Customer Reviews

Dungeon: Zenith - Vol. 1: Duck Heart

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Boy I sure hope this book is way more popular in France, where it was originally published, than here in the states. I would never have heard of it if I hadn't chance encountered an online blog raving about how good it is. And indeed, what a gem to have missed.

The first page opens with a great expository introduction to the world of Dungeon and I was hooked from there unto the end. Characterization, gags, artwork, and story are all top notch. I was sad when I plowed through it in one sitting. I just couldn't stop, it always kept me wondering what would happen next to the characters and every turn was more clever and unexpected than the last. Thankfully there are more Dungeon books and I am going to order all of them. I suggest you do the same. It's not everyday you run into a graphic novel that is this bloody good.

I personally love and cannot pass up a good fantasy yarn, and the talking animals in these books are just to delightful. The artwork is charming; simple, stylized, and full of character and just the right amount of detail. Trodheim is definitely on my list of notable industry contributers.The writing is quick and sharp, and helps move along the simple stories in a little world, as well.

Lovers of independent comics, fantasy, or simple laugh will not be disappointed.

I liked the various spoofs they did of the D&D set, as well as the medieval pauper rescuing a princess trope.

Dungeon is not my personal favorite among the pile of Trondheim and Sfar books that have been translated by now. I prefer Sfar's more 'literary' historical magical realist books like "The Rabbi's Cat" and "Klezmer" and Trondheim's funny pantomime books like "Mister O" and "A.L.I.E.E.E.N.". However, after having read a couple of more "Dungeon" books, the series is slowly starting to impress me. At first I saw it as a good-natured and sweet fantasy parody in the style of Sergio Aragones' "Groo", or the funny bits in Jeff Smith's "Bone", but "Dungeon" has scenes that are somehow slightly too disturbing to make it a harmless all ages fantasy series - the trolls in 'volume two' are REALLY, really creepy. At its best it can be almost surrealist, like later Miyazaki movies, but with a more sinister and grown up edge. It can also be a bit too meandering sometimes, but I guess it simply comes with the territory, these days I'm simply not a big fan of long fantasty tales, even when they come in smaller stand-alone parts that are more like weird and slightly sinister parodies of the genre. But if you like left-field fantasy you should definitely give this series a try. "Zenith" is the main series, "Early Years" and "Twilight" are about the early and latter days of the dungeon. "Twilight" is VERY dark and apocalyptic. They can be read independently.