Hexagon Comics -Kabur #8: The Bride of Olyazabad

 

Jean-Marc Lofficier, Julien Caldironi, Romain d'Huissier; 

art by & cover by José Luis Ruiz Pérez.

7x10 squarebound comic, 

104 pages 

b&w
ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-343-9. 

US$14.95.

https://www.hexagoncomics.com/shop-kabur-8-the-bride-of-olyazabad.html

26. THE BRIDE OF OLYAZABAD (based on a story by Julien Caldironi)
27. THE BLOOD QUEEN OF RA'GUNDU (based on a story by Romain d'Huissier)

While crossing the perilous Tasun Mountains Kabur is forced to stop in the ruins of what was once the fabulous city of Olyazabad, now ceded by its unworthy king to a handful of demons. In spite of himself, he becomes involved in a desperate attempt to save its princess, promised in marriage to one of the demons...

After crossing the mountains, Kabur arrives in the city of Ra'Gundu, under the thumb of the mysterious "Blood Queen", whose monstrous pets decimate its inhabitants. Accompanied by a motley group of mercenaries, the Prince of Thule travels into the depths of the jungle to defeat this new and mysterious adversary...

Well...okay, okay, okay I liked the stories and everything was "just right" in this one and as for the art by Perez. Wow. I make no apologies or excuses for writing that the female characters are true old school sexy (as sexy as ink drawings can be).  Don't get me wrong -Kabur looks great and as though he had been through a thousand battles (well, 2-3 dozens battles maybe) and looks every inch the barbarian adventurer and Perez also imbues the secondary characters with their own looks.

The black and white artwork with some cross-hatching (Old school me holds back a tear) and some Letratone (or whatever the 2025 equivalent is) and the balance of negatives (black ink and white panel) is spot on and very effective and I would assume Perez has some classical artist influences (he'll spoil it and say "no" -you watch!). 

This book made me even more enthusiastic for Kabur and the last two pages -following the guest appearance of Tanka in The Jewels of Cing-Kor- hints at a certain title I am getting a tad excited about reading -but you will all have to wait for that one. As for me...I am waiting for the next volume -the one marking Kabur's 50th anniversary.

Of course I recommend this book -but buy it from Hexagon so they get all the money not Amazon!