Hexagon Comics: KABUR #3: ZOTHAQA

 

by Jean-Marc Lofficier; cover by Mike Ratera.
11. THE REAPER art by Mike Ratera
15. ZOTHAQA art by Willy Hudic
16. INTRIGUES IN ILSHANYI art by Willy Hudic
17. NEVLAK AND SEBHO art by Willy Hudic
(eps 12, 13, 14 are included in KABUR #2: KABUR VS ZEMBLA) 

7x10 squarebound comic, 

96 pages 

b&w.
ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-112-1

US$12.95


One hundred million years before our time was the continent of Hyperborea. There thrived the rebellious young prince of Ultima Thulé and his companion, the beautiful ex-slave girl Lagrid.
 
After defeating an evil doppelganger, Kabur must now return to the city of his birth from which he was banished by his father, the King. The journey, however, is long and fraught with many perils!
 
In this collection of four new episodes, Kabur will successively encounter the formidable Reaper, the diabolical Wampus, and the two mercenaries Nevlak and Sebho.

I'm pretty old school and for me Conan and Kull are the barbarians I read the Marvel Comics versions of (but not for a long time now). So when I see a barbarian comic album I expect to see pale imitations. 

Kabur I like for its rough and ready look and dynamism. Is it Dave Stevens or Alex Ross style art? No. But who wants that type of art in every comic?  Mike Ratera starts the book off with a lovely black and white style I'd like to see more of. Willy Hudic then takes over the rest of the art chorse in a rough and edgy style that has a Windsor-Smith and Kirby look at times and along with the stories it is a fun read.

And THAT is what comics are about -fun. Escapism and I get to see a lot of comics that fail at this. It is odd that the looked down on publishers such as Kult and Hexagon produce the most entertaining books. Perhaps that is because they understand what comics are and have not lost sight of the fun in amongst 12 cover variants or the regular 6 monthly reboot.

I recommend Hexagon highly.