A very engaging and enjoyable collection of stories from different stages of the life of the unnamed shield maiden, a Viking warrior.
A Lesson in Revenge Michelle Marham (Art). The Shield maiden arrives at an inn and finds a Christian warrior she knows, Almund is having a fight with a young woman Ingrid. Ingrid wants to fight Almund as a fight against the encroaching Christianity that is taking over in the country. Ingrid challenges Almund to a fight which has a very satisfactory conclusion. Asa Wheatly sets up the context and the cast with economy and clarity, the stage is set for the fight between an inexperienced young woman and a hardened soldier, the struggle against invading Christianity is explicit.
Michelle Marham’s art is clean and precise, it bring the expressive and forceful cast to the fore Almund is a seasoned fighter who enjoys the fight, riding the incoming wave of Christianity he is a confident winner in the physical and the cultural battles being fought. Ingrid is deeply inexperience, raging against the loss of her beliefs as her culture is being swept away. She I determined to make a stand for her family’s heritage. The shield maiden is calm and thoughtful, fighting for Christians because they pay, supporting a young woman because of her passion for the increasingly old ways. The art brings out all the elements in the story and brings the reader into the story. The colouring brings the details of the art and gives it depth and solidity.
A Death Worthy Of A Shield Maiden. Kay Baird (Art). The Shield Maiden is dying and sets about doing so on her own terms. A flashback shows how her mother died to protect her. The shield maiden’s mother is every bit the fighter her daughter would become and the both find a fitting end. The structure is perfectly balanced between the two stories, each one is given weight and depth by the other.
Kay Baird uses different shape of panels to tremendous effect, controlling the story and allowing each of the narratives to flow alongside each other. The moves from wide angle to closeup are timed perfectly, the story beats are captured and expressed strongly by the art, the beginning and the ending are in balance without feeling forced or excessively contrived. The colours are nicely keyed to separate the flashback and the present-day action making the story transitions smooth and natural.
A Matter of Fate. Kevin Keane (Art). A chieftain decides to kidnap and sacrifice a priestess of the Norse gods to show his commitment to the Christian faith and to advance his path to power with the Christian king. The shield maiden is the lover of the priestess, she is badly beaten when the attack arrives. The failure to kill her is a mistake.
Kevin Keane’s art is moody and dark, it grips and express the story with wonderful directness and energy. The action is up close and brutal, the shield maiden shows exactly who she is. Asa Wheatly weaves in politics, romance and religion with deft confidence. The colouring is astounding, it is wholly artificial and utterly expressive, it captures the emotional context for the action with depth and subtlety. This is my favourite story in the collection.
A Bounty Paid. Sammy Ward (Art). The shield maiden arrives with a prisoner to collect a bounty and encounters some problems. A classic Western story that is transplanted perfectly to a Viking setting. It works exactly as it should.
Sammy Ward presents the story against a pale green background which makers the colours of the cast and the action pop, it creates the desert of snow instead of sand. The cast are expressive, the shield maiden is the hard-working professional who is not looking for trouble nor surprised when it arrives. The action is managed with flair, the aces on the crowd when they realise what has happened in front of them is just perfect. I am a big western fan and to see a story delivered as beautifully as this makes me very happy.
A Crash of Thunder, A Flash of Lightning. Daniel Coloma (Art). The shield maiden goes on a viking to East Anglia when she was a young girl. The battle on the beach goes very badly for the invaders and she is lucky to escape on a small ship piloted by a stranger. This is the start of her journey to become the scarred warrior known as the shield maiden.
Daniel Coloma’s art is a please to read and luxuriate in. It is full of beautiful details and is hugely expressive. The storm is superb, it feels wild and threatening, the quieter moments are never flat, there is energy and tension between two on the boat. The colouring is superb, it brings out the details of the art and give a physical weight which is needed.
Ken Reynolds lettering is subtle and matches the changes in the art with care. It is faultlessly easy to read, never slowing down the reader or distracting them
Sweeny Boo’s cover declares what you are going to get when you open this book, a wonderful collection of stories by seriously talented creators.
