Ragnarok, Volume 9: Legacy of the Vanar

Our heroes are trapped in the city of Geffen as all travel is banned during the "Festival of Magic", a contest in which sorcerors, sorceresses, clerics, magicians, and anyone else with magical powers square off against one another in a tournament to see who reigns supreme. In order to get passage out of the city for her and her friends, Fenris enters the battle. Meanwhile, Lidia believes she might have finally found the secret entrance to Alfheim, the lost land of the Elves, where a legendary treasure is purported to reside. But there's a strange woman archer trying to block her way. And Chaos has to deal with the swordsman Skurai who is holding Iris hostage in the city library. Volume 9 of Ragnarok makes up for a lackluster Volume 8. That volume saw a more humorous bent and some radical changes in costume for all the major characters that were reminescent of a 1970's glam-rock band. But once I became used to these changes, the series has gone back to its roots. Lots of action, dashes of unexcessive humor and a fast-paced drawing style. While that style can sometimes make it difficult to make sense of fighting panels, it also implies motion. The characters are interesting and rich. All in all, a fine addition to the series.