during that time line. All the stories about Quinlan Vos, K'Kruhk, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the ROMANCES between Kit Fisto and Aayla Secura, and especially between Tholme and T'ra Saa... awww, the good old days before Disney came along and decided to fuck over the Star Wars canon and erase so much that we fans held dear.
But growing up, those were the comics I loved, those were the comics I was into. And for years I thought, that when it came to comics, there was Marvel superheroes, DC superheroes, and Star Wars.
It wasn't until a few years ago that I wanted to get more into comics and graphic novels, but didn't (and still really don't) know where to start. I knew I wasn't into superheroes, and hoped that I could find some fantasy-themed comics. Basically I was looking for something with a Lord of the Rings feel, but as a comic... and that was harder to find than I expected. I did some research, but my EXCELLENT googling skills (sarcasm) led me no where. I asked people at Chapters, workers, regulars who were just hanging out in front of the comics, and still no one could point me to a high fantasy comic series aside from Elf Quest, whose art I wasn't really keen on. I'M PICKY, OKAY?
Back in December, when I won some money from Chapters, I decided one day to sit myself down in front of the comics and graphic novel section, and NOT LEAVE until I had found a comic with art I liked, and a story that had fantasy elements to it. And I actually ended up buying a few books! One of them was The Autumnlands.
Written by Kurt Busiek, and illustrated by Benjamin Dewey, The Autumnlands tells the story of anthropomorphized magical beings from all different types of animals and creatures we know on earth. They are divided into the magical wizards and civilians who live in floating cities, and the savage beings who live on the ground. After realizing that their supply of magic is dwindling, a wizard known as Gharta, (who is a warthog) attempts to bring an enigmatic figure from the past known as the Great Champion, into the future with a powerful spell. This champion first opened the wells of magic in the world a millennia ago, and they hope that by bringing him back, he'll be able to restore magic to the world in the same way he brought it forth in the past. But after bringing the champion out of the past, the group of wizards, who all claim the champion to hail from their individual animalistic tribes, are shocked by what the champion actually is.
This comic was SO good, the storyline was well thought out, and while the character of the Champion left something to be desired, all the other characters were so well done with hidden motives and very human desires and characterization. The art is also phenomenal. Dewey's work on this comic is beautiful! I was a little concerned that it'd be... sort of childish or middle-grade, it is a story about anthropomorphized creatures after all, but it's got a very dark and real feel to it... not to mention the Champion runs around naked for a few pages... and there's definitely nudity involved, haha. But I would definitely recommend this comic to anyone looking for a fantasy comic series. The second volume of The Autumnlands will be released this coming February, and you can bet I'll be in line to pick it up the moment it comes out!
If you've read The Autumnlands, tell me what you think about it! And if you have any other fantasy comic or graphic novel suggestions, please let me know! Even if they're webcomics, or more obscure ones. I'm definitely looking to broaden my comic/graphic novel collection!
