The Black Dragon (Paperback)

~ Chris Claremont (Author), John Bolton (Author) "THE DAY HE HEARD OF HENRY'S DEATH, HE STARTED FOR HOME..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

It is the Year of Our Lord, 1193. King Henry has just died and Richard Coer du Leon still battles abroad for the flag of England. This is the world of James Dunreith, who returns home to Britain from far-flung battlefields following the death of his liege-lord, Henry. It is a world of the kind of eldritch horrors that skulk in the dark corners of the medieval psyche. It is a world of moldered beings that crawl from their graves to claim the living, a world filled with the stuff of which nightmares are made.

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse; First Printing edition (April 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569710422
• ISBN-13: 978-1569710425
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,545,577 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A graphic novel for mature readers, June 4, 1999

By A Customer

Demonstrating a great knowledge of the folklore and mythology of the British Isles, "The Black Dragon" weaves a story of intrigue around the time that Christianity began displacing the original religions of the Isles. The story is mature, but frankly presented, which may make it unsuitable for young readers. While the story does not contain gratuitous violence or sexuality, it does deal with these issues as real occurences of life. Those easily offended by frank displaying of this subject matter may want to investigate further before buying. However, the story and the artwork make this an enjoyable graphic novel for those mature enough to handle such sensitive materials.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stupendous!, June 28, 1998

By A Customer

A masterful story by Chris Claremont, and beautiful art by John Bolton. This is graphic novel storytelling at its finest. The hero is remarkably realistic; it is very easy to identify with him. Good attention has been paid to historical details; I found myself wanting to know more about Eleanor of Aquitaine. This is one of Claremont's finest works ever. Features a new introduction by Anne McCaffrey. Very highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Think you know Claremont? Think again., July 10, 2006

By	C. Clark "Final Fanatic Seven" (SF, CA, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Chris Claremont.

The name is usually synonymous with the Uncanny X-Men, and their finest swashbuckling superheroics. Think Claremont, and you think of "The Phoenix Saga," "Inferno," "The X-Tincton Agenda," and dozens of other stories told with richness and depth.

"The Black Dragon," publushed in 1982 by Dark Horse comics, is no less gripping and compelling than the finest of the X-Men's stories.

Drawn in a beautiful black-and-white style by John Bolton (who would later collaborate with Claremont on stories collected in X-Men Vignettes, volumes 1 and 2), this fantasy epic features some of the finest points of Claremont's collaborations - a gripping, epic story, strong, sympathetic characters, dynamic, impacting moments of drama and action, and a traditionally heart-wrenching last-minute rescue - but unlike some of his X-Men work, the story is complete and self-contained, with no "loose ends" or dangling strings left to hang for years on end.

Bolton's deft pen does justice to action and drama alike, giving each character a face and personality all their own. The limitations imposed by black-and-white art means that the artist must create clear differentiations between facial features, and Bolton does a marvelous job of this, especially with his female characters. The nightmarish monstrosities brought to life from his pen will give even the hardest person chills to look at, with edges so sharp you could feel them cut you, a marked difference from the soft realism of his human flesh.

The story itself is very adult-oriented, with occult references galore and a rich, complex history. Don't buy this for young children or teenagers. However, historical and mythic references - Brian Griffon, Robin of the Hood, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Eamonn the Faerie King, and Morgan le Fey - make this a must-have for any aficionado of Old English mythology.

Overall, If you're looking for a comic that reads like an old english myth, get this. You will not be disappointed.