A Big Thank You To IDW Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the Opportunity to Review It.
We’re moving through our previous reviews of Shonen manga, Historical Fiction, and Superheroes into a world of Magic and Fantasy. The Hunger and The Dusk Vol. One brings together a powerhouse creative team consisting of G. Willow Wilson (Wonder Woman, Ms. Marvel, Cairo), Chris Wildgoose (Porcelain, Batman: Nightwalker, Alienated), and MSASSYK (Isola, Gotham Academy, Critical Role: VOX MACHINA Origins) for a thrilling tale filled with Action, Suspense, and Romance. Warning: While it is a Fantasy series, it contains sexual themes and incest.
Orcs and Humans are the only beings left in this dying world, both are mortal enemies fighting for territory and political advantage. But when a group of ancient beings known as Vangol arrives from across the sea, destroying everything in their path. The Orcs and Humans are forced into a fragile alliance to protect what they have built. As a gesture of his commitment to the cause, and to the relief of his wife-to-be, Faran Stoneback—the most powerful orc overlord, Troth Icemane, sends his beloved cousin Tara, a high-ranking young healer, to fight alongside brash human commander Callum Battlechild and his company of warriors. With a crisis looming, the success of this unlikely pair’s partnership and the survival of their people will depend on their ability to unlearn a lifetime of antagonistic instincts toward one another and rise above the sting of heartbreak. This volume contains Issues 1-6.
Going into this story, I thought it would be your typical “Orc vs Human” story, but it began to play out more of a TTRPG (Table Top Role-Playing Game) which made the title more interesting. I have been a fan of Wilson’s work since her time with Marvel and felt that her approach to this Fantasy-filled world was great for people who enjoy the genre and those who are new to it. It may be action-packed, but it is a romance story as well! Setting up a romance between the Human mercenary named Callum Battlechild and the Orc Healer Gruakhtar “Tara” Icemane, which I am certainly rooting for! Aside from that, the Vangol are terrifying and sinister, truly cruel creatures when you get further into the story but the most vile thing about this volume is that it leaves you on a Cliffhanger.
The artwork in this volume was stellar, Chris Wildgoose and MSASSYK were two of the biggest factors in this volume in terms of illustration. Aside from Wilson’s script, Wildgoose’s linework and MSASSYK’s colors brought the action and each emotional moment to life, especially when it came to the Vangol’s cruel and barbaric nature. How well the characters were designed and how they were portrayed was the number one factor for me to purchase this title in the future.
The Dusk and The Hunger Vol. One is available now at your local comic shop and e-retailer. This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Whatever purchase through the affiliate links helps the site.
Final Grade:
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