FANTASY COMICS
By Alex Ness
May 7, 2025
This week's article focuses upon how some settings, characters or how well they were created linger in memory, and particularly those with heroes, villains, monsters and fantasy elements. I don't tell you in this, that they were often the best works. It is a rare event that fantasy comics last long, or have a single artist or pair who create a long run. However, those that are great, are worth finding and reading.
FIRST, MY FAVORITES:
Warlord by Mike Grell places a modern man into a fantasy medieval era world. Every story has a purpose, and this goes well beyond telling a brief story. They are chapters in a book that tells of Colonel Travis Morgan's desire to create an uprising against the evil who sit in power. The lead character is not a peacemaker, he battles and brings a moral compass to his new world, Skartaris. It has never ending action and is beautiful to behold.
Conan by Timothy Truman is a quality run that presents the Conan from the works of Robert E. Howard. The issue I've had before and after Truman on Conan, is that however good or bad it might have been, it often pales in comparison to the books of Robert E. Howard. I've read everything Conan the Barbarian by REH and when asked why I didn't equally pursue and enjoy the Conan comic from Marvel, as it was a popular work, it just wasn't Conan. It didn't replicate real Conan, it strip-mined that for their words and names, the short tropes used, and more, all came from the REH source. Roy Thomas was a fine writer, and John Buscema was a fine artist. But the book was a pile of leftovers, if one was to have feasted on REH works. Everything by Truman felt new because he refused to rehash the work of others.
Turok by Paul S. Newman and Rex Mason When Turok and Andar, native people, are lost in a Lost Valley, they have to use their skill and talents to fight dinosaurs, angry ass primal humans and other tribes, to escape. The world they live in is dangerous, and every comic read featured a new and exciting adventure. Although new versions of Turok have come out, the original was the best. As maybe a couple of you might remember, the first comic I bought was a Turok comic from the Milwaukee Hospital my father was in after his heart attack. It introduced me to a world of excitement and danger.
MANY OTHER COMICS OF THE FANTASY GENRE WORTH READING:
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They often share a problem when evil beings try to grab power and dominance, and a single being will find his way to the path to challenge, and a story will begin. But they also feature adventures in realms that you've never experienced or seen. They are, in a way legendary tales, but also, escapist works.
Fantasy comics often feature heroes, powerful magic users, leaders, followers, villains, and monsters. You can chuckle or be made motivated or moved by a last stand as your lead character saves others by standing in the doorway and letting no invader horde to go beyond. Perhaps at the cost of one's life.
We live in an amazing world, so I am not saying our every day existence is boring, but it surely could be. I am saying, my love of fantasy comics and concepts within, allow me to go to new lands, experience people who are unique to their time. Some people dislike most all aspects of fantasy. But this isn't about saying this is better than others or not. This is purely to suggest that fantasy as a genre can do different things with the time it takes to tell a story.
Growing up I loved knights, and read King Arthur tales, Beowulf and so much more. Fantasy may have qualities you do not enjoy. But we all read for different reasons. Barbarians and Knights, Magic using people and martial artists, all allow the reader to join in, mentally.
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UNTIL NEXT TIME
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