The Black Dragon

Chris Claremont. The name is usually synonymous with the Uncanny X-Men, and their finest swashbuckling superheroics. Think Claremont, and you think of "The Phoenix Saga," "Inferno," "The X-Tincton Agenda," and dozens of other stories told with richness and depth. "The Black Dragon," publushed in 1982 by Dark Horse comics, is no less gripping and compelling than the finest of the X-Men's stories. Drawn in a beautiful black-and-white style by John Bolton (who would later collaborate with Claremont on stories collected in X-Men Vignettes, volumes 1 and 2), this fantasy epic features some of the finest points of Claremont's collaborations - a gripping, epic story, strong, sympathetic characters, dynamic, impacting moments of drama and action, and a traditionally heart-wrenching last-minute rescue - but unlike some of his X-Men work, the story is complete and self-contained, with no "loose ends" or dangling strings left to hang for years on end. Bolton's deft pen does justice to action and drama alike, giving each character a face and personality all their own. The limitations imposed by black-and-white art means that the artist must create clear differentiations between facial features, and Bolton does a marvelous job of this, especially with his female characters. The nightmarish monstrosities brought to life from his pen will give even the hardest person chills to look at, with edges so sharp you could feel them cut you, a marked difference from the soft realism of his human flesh. The story itself is very adult-oriented, with occult references galore and a rich, complex history. Don't buy this for young children or teenagers. However, historical and mythic references - Brian Griffon, Robin of the Hood, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Eamonn the Faerie King, and Morgan le Fey - make this a must-have for any aficionado of Old English mythology. Overall, If you're looking for a comic that reads like an old english myth, get this. You will not be disappointed.

This is a short but enthusiastic recomendation of this graphic novel.You get great art and a deep , complex , surprising , story.This is one of the best comic novels I've seen and I've seen hundreds.

Demonstrating a great knowledge of the folklore and mythology of the British Isles, "The Black Dragon" weaves a story of intrigue around the time that Christianity began displacing the original religions of the Isles. The story is mature, but frankly presented, which may make it unsuitable for young readers. While the story does not contain gratuitous violence or sexuality, it does deal with these issues as real occurences of life. Those easily offended by frank displaying of this subject matter may want to investigate further before buying. However, the story and the artwork make this an enjoyable graphic novel for those mature enough to handle such sensitive materials.

A masterful story by Chris Claremont, and beautiful art by John Bolton. This is graphic novel storytelling at its finest. The hero is remarkably realistic; it is very easy to identify with him. Good attention has been paid to historical details; I found myself wanting to know more about Eleanor of Aquitaine. This is one of Claremont's finest works ever. Features a new introduction by Anne McCaffrey. Very highly recommended.