Those of you following the comic book Northlanders all know one thing for certain, I’m sure: this comic is excellent. One of Wood’s less discussed titles (for some unknown reason), the book follows Viking history throughout the ages, focusing on specific time periods to tell unique stories. While the book’s arcs aren’t connected – making it very easy to get into – they all share the same character themes where different men and women try to survive in an impossibly brutal landscape.
It’s with that in mind that we note that Northlanders #40, which came out last week, was perhaps one of the best single issue stories in the entire history of the book. iFanboy called it “Bambi, told Rashomon style”, and that honestly feels like an amazing description for this tight, 20-page story told as only Wood can tell it. Of course, the issue wasn’t all just Wood’s fantastic storytelling – it was also Matthew Woodson’s fantastic sequential artwork with colors by Dave McCaig that helped really make the issue pop. If there ever was a reason to buy a single issue, it’d be this.
But what if there were no words, or colors? Wood tweeted over the weekend a link to Woodson’s website, where the artist put all the black and white original inked art online in his portfolio, and it is fantastic. The comic reads as well without words as it does with, and shows off Woodson’s fantastic handling of comic bok storytelling. Who needs capes and tights when you have something is powerful as this? And this is just 20-pages. Imagine what Woodson could do in the book with a few issues! (It’s never wrong to dream.)
Check it out right here for the full 20 pages (and be sure to grab the issue, in your local shops right now).
