Starhenge Book One: The Dragon and the Boar
Creative Team
writer/artist/letterer: LIAM SHARP
publisher: IMAGE COMICS
Walk into a world if you will, a world where magic was, is and will be! Now in this same world picture the complete extinction and annihilation sponsored by machines in the very guise of humanity to bring it all to a stop!
This is the world of Starhenge, a story that takes note and shape from current day earth and society. Two individuals with a destiny Amber Weaver and Darryl who will come to be known as Kushim Sal find themselves at the center of this harrowing journey. Amber, growing up by parents that tragically passed one day but that informed and trained her in all things Stonehenge, Wiccan and King Arthur lore finds herself drawn back home! Before leaving, she tells her best friend and romantic interest Darryl to find her in a year's time so she can show him all her favorite spots that mean so much to her and are drawn too! But it is the exact events that unfold more to this story and the true destiny of both as a future enemy comes to attack from the future and into the past!
From here the true plot takes hold in the future where humanity had once held magic and began to merge it with science to become a more transcendent race. It is also where the scourge of the techno threat the cast takes root. As they find humanity the source of as much in line as a bug in a program and seek to rectify the issue with complete termination. In this war humanity had the knights of veldt, a lineage that could use magic to hold the cast at bay. But as we find out in the current time events have been altered by the cast and their warriors the mor-dreadnaughts to extinguish magic, a force outside their grasp and comprehension.
It is here we find the flip side of this epic tale is fifth century Britain. It is during this time of myth that magic is formed by the son of the UR Queen of the Future Mer-Lin. The fabled wizard of the same famous story has come to establish the last and assure the future that is to come and is needed. In Doing so they must set up the Stonehenge, a structure vital to the institution of magic so that the knights of veldt can ride again. But This will be no easy task as the cast have also come to the past as well to ensure victory will be had in all times and realities!
The writing done excellently by Liam Sharp really shows in a tale like this! Not only does it provide funny commentary as the story is being narrated by Amber and her account of what happens but intense and dutiful telling of the story of Arthur Pendragon, the man and king to unite the kingdoms and wield Excalibur itself. Some may find the lengthy notes and story telling to be tedious but it is well worth the time as the story is written with such description and prose that the vision is clear and the description is vivid.
It is also Liam who does the illustration to go along with this tome of a story that pairs fabulously with the art. In what seems to have a Frazetta and Fire and Ice inspiration is only met with cool and surreal futuristic humanity and a haunting enemy depiction in the cast! Of note as well is these illustrations use what appears to be painted if not brush stroked style art that could be framed.
Overall this story is exciting as it is read through many times and is being told as though future, past and present are all currently happening and changing at the same time. It is met with bold writing and illustrious art that looks straight out of a heavy metal magazine entry! Although this story may not appeal to those that want a quick and light read with a standard linear path, this is a story that will quickly enthrall you as you wait to see just how magic can and most importantly will come back to save the world!