Colossus [Paperback]

Mark Andrews (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2000

Winds heavy with mist and lands shaped by times unimaginable set the stage for COLOSSUS, a being forged of metal...and something far, far more! From the Annie Award-winning storyboard artist of THE IRON GIANT, this tale of intrigue and adventure is sure to ignite the imaginations of fantasy lovers everywhere, as the intense ferocity of medieval battle engulfs the life of a wayward hero for hire. It`s the yearning for complete humanity that drives Colossus to work, and eventually to all-out war, against the tyrannical overlords of the medieval world he calls home. Creatures of the occult and beasts of legend hamper his existence, but it`s an existence through which he`s committed to persevere! With a pin-up gallery featuring Mike Mignola, Troy Nixey, Scott Morse, and others, COLOSSUS is presented here in one hefty volume destined to reign as a favorite on any bookshelf.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Oni Press (December 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970038720
• ISBN-13: 978-0970038722
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,732,284 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Dark, but well told story, January 20, 2011

By 

B. Kreis - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tales of Colossus (Paperback)

Very violent and some sexuality, including rape. The hero is noble and good. He even makes a moving sacrifice at the end. The villain is completely evil. His actions throughout are disturbing. The art is rough, like a book of quickly drawn storyboards. Which is fitting since the author works for Pixar as a storyboard artist.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GRAPHIC STORYTELLING AT ITS BEST, April 27, 2006

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Tales of Colossus (Paperback)

One of the great things about being able to read a lot of graphic novels is finding that book that catches you by surprise. Tales of Colossus by Mark Andrews is just such a book. The first surprising thing is that it was drawn entirely on the computer. As mentioned in the introduction, the only paper used was in the printing of the book. The second surprising thing is that you'd never guess it was done on computer. We've come quite a long way since the days of Batman: Digital Justice I guess. In fact the cinematic art style calls to mind hand drawn storyboards used in films in not only the art style, but in also in Andrew's concise pacing, often without dialog, and allowing the action to tell the story.

The story is set during the time of the Holy Crusades as a Middle Eastern fortress guarded by knights is overrun by Muslim forces. The only survivor of the attack is a knight named Orlant who is capture and tortured in the dungeons. His will to live sparks interest in the villainous sorcerer Al Rahzear who uses Orlant as a tool of revenge against the European crusaders by placing his soul into a great, metal golem named Colossus and returning him to Europe to wreak havoc on the Muslim's enemies. As Colossus is about to kill the king, the wizard Maulore casts a bolt of magical energy at the construct which has the unintended effect of freeing Orlant's consciousness from Al Rahzear's spell. He now remembers his life and vows he took as a knight and while he's considered a monster, Colossus continues to serve the cause of good.

Two hundred years later, Colossus still lives. People leave gold out for him as he comes to their aid to slay the evil beasts which prey upon the local peasants and receives aid from a local blacksmith named Malcom who keeps his weapons sharp and in repair. The arrival of an evil paladin however spells trouble for Colossus and the local citizens. Grimon Delavrignac arrives with a reputation as a slayer of beasts and an enchanted blade. While he vows to serve the king his true desires for the king's daughter and his throne soon become apparent. Colossus is soundly defeated and one of his metallic arms dismembered. Now the only hope is to find the one man who may be able to mend him and help him defeat the evil knight. But does the wizard Maulore still live?

Tales of Colossus is like an epic Greek myth with a tragic hero, a princess in need of aid, evil villains, and terrible beasts. Even while being hunted and maligned as a tool of evil, Colossus still adheres to the vows he took as a knight to serve good and is appalled at the behavior of Grimon who has disgraced the knighthood. As mentioned Andrews is such a skilled storyteller that he uses a minimum of dialog. What a welcome relief that is from so many other graphic stories that tend to be on the wordy side. Outstanding effort!

Reviewed by Tim Janson