“Sovereign” uses Game of Thrones as a comparison point in its solicitation. That’s certainly a timely property to name drop. Though it can’t lay claim to the more lurid and controversial themes of George R. R. Martin’s opus, it’s still an apt comparison.
Written by Chris Roberson
Illustrated by Paul MayburyAn epic fantasy in the tradition of Game of Thrones, SOVEREIGN is set in a world which once knew gods, demons, and magic, and to which all three are returning. New York Times bestselling author CHRIS ROBERSON (Edison Rex, iZombie) joins artist PAUL MAYBURY (POPGUN, Catalyst Comix) to tell the story of masked undertakers facing the undead with swords, of civil wars and cultures in collision, of ancient threats emerging from the ashes of history to menace the future…
Actually, there are plenty of influences throughout “Sovereign” #1. Maybe I was bringing some of them in with me, but I couldn’t help but identify all sorts of nods to the works of fantasy and fiction that came before it. “Sovereign” doesn’t clutter its story with a lot of exposition or explanation of the fantasy elements. There’s a lengthy text piece at the back of the issue that accomplishes that, bringing context to the imagery, terminology, and character classes we saw in the sequential art. The Dune-esque language of the story and a reverential sense of storytelling make “Sovereign” a joyful exercise on a metatextual level, but the straight story is just plain solid too.
The series opens on the Luminari, a group of people tasked with ridding the land of the bodies of the dead. This is framed as a wholly unglamorous undertaking, but the Luminari are a special people who’s true potential we only get a small taste of. They appear to be an integral part of the emergence of the undead forces that are teased out early on. In the next segment, we meet a Conan-esque amid a long journey filled with images of questing, sword, and sorcery. Before our time with him is through he gets a bit of news that shakes him to his core. But it isn’t long before we’re into the 3rd segment, a sea-faring adventure tale in which a sailing crew gets more than they bargained for.
The structure of “Sovereign” #1 is a double-edged sword. It’s the beginning of 3 stories in three distinct segments. No doubt these stories will intertwine – this is certainly a story of one very specific world in which characters’ goals will certainly conflict and overlap. But for the first issue, each story is such a bite-sized piece of something greater that it’s difficult for any of them to make a strong impression or gain a lot of momentum. On the other hand, finding the starting point of a different story every 8 pages or so certainly keeps things fresh throughout. The world is also so well-defined already that one begins to draw thematic and societal links between the stories. Even if they aren’t gaining as much momentum as they might have on their own, the complete product is something that feels special. Perhaps the structure will change in future issues, but that remains to be seen. It’s certainly a different way of doing things (though not unlike Paul Maybury’s last collaboration – “Catalyst Comix”). “Sovereign” is something worth waiting for, even if you only end up getting little pieces each time.
Maybury improves on the already terrific work that we recently saw with Joe Casey on the aforementioned “Catalyst Comix”, showing a keener design sensibility on “Sovereign.” Or at least a more noticeable one. Maybury mixes the impossible into a sword and sandals fantasy world, creating an unsettling and somber setting for the Luminaris to do their grave work, even while a scurvy crew fights a gnarly beast on the ocean waves.
Maybury’s designs for the world of “Sovereign” are positively Kirby-esque, even though his style is decidedly dissimilar. Visual parallels to early “Thor” or “Fourth World” stories can be made, as characters wear chunky masks on their faces (which serve a special purpose that only the back-matter reveals) and ornate, fantastical costumes. “Sovereign” is a pretty serious tale so far, with only the slightest bit of humor to it. The character designs and costuming creates a greater sense of fun – or at least a flavor that doesn’t betray its story by being too silly or making fun of itself.
Continued belowMore than anything, Maybury creates a bizarre visual language that corresponds to the back-matter as well, which demonstrates a great synergy with the story’s writer. Many things that Roberson writes in the back can be directly visually spotted in the comic parts. Maybury’s fantasy designs are as practical and functional as storytelling enrichers as the made-up fantasy words Roberson peppers into the story.
“Sovereign” reveals its treasures in bite-sized pieces, which as I already mentioned, comes off as something of a double-edged sword. You’ll be clamoring for more of each of these stories by the time you’re done, but you’ll also feel like you probably didn’t get your claws in deep enough to any of them. If this comic keeps delivering on the deep epic-fantasy foundations its building in issue #1, and Maybury keeps his design-sense sharpened, “Sovereign” will absolutely be a long form story worth investing in.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy
