Helm Greycastle #2

Helm Greycastle #2

Top Cow Productions/Image Comics 2021

Written by Henry Barajas

Illustrated by Rahmat M. Handoko

Coloured by Bryan Valenza

Lettered by Gabriela Downie

Helm and the gang are tasked with locating MEXICA's greatest warrior: Camazotz! But will Camazotz join their crusade to overthrow Montezuma III?!

The opening here is perfectly done and Prince Vadjit is one hell of a great character! This young man is so completely and utterly delightful to see and his appearance here is something that makes you want to see and know more about. I certainly want to see more of him and that he claims to be the last of his kind makes me sad but still whomever has taught him to behave in this manner deserves some kind of parenting award. This is one of those that books that feels like an RPG adventure playing out before our eyes, as if a group played this and this is how it went for them. Something that I’ve wanted to do each time I start a new campaign so that it feels exactly like what I have imagined doing causes me to have that connection with the story. Anyone who reads this will find their own connection to the book in their own unique way.

I am very much enjoying 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 exceptionally well. The character development is amazing as we see the dialogue, character interaction and how they act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter. I am seriously impressed with the dialogue and how we see the interactions as they work really give us a very solid look at the character and who they are and what makes them tick. The pacing here is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more and more of the story as well as the twists & turns along the way we appreciate more and more the way we see this being told.

How we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to grow, evolve and strengthen as well as new ones emerging we get some exceptional storytelling. The depth and complexity within the storytelling happen in these layers that swirl around and through the main arc. How we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is achieved exceeding well.

I so in love with how we see the interiors here. The linework is phenomenal and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to create this level and quality in the detail work is astounding. There is this way that we see this coming to life so that the character possess such lifelike realness to them that’s utterly gorgeous to sit and see, not to mention stare at for endless hours. That we see backgrounds utilised as we do and how they work within the composition of the panels as they create the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is sensational. 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 divine and shows that we are looking at a master colourist in action. The various hues and tones within the colour and how they are utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work is exceptionally well rendered. Whether it’s bold and daring or soft and delicate the colour work really brings this to life in some spectacular ways.

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I often compare these stories with superhero comics because you could easily take characters from DC (the Justice League, Titans or Legion of Super-Heroes or Marvel (the Avengers, X-Men or Defenders) and put them int his story and it would work in exactly the same way without any problems. That’s what makes books like this one so gosh darn exciting.