Hercules: The Knives of Kush (Volume 2 TPB) [ペーパーバック]

In issue one we meet Hercules and his allies- Iolaus the Charioteer (and general narrator for the series), Meleager and Atalanta the hunters, and Autolycus the thief, as they make their way from hard adventuring in Thrace only to be attacked at sea by the pirate Caunus. Diving straight into the action, the pirates are fought off at the cost of the band finding themselves aboard a literal sinking ship, forcing Hercules and company to swim for the approaching shore of Egypt. Stumbling upon a raiding party in action, the heroes pick the right side, at once endearing themselves into the service of the Pharaoh's employ while finding enmity with the assassins guild known as the Knives Of Kush.
In issue two the plot speeds along, as the Pharaoh- currently in a bloody civil war with his half brother- requires Hercules to spy on his own temples so as to find the source of the information leaks that are resulting in the loss of much blood and many lives. Visiting an old necromancer friend of Autolycus, the heroes uncover clues to the apparent network of duality while defending one of the Pharaoh's wives from a surprise attack by the Knives Of Kush. This secret society is bigger and more powerful than anything the good guys were expecting, their sorcerous leader allied with the Pharaoh's power-hungry half brother. To deal with the looming threat, the Greeks are moved to the frontlines of the upcoming full on assault, to face down impossible odds.
And issue three (with gnarly covers by both Clint Langley and Daryl Mandryk), explodes as the middle of the five-issue Hercules: The Knives Of Kush series delivers more meat than many of the books from the larger publishers out this month. Moore writes like a pulp serial gone mad on speed, allowing the action to move the story in breakneck fashion. So much happens in these issues, the flow is fantastic to digest. Page turner, all the way. Bolson displays the dynamic realism of the battlefield in such a manner that every single page is incredibly atmospheric and dense. Limbs are forcefully removed, faces are ripped off by clubs, and enough thought is put into all of it so that afterwords the victors slump a bit, their world seeming all the more brutally real for the reader. And the ethnic and cultural differences are observed well by the raiment, etc, meaning actual research went into the production of this comic! The Egyptian women especially are easy on the eyes. Very solid stuff, and all of it brought home by Sirois, whose palette infuses every frame with ghostly auras of soul. I know most colouring is handled digitally nowadays, but so many of the scenes in these issues were like gorgeous watercolor paintings. This art is beautiful, really beautiful. I want to see Bolson and Sirois work together again after this story wraps.I am a wee bit sad to see this story finish. I know ongoings are hard to push these days, with many publishers tempting creative teams to think in terms of collectible arcs, but this book really deserves a more regular spot on the stands. My reviews of past issues were from pdf copies, but I admit to then buying real copies myself for my own collection.

That said, there is the expectant big finale. With so many threads to tie up, it is a credit to Moore's skill as a writer, the complete lack of claustrophobic inundation. Things do feel a bit rushed though, as Hercules and the gang resolve the all-out civil war in Egypt, from taking down the major players from the opposing side, to tactically deducing and so dealing with the in-house spies who have been complicating things since the start of it all. Some great fight sequences, and some great character moments, give the reader a terrific conclusion to an extremely well-packaged series. Special brownie points for the Whore of Babylon joke.
The art is as good as it ever was, though like the plot things have the impression of a tight race to the finish line. The linework seems scratchier as the story progresses, though the colorists seem to play into that even more, advancing a gorgeous overall style and a palette as concise as vivid dreamscapes. Bolson and Sirois, I have said before and will say again, are a creative combo turning out some of the most appealing sequential art on the racks today.

And I have not really discussed the cover work before, but Langley gives a double dose this time, showcasing why the talent will be handling full art chores for an upcoming title from Radical. The spirit of Frazetta lives on, indeed.
This is not the first Hercules series from this publisher, and as smoothe as this one turned out I doubt it to be the last.
Praise Bacchus.
This mini should greatly appeal to fans of sword and sorcery, fantasy genre materials. The plot is carried very constructively well, and the characters have great banter. And the art, like with many of the Radical books I have seen, is of an insane level of quality. However, the fights and sexual innuendos are all a bit expressive at times, so if you are looking for something with which to win over your stodgy fundamentalist grandmama then this might not be it. But if you like smart, action-rich adventure then by the gods hunt down copies today.

In all seriousness, Radical gives damn good comic.