It all began with one mistake – the cover reads of Issue #1 of Green Valley. Green Valley, written by Max Landis and Giuseppe Camuncoli and published by Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment is already on it’s second print order.
Spoiler-Free Summary of Green Valley
The medieval tale begins with two men on horses, with some of the most interesting comic artwork I’ve ever seen. The art style looks something like Japanese animation with watercolor and digital imprints (Sir Bertwald’s cowl is my favorite). While the two men wait on horseback, they each seem to be from different parts of the world. A long history together, Sir Bertwald and Ralphus of Erskine have a small quarrel as another man, Sir Gulliver, on horseback chimes in. It turns out the four (another is hiding) while waiting for a barbarian and his horde to take down their beloved city. The four of them, despite the obvious odds against them, win the battle against Brutus Gargas of Pendergast – the barbarian lord.
So, the four trot back to town and celebrate in their own ways. The king is pleased with their performances and the Knights of Keldonia are forever praised. It is not long though that horror strikes the city. Vulnerability is shown in great displeasure, so don’t be surprised if you shed a tear or two.
Any Cliches?
Are there any cliches in this issue? Well, yeah. Basically, you have a typical tale of men who are in various stages of life either looking to settle down or find a new adventure. We seen this repeatedly in fiction and medieval tales. I’m not discrediting the story because it’s so new to the market, but there were some panels that lead to evidence of something drastically new will alter our known perception of the adventure-seeking heroes.
My recommendation is to try the issue. Fantasy and medieval tales are not for everyone, but the artwork is worth the read. I’m curious to see where the story leads to next! Stupid cliffhangers.
- Issue #2 of Green Valley: Then Came a Boy will be released on Wednesday, November 9th and Issue #3, Green Valley: The Wizard Revealed will be available on Wednesday, December 14th.
To purchase a copy of this issue, check out Image Comics here.
Full Disclosure: The reviewer received a copy of the comic for review.
