Customer Reviews

Sergio Aragones' Groo: Mightier than the Sword

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I've always seen those Groo comic books, yet never bought one (figuring I don't know the background, etc, so I won't understand it fully). So yesterday, when I saw a Groo graphic novel lying around in my local comic book store, I knew I had to buy it. What can I say? It was worth the wait!

The plot: Groo is a mighty warrior, a barbarian, who just roams the earth with his loyal dog, looking for adventure and trouble. The thing is, Groo is really, really, quite stupid. In this graphic novel, Pipil Khan, a tyrant whose schemes were foiled many times by Groo, is on his death bed. Pipil Khan, however, declares he won't name his heir because he keeps being tormented by memories of Groo. So he issues a quest for his three sons: the son who brings the head of Groo, will be the named heir. So, Etrufio, a great warrior, Ogamio, a great wizard, and Relmihio, a great schemer, start hunting for Groo. The plot gets complicated by the fact that Groo's tales by now reached mythological stature, and everyone think of him as a six headed giant - nobody really knows how he looks like, and also because Groo is just too plain stupid to know somebody actually wants to kill him..
This leads to a very amusing tale..

I wholeheartily recommend this graphic novel, it was very amusing - and I definitely will be reading more about Groo's adventures.

Groo Mightier than The Sword

An Oriental king is dyeing on his bed and lamenting he has never seen the pleasure of Groo's destruction, so he sets his three sons out to fulfill that last dying wish with his empire as the reward. Detestation results as the events foment the birth of the newspaper and the lies which are printed as a result throw everything into chaos. Groo only has to slay a few armies instead of his regular diet of slaying everyone - the newspaper is so handy in creating chaos. For those who know him not, Groo is the most feared creature on earth: he's a devastating swordsman and as dumb as a rock, hence anyone who knows his name flees at the sight of him. Some short takes of Ruferto included in the end. Note: the printing quality is generally okay to very good for the series, but this is generally a collection for Groo fans and comic book fans. The binding on some of my copies is broken (these are soft backs) and the print is now and then not the greatest. As a fan, I bought every collection I could, and enjoy them despite this! Not though for long-term pristine collectors though.

An ancient ruler named Khan doesn't like his family much, or he is the dumbest Khan that ever lived. Or was smoking some of the same stuff as Kublai. Anyway, for some odd reason he wants to get rid of Groo. Who does he pick to do it? Some of his own flesh and blood, whom he actually does purport to care for.

Oh, the tragedy.

A colorful and ridiculous graphic novel. This time Groo goes to work for an information pamphlet, but business is slow because nothing much is happening. So Groo whips out his sword and destroys everything in sight. Then he interviews the survivors on how they feel. Beneath the silliness, there's some serious commentary on the place of the media in society, and the power of well-meaning people to do immense harm. Kind of reminds me of the idiots who got us into the war in Iraq.

Be warned that like other Groo books, this one is extremely poorly bound. It is guaranteed to fall apart after just a few readings. Sort of like "this message will self-destruct . . . ."