Elric: The Dreaming City #01

Elric: The Dreaming City #01

Titan Comics 2021

Based on the Novels of Michael Moorcock

Adapted by Julien Blondel & Jean-Luc Cano

Illustrated by Julien Telo

Coloured by Stephanie Paitreau

Translation & Lettered by Jessica Burton

Elric of Melniboné is exiled from his home and cursed to walk the land under the influence of the god of chaos, Arioch. With his sword Stormbringer, he must find his way through the unknown.

This is an exciting series that of course helps if you’ve read the novels or previous arcs in the franchise but it isn’t necessary, it is new reader friendly. So you can pick this up, meet the characters and fully understand what is happening within the story. I do like how we see this open up and how Smiorgan remembers when Elric saved his life thus creating a lifelong bond between the two men. Mind you this story is just beginning but all things considered we can see how the two relate to one another given the situation. This is a brilliantly told story by the way and it has this sweeping arc feel to it where you know there is just something grand about the way that this is being told.

I am loving the way that this is being told. The story & plot development we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exquisitely well. The character development we see through the dialogue, the character development and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter continues to make these characters as humanly believable as possible. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing the story, introducing the characters and more of the world they inhabit, we're beautifully transported to this fantasy realm.

I am extremely impressed with the way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story begin to emerge and grow. How we see the aspects within the layers, the characterisation and the plot twists, add such great depth, dimension and complexity to the story is utterly marvellous. How everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is exceptionally well achieved.

The interiors here are abso-bloody-lutely gorgeous! The linework is exquisite and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level & quality in the attention to detail throughout the book is mindbogglingly brilliant. The way that backgrounds are being utilised to enhance and expand the moments as well as work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is amazingly well rendered. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masterful eye for storytelling. The colour work is equally as brilliant as well. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilsied to create the shading, highlights and shadow work show a brilliant eye for how colour works and how to utilise them to their maximum effects.

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This is a phenomenal book, the entire franchise is one extremely great book one after the other. It has this utterly amazing writing and dynamic characterisation alongside these truly mind numbing interiors bringing it all to life. You will want to get lost in this world and stay in it for as long as it's possible to stay. The diversity of the characters, their backstories and that these characters are as flawed as any human being, regardless if they are or aren’t, is and how we see this being portrayed makes me excited for what’s to come.