PopCultHQ received a review copy of FAFHRD AND THE GRAY MOUSER Omnibus TPB from Dark Horse Comics. which releases on January 9th in bookstores & January 10th in comic book shops.
FAFHRD AND THE GRAY MOUSER Omnibus TPB
Adaptations & Scripts by
Fritz Leiber, Howard Chaykin, Dennis O’Neil, George Alec Effinger
Pencils by
Mike Mignola, Howard Chaykin, Walter Simonson, Jim Starlin
Inks by
Al Williamson, Howard Chaykin, Crusty Bunkers, Walter Simonson, Al Milgrom
Colors by
Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh
Letters by
Bill Oakley & Michael Heisler
Cover Art by
Mike Mignola
Format: FC, 320 pages; TPB, 7″ x 10″
Genre: Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Age range: 14+
SRP: $29.99
Bookstore release date: 1/9/24
Comic shop release date: 1/10/24
BASED ON THE STORIES AND CHARACTERS
CREATED BY FRITZ LEIBER!Fritz Leiber ranks among the giants of fantasy and science fiction visionaries, capturing multiple Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards and influencing a generation of writers. And his most renowned creations are the swashbuckling Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories. Collected here are adaptations of some of the finest of these tales–including the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning “Ill Met in Lankhmar”–by comics legends Howard Chaykin, Mike Mignola, Dennis O’Neil, Al Williamson, and more. Join the hulking barbarian and the diminutive rogue as they battle swordsmen, necromancers, and flagons of strong drink!
Step into a place out of time, dear readers, and come along to explore the realms of the impossible, sprung from the mind of creative genius Fritz Leiber. This colorful collection comes chock-full of cheerful and charming stories that are sure to whet the appetite of all who thirst for adventure. The entirety of it is an endless parade of stupendous scripts, standout artwork, gorgeous colors, and more from its creative team. If you don’t believe me, then read on, gentlefolk, and let my words put your minds at ease.
Writing:
These scripts are the kind of epic adventures and quests that will excite the hearts and minds of anyone who loves the fantasy genre. What helps upsell this book aside from the prestige of its main characters is that masters of the comic book craft, Denny O’Neil, Howard Chaykin, and beloved sci-fi author George Alec Effinger, tackle the adaptations. Handled with care and devotion, these three fellows show their passion for Fafhrd and Gray Mouser by carefully guiding each story. And if that does not entice you to pick up a copy of this book, perhaps the artwork will rope you in.
Art:
As I just mentioned, the artwork for this collection is another huge plus, aside from the stories. Some of the biggest names in comics contributed work for the volume, and honestly, one would pick up the book for the artwork alone. Not one single page feels flat, dull, or mundane. There are rich details, gorgeous linework, and terrific action, all laid out by the brave quartet of Howard Chaykin, Mike Mignola, Walter Simonson, and Jim Starlin. One cannot pick out which story has the best artwork because these gentlemen are terrific. Knowing that they all were part of such a project as this is well and truly exciting by far.
Inks:
Inks: A great book needs talented inkers alongside its artists and colorists. The list of persons who took on the inking duties has a long list of bonafides attached to their names. Long-time comics fans will appreciate seeing Al Williamson and the legendary Crusty Bunkers collective listed in the creatives section alongside Al Milgrom, Howard Chaykin, and Walter Simonson. All of them are fantastic inkers, using the correct mixtures and shading for shadows, thick lines to emphasize aged and decrepit scenery, and so on. If anyone aspires to become an inker, look no further than these talented people and this collection for inspiration.
Colors:
Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh is smashing as the colorist for the Omnibus. Given the variety of artistic styles to color, I find such a task daunting. But for a person as experienced and talented as Sherilyn, it was a walk in the park. Readers will note that while a vast array of hues come into play throughout, there is consistency, particularly with things like Fafhrd and Mouser’s clothing or skin tone. On top of that, the colors she picked out for all the different scenery made everything pop and spring to life, as if one could close one’s eyes and be there within these magical realms of adventure.
Letters:
Bill Oakley & Michael Heisler do a crackerjack job as the letterers for this collection. Everyone had a very distinctive personality throughout. Think of it like watching a movie with the volume turned down and the captions on. Based on what you see and read, you have to form an idea of what the characters will sound like. What these gentlemen accomplished here was very similar. Whether or not there will ever be movies or shows based on these two, I will always have the voices in my mind’s eye because of the efforts of talented folks like Bill and Michael.
Overall Review Assessment:
“Revenge is empty…it cannot bring back the dead. And we shall never return to Lankhmar!”
– Fafhrd and Gray Mouser
In fantasy literature, characters like Conan the Barbarian loom large and, at times, are so popular they overshadow other characters of equal importance. For those who may not have ever had the inclination to pick up any of Fritz Leiber’s books, this delightful omnibus will be the little nudge in the right direction. It offers everything one could ask for from two adventurous heroes. Every page is chock-full of magic, mayhem, glory, and gold. Combine that with the amazingly talented team that worked on all the collected comics, and it is crystal clear this volume deserves a space in any bookcase.
PopCultHQ’s Rating:
5 out of 5 stars
About Dark Horse Comics:
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics is an excellent example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and transform a company with humble beginnings into an industry giant. Over the years, Dark Horse has published the work of creative legends such as Yoshitaka Amano, Margaret Atwood, Paul Chadwick, Geof Darrow, Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, Faith Erin Hicks, Kazuo Koike, Matt Kindt, Jeff Lemire, Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, Kentaro Miura, Moebius, Chuck Palahniuk, Wendy Pini, Richard Pini, and Gerard Way. In addition, Dark Horse has a long tradition of establishing exciting new creative talent throughout all of its divisions. The company has also set the industry standard for quality licensed comics, graphic novels, collectibles, and art books, including Stranger Things, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Minecraft, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Dragon Age, James Cameron’s Avatar, Game of Thrones, Mass Effect, StarCraft, The Witcher, and Halo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.
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