Posted in: Comics, Review, Titan | Tagged: fantasy, ivanka hahnenberger, juzhen, konungar, konungar: war of crowns, mythology, statix press, Sylvain Runberg, Titan comics, Vikings

Konungar: War of Crowns #1 Review – Vikings vs. Centaurs

The Kingdom of Alstavik has been ripped asunder. King Rildrig has ascended to the throne, while his older brother, Sigvald, was left in the cold. Sigvald knows his older brother is reckless and ruthless, so he leads a rebellion to take the throne back from his brother. Their sister, Elfi, tries everything possible to end this civil war, especially as a border nation uses the opportunity to run raids against Alstavik. Worse yet, the Centaurs have returned, and they are amassing an army to destroy the Vikings of Alstavik.

Konungar: War of Crowns #1 has some notable similarities to Game of Thrones. Replace Alstavik with Westeros and Centaurs with Whitewalkers, and you have a somewhat similar plot, even if Konungar has a familial element in the heart of its grand civil war which Game of Thrones lacks.

I mostly list all that as a way of saying that I noticed the similarities, as Konungar is damn good and doesn't constantly make you think of the George R. R. Martin series in the way you might expect. Konungar is good on its own terms.

The plot, characters, and political intrigue are all compelling. The dialogue is good and generally intelligent. The pacing can drag a bit in spots, leaving the narrative to feel a little aimless at times.

The relationship and rivalry between the two brothers is well established and engaging. It does dip a little too much into the "good guy/bad guy" dynamic for its own good. Rildrig is clearly mad and an unfit ruler while Sigvald is the more noble and well centered.

Juzhen is the artist on the comic, and the artwork is brilliant. The world is highly detailed, fleshed out, and given its own sense of style. There is a hint of anime/manga influence in the mixture of primarily western comic sensibilities, and it's a nice touch. The colors are graded well and blend to make interesting shades and tones for each scene. The comic looks fantastic.

Konungar: War of Crowns #1 is a hell of a read for the fan of Vikings and fantasy. The world is well realized and interesting, the characters are compelling, and the art is marvelous. It's a comic that carries itself with a confidence and style that few other fantasy graphic novels can match. This one comes highly recommended. Give it a read.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!