“Helm Greycastle” #1 combines elements of Mesoamerican history with an array of familiar adventure party basics to create a vibrant and inclusive fantasy world. (Warning: may contain minor spoilers.)
Cover by StonehouseWritten by Henry Barajas
Illustrated by Rahmat M. Handoko
Colored by Bryan Valenza
Lettered by Gabrielle DownieNew Latinx fantasy by HENRY BARAJAS, author of the critically acclaimed LA VOZ DE M.A.Y.O.: TATA RAMBO! The last dragon prince has been abducted – kept prisoner by an unknown threat: AZTEC MEXICA! Helm Greycastle and his outsider comrades are here to save the prince – but are recruited by a resistance plotting to overthrow Montezuma. Will Greycastle help save the people of MEXICA…or rescue the dragon prince and flee? BONUS! HELM GREYCASTLE #1 includes a Latinx one-shot RPG (5E compatible) written by TRISTAN J. TARWATER (Rolled & Told) and art by JEN VAUGHN.
Growing up as a white kid in predominantly white small-town eastern Wisconsin, I’m ashamed to admit I never really stopped to wonder where all the people of color were in my weekly Dungeons & Dragons adventures.
E. Gary Gygax was white, J.R.R. Tolkien was white, Conan the Barbarian was white and all the players sitting around the table were white. As much as we prided ourselves on our robust and wide-ranging power of imagination, apparently we were content to let our fantasy worlds remain as insular and homogenous as our little corner of the real world. The simple act of inclusion remained beyond our grasp.
Latinx writer Henry Barajas never played D&D until he was an adult, but the first time he did, he immediately wondered, where are all the people who look like me?
“I grew up loving Peter Jackson’s take on JRR Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings,’” says Barajas, “but I never see people like myself in the fantasy world. I want to show the rich, bloody history of Mexico while bringing Latinx characters into the fantasy realm.”
The result is “Helm Greycastle,” a new four-part fantasy series created by Barajas and colorist Bryan Valenza, a comic that deftly achieves the writer’s objective with captivating visuals and an epic story structure. The narrative is built around familiar fantasy beats: a core member of the party lies poisoned and potentially dying while his companions – who can’t seem to agree on anything – debate whether or not to rescue the abducted dragon prince or stay completely out it and fend for themselves.
The classic fantasy staples are here. There’s the quiet, graceful elf; the cranky, impatient dwarf; and a couple of kick-ass warriors who would rather let their swords do the talking. There’s also an undercurrent of good-natured infighting, witty repartee and the requisite personality clashes. The twist is that the story takes place in a world where the Aztecs defeated their would-be colonizers. Instead, Montezuma III rules the nation of Aztec Mexica. Well, at least for now. There’s also plenty of palace intrigue, along with secretive factions, hidden agendas and prospective betrayal. All of which will soon force our heroes to choose sides.
Yes, there’s a lot of plot packed into this debut issue. Even so, for the most part Barajas manages to avoid an unwieldy info dump. The story starts in the heat of battle, lets us catch our breath, then steadily raises the stakes until the cliffhanger. There’s definitely a lot to keep track of – including a ton of characters – but that’s where the book’s artwork shines. Much like the narrative, illustrator Rahmat M. Handoko and colorist Bryan Valenza take typical high fantasy elements and give them a unique twist to create characters that feel both fresh and familiar. The core adventure party looks great and the Aztec characters are luminous, which only makes sense, since some of them are gods.
Indeed, as the setting shifts to New Tenochtitlan, all the colors become more vibrant, the figures more imposing and the wardrobe more majestic. There are amazing pieces of headgear, sprays of colorful feathers and all manner of gold jewelry decorated with intricate geometric designs. Having defeated Hernán Cortés, this is an empire at it’s peak, unlike anything our protagonists have ever seen before. Of course, giving the reader something they’ve never seen before was precisely the point. #RepresentationMatters. Historically, high fantasy was the domain of white Euro creators. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these creators tended to focus on characters who look and feel an awful lot like King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and the like. It’s a well documented fact that the fantasy fan base grows more diverse all the time. “Helm Greycastle” is a great template for a way to de-center whiteness while telling a highly imaginative, compelling story that feels much more reflective of the genre’s readers.
Continued belowBut wait, there’s even more!
On top of an entertaining 32-page story, there’s also a ready-made RPG module set in the same Helm Greycastle fantasy world. This self-contained adventure was penned by Tristan Tarwater, of “Rolled & Told” fame, accompanied by great illustrations from Jen Vaughn. It’s called “Sacred Armor” and is fully compatible with the fifth edition of the D&D Player’s Handbook. It just might be the first time your characters encounter Axolotl Warriors. Can mini figures be far behind…?
Final Verdict: 8.3 “Helm Greycastle” #1 sets the stage for the epic adventure to come with an array of standout characters, lots of intrigue and brilliant artwork.
