Elric: Sailor on the Seas of Fate

Elric: Sailor on the Seas of Fate 1-5, 7

I should pick up the sixth issue, the gap in the run annoys me.  More bullet points!

• No P. Craig Russell on this one, Michael T. Gilbert teams up with George Freeman instead.  
• More Elric in close up profile.

• I love the concept of the Eternal Champion, and with very little effort, Moorcock makes the meeting of Elric, Corum, Erekose, and Hawkmoon feel epic in scope.  It’s instantly clear that these are four special warriors, and I can’t wait to see them in action.

Where's the movie?

• Man, does their assault on Gagak feel like a D&D module - Oozes in room 1, baboons in room 2, snakes in room 3, bugs in room 4, pool of power in the final room.  But for all its rote quality, it’s still fresh in that no one writes stories like this anymore. It comes around.

• Dude, they merge into an uber champion!  This blew my mind back then, and it’s still cool now. 

Exclamation point in case you didn't realize the epicness.

• There are so many things in the third issue that I can’t imagine visualizing.  Gilbert and Freeman do some amazing stuff here, it makes me wonder how Moorcock originally wrote it.

• The rest of the series can’t compete with the first three issues.  The story of an ages-old love triangle with a ghostly prince, reincarnated woman, and immortal emperor doesn’t have nearly the same rush of energy.  
• The torture scene’s shockingly graphic.

• This is some sweet page layout by Gilbert.  The flow is perfectly clear, going from top left to bottom right with both the panels and the central image.  Impressive.

• Bullshit that the damsel in distress rejects the powerful ugly wizard and wastes no time in accepting the warrior with the flying horse.  She knows nothing about either one, both of whom profess their love for her. Of course she goes with the hot one.

Not as good as the original series, but those first three issues are darn entertaining.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? Yes

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Nice