Hexagon Comics: The Time Brigade: The Grail Wars

Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier & Timothy J. Green II; colors by James Mason; cover by Timothy J. Green II

7x10 squarebound comic, 

48 pages 

color
ISBN-13: 978-1-61227-637-3. 

US$12.95

UK £9.99

https://www.hexagoncomics.com/shop-the-time-brigade-the-grail-wars.html

Upon returning from a mission in time, the TIME BRIGADE is captured by the Fairy Queen VIVIEN and find themselves prisoners on an Earth where Camelot never fell and continued to exist. They learn that Vivien seized the Holy Grail, and its mysterious powers enabled her to protect Camelot. She sees the Brigade as a threat to the existence of her world, and seeks to kill them. 

Our heroes are delivered by PARSIFAL, king of the Nuclear Knights, descendants of Arthur and the Round Table. But they soon discover that this Camelot is a rigid techno-medieval nightmare, from which all progress is banned. Parsifal realizes that the Brigade is a threat to him too, and also wants to destroy them...

My initial honest impression when I gave this a quick look through when the books arrived:"Yeuch!" However, I tend to glance through books first then look through them again later on before sitting down and reading through them. I love this. 

The story is well paced and very enjoyable and the characters play through this well. What I loved was the European feel of Green's art which Mason's colours worked beautifully on. I'm sorry but my scans are not even showing how good the actual pages look (hey, I make do with my rapidly dying PC!) and what surprised me was the art style when it came to the characyters is not one I would normally go for but it worked.  No idea why and these days I try not to overdo the  deep thinking on why I like something.

Not sure if thereis moreTime Brigade on its way but if so I hope Green and Mason are both involved. The art style may not work on a super hero comic but with sci fi it does.

What concerns me is the cover price. This is one of Hexagon's colour books and for that reason there is no way of getting around it; it costs more to print. Yes, Cinebook keep their 48pp comic albums low priced but there is far more money behind them and they know their books will sell. Hexagon is no major company and there are no guarantees -this is the world of publishing for the uninitiated.  Would I recommend The Time Brigade? Bloody right I would. Good read. Good art and that is what counts.