SDCC Coverage sponsored by Mad Cave
Oathbound #1
Created by: Luke Horseman
Kickstarter Link: Oathbound #1
I need to preface this review by saying I am a huge fan of Luke Horsman’s artwork, which appeared most prominently in Prog and Judge Dredd Megazine in 2000. Not only does Horsman have a keen eye for character designs, but he also has an over-aesthetic of his own (he’s going to be at home in animation during the heyday of adult swim). He brings playfulness to all of his works, whether it’s a traditional fantasy, a space adventure, or Judge Dread. Also in his comic storytelling is kinesthetic sense, a sensation of almost enthusiastic movement between the panels. I think it’s great (and full disclosure, we’ve worked together in comics in the past, but there’s more to the work).
That’s to say that Luke is doing Norse mythology because he’s in Sold Standard Time #1, it’s obvious to me, like he couldn’t fully wrap his head around. That’s the perspective that brought to the reading of Oathbound #1, a comic that’s currently pre-release and hit Kickstarter for a full print run. Again, there is also a very specific Scandinavian inspiration. As Luke points out in the intro, the book was inspired by Snori Staelson’s interest in prose eda, along with the broader Icelandic saga and some pagan history. The results on the most epic scale are like the illustrated narrative of the creation of the universe mashed up along with a new Nordic-inspired saga.
But even more, there’s a lot of visual humor in this comic. And that’s part of what I enjoyed most about it. It has a big tone in everything from writing to coloring. This is far brighter than a comic inspired by Norse mythology would be expected.
Anyway, the main character of this book is the specifically unembodied head of the giant Mimir, a fun choice that pays off with many fun panel gags. That’s how the book has a bit of Mike Mignora’s humor. You have monsters, creations and gods. Everything is filtered through the super specific lens of a shared lens for a cartoonist…and you have a non-embodied head that responds to it at some point, as if to stitch the toes together.
That’s good. A fun blend of epic mythical elements, including humor, bright action heavy cartoons, some tentacles, and some ambitious splash pages.
If you’re a fan of Norse mythology, you’ll definitely want to check out this book and get a print copy for yourself when it hits Kickstarter later this year. I’ve never seen these ideas, concepts, or characters do this way.
Oathbound #1 will be coming to Kickstarter soon!
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SDCC Coverage sponsored by Mad Cave
