@thanosrules

Sword of Sorcery #0

Recommendation: YES!

Much like All-Star Western and Creator-Owned Heroes, Sword Of Sorcery offers two stories in one book. This is a wonderful model. Most books cost $3.99 now, so two stories for that one price makes it a great value.

This is especially the case when both stories are well worth reading - and, as you have seen from my rating, both stories are, in fact, worth reading.

I didn’t have any background on the Amethyst character… but of course, we all have some knowledge of the Beowulf story (isn’t it mandatory reading in most high school English Lit classes?).

Anyway, both stories are great. Beowulf, is amazing. Not like anything I expected. Especially after reading Amethyst and being in the groove of a more traditional Sword of Sorcery type story.

Oh, and I want to get this out there early: The art for both stories is phenomenal.

Now for a bit about each story…

Amethyst ( 5.0 / 5.0 )

My first impression (from the cover) was that this was going to be a bit “too girly” for my taste… but if I have learned anything from women in superhero books (especially today), anything is possible. This book was no exception. I was amazed how “spot on” the high school look and feel was. I even felt a little anxious that I had homework to do - the environment is extremely engaging…

What you expect might happen, happens. You know exactly how each high school character archetype will play out. You know that the “outsider” girl never fits in; the jocks and the cheerleaders are all fornicating; and the “geeky” girls are being taken advantage of in one way or another… It is very well written as just a normal coming of age high school drama - and then you get an unexpected mix of magic, megalomania, and unfettered violence.

Yeah. Awesome.

It is a great origin story. I am definitely looking forward to more issues and to see how this tale unfolds.

Beowulf ( 5.0 / 5.0 )

If you are tired of purple (maybe reading Hawkeye by Matt Fraction and David Aja), and want to skip straight to the awesome (nothing against Amethyst, Beowulf is just more my style), go directly to the Beowulf story.

This story is so good, I am surprised DC didn’t ship this issue with a variant cover featuring Beowulf. Instead, we get a “Plus: Beowulf”. Sigh.

Anyway, this is a very interesting and post-apocalyptic take on the age old story of the baddest of bad-asses… Grendle is not the only one that should be wearly of losing a body part.

Don’t get in this guy’s way.

And you better be super smart, quick and able to think on your feet if you are going to survive “hanging out” with him.

This story is set and goes in directions I would not have expected. It leaves more questions than answers and opens the mind to so many amazing possibilities.

The development of this character and his abilities has me hooked. I would definitely buy this as a stand-alone monthly.

One of the things that has stuck with me, hours after reading the story… a single sign, one that is passed by with nary a thought:

This is on the second panel of the first page of the story. In the first panel, you have no indication that you aren’t back in the middle ages… I knew this story was going to be awesome as soon as I saw that sign…

It was.

Awesome, that is.

I cannot wait for the rest of the story.

Oh, and the last page of the story, that will haunt you for a while too…

Anyway, this book is definitely worth picking up. :)

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