By Dirk Drudgler –
I’m not a huge fantasy guy and there’s a lot of fantasy on comic stands, especially from independent publishers. Most of it doesn’t interest me. I’m not particularly against it, I just never get around to it.
CODA is a fantasy tale for both fans of the genre and occasional dabblers like myself. The 12-issue comic series from BOOM! Studios wrapped last month. From the first to the last issue, it is intelligent, fun and engaging. The art is kinetic spectacular. This is a well-produced and entertaining comic book.
CODA
Written by Simon Spurrier
Art by Matías Bergara
Published by BOOM! Studios
12 issues – Full Color
The story centers around Hum, an itinerant Bard in a post-apocalyptic world populated by the remnants of various races of many sorts of creatures. In the recent past, civilization was destroyed in a magical war and what little supply of magic remains is highly coveted by everyone left.
The few remaining magical artifacts are warred over because they can be purified into very hard to get and very valuable “Akker.” Akker is like an energy drink created by harnessing lightning on cocaine. Whoever controls the Akker, controls everything.
Hum is the last great romantic storyteller and the world’s only anchor to truth and beauty. He is thoughtful and intelligent. He studies and learns ways to be crafty and efficient with magic and the magical rush of Akker. His faithful mount, a massive Babe the Ox style unicorn (actually a Pentacorn) with a foul mouth, becomes a freight train of muscle, teeth and hoof when injected with Akker.
Hum is deeply in love with his beautiful wife, Serka, one of the most powerful Berserkers alive. These Berserkers are so bad they get sent off to rage out of control in a perpetual dust storm for months before they revert to normal.
It’s Complicated…
Hum and Serka have a complex relationship built on a deep but hard to maintain mutual love. They balance each other out. Through her muse-like effect on him, Serka keeps Hum focused on finding advantages in this war world of uncertain alliances. Hum keeps Serka from going completely insane and killing everything.
Writer Simon Spurrier builds complexity and honesty into their relationship which is as interesting as the adventure itself. Ideally, Serka and Hum would like to find a better world but first, they must work out how to find each other.
The illustrations and colors by Matías Bergara are detailed and interesting. The characters actions and expressions are complex and incredibly nuanced. At the same time, Bergara presents amazing splash pages of complex cities and spectacular battles. This is not a comic you will plow through. There is a lot of reward in slowing down and really enjoying many of the wonderful pages.
I particularly liked the way Bergara & Spurrier developed the Berserker, Serka – one moment a beautiful and powerful warrior, the next an occasionally vulnerable lover and the next a giant raging monster burning out endless energy in a massive dust storm. Some of the best parts of the book center around Hum trying to channel Serka’s unpredictableness.
Last Word…
There aren’t many comic series that I return to, but I’ve already read through this series twice and will probably do so again. I like recommending certain graphic novels to new comic readers and this is definitely one I am going to recommend to everyone, particularly fans of Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones type stuff or fans of the Ralph Bakshi film Wizards.
It might be tough to find a complete set of the comics without some effort. BOOM! doesn’t do huge print runs, but I’m sure a collected edition will be available soon, if it isn’t already. Check with your LCS. They’ll order it for you.
CODA
Written by Simon Spurrier
Art by Matías Bergara
Published by BOOM! Studios
12 issues – Full Color
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