Northlanders: Sven the Returned by Brian Wood

ISBN: 1401219187, $9.99
Contains: Nudity, violence, gore, language

“A very long time ago…in the lands we call home…these things happened.”

So begins the first volume of Northlanders, the tale of Sven, a Viking warrior in 980 CE who leaves his plush Mediterranean lifestyle to claim an inheritance from the harsh cold lands of the North. But once there he encounters resistance from his uncle, Gorm, who is unwilling to hand everything over to Sven. Sven begins a one man war against Gorm and his men to get his money and his lands back.

Northlanders is a familiar tale of one man against a greater evil, dressed in brutal, vivid Norse clothing. The art is fantastic and explicit, bleeding emotion out in color. The story capitalizes on the hardest, most violent parts of Viking legends. But it has a soul too. Sven is a remarkable character, one worth following into the wilds of the world.

Northlanders is a solid addition to the libraries of horror, historical or Viking fans and a good graphic novel for those new to graphics to pick up.