The story’s starting to click with people:
…considering how far it’s come in just four issues—from “hmm, this might be sort of entertaining but right now it’s not,” to “this is getting better and who the hell is this artist again, he’s great” to where it stands now as “holy shit, this is pretty fan-fucking-tastic” and “what do you know, there’s nobody in it who’s nice, or honest, or really just altogether decent.” It’s just selfish, murderous, foul-mouthed Vikings with fucked up religious beliefs, fucked up familial bonds and fucked up ideas on how to get what they want. No spandex, no cheeseball mysticism, no speechifying, no political yammerings, no attempts to showcase some knee-jerk heroism… Hell, if this keeps up, it’ll be feeding the sick and clothing the hungry when everybody is finishing up their shift at the manufacturing plant come 2013. link
This series is turning out to be like a savage cross between Rambo, Conan, and Die Hard but at a satisfying slow crawl. I’m intrigued at Brian Wood’s pacing and patience in Northlanders compared to the frenetic, almost rhythmic ride that dominates his much recommended body of work. He’s making us wait and get inside Sven’s head and the few emotions he chooses to show, and that uncertainty keeps me waiting in line for more. link
As a person who has been interested in Vikings for many years, this book has been of great interest to me, and continues to impress me with the use of real culture and real political situations to establish one heckuva story. Keep it up, Brian! link
Issue one was good enough, issue two a bit better. But now? Now, this is a book I need to read. It took a bit of doing to get there, but now I can feel all the characters. Soon, comes the time for swift and awesome vengeance. I bet it’s going to be awesome. link
Northlanders continues to be a highly enjoyable comic, with Wood’s script really hitting its stride here as Sven’s story escalates from its self-serving initial goals to the brutal consequences of his one-man campaign. It’s good stuff, and as always, Davide Gianfelice’s art is gorgeous. link
…four issues in, I find the title growing on me as I slowly acclimate myself to its unique approach. Northlanders is beginning to feel like a pulpy piece of genre-fiction, not unlike a Quentin Tarantino movie. It sensationalizes everything it does- modern vernacular included- and to this regard, it works wel …When you look at the book in this manner, it comes off as somewhat revolutionary in that the whole sword-and-sandals genre has never really been presented in this, filthy, grimy sort of way. link
…I enjoyed the introspective tone of Sven in this issue; he’s starting to fully comprehend that his actions have an effect on those around him, which can sometimes be tragic. The little details in Wood’s script shine here. Case in point, “whatever the afterlife, Norse or Muslim, or even that of the White Christ.” In the hands of a lesser writer that last bit would have simply referred to “Christians” and not have been terribly distinct. But our man Brian Wood understands the subtle nuances of word choice that make his language use rich and unique. Sven himself is a wonderful protagonist because he isn’t simply a mindless brawler; he’s a warrior with the soul of a poet. Grade A. link
As many have already pointed out, this book is starting to get really good. I’m now glad that Wood is giving each story eight issues (or maybe the next stories will be different, can’t remember). The art’s fantastic, and works wonders with the setting. Plus, by all accounts, we NEEDED an ongoing Viking book, we just didn’t know it until now. link
It’s a typically gorgeous-looking comic, as Gianfelice does a wonderful job with winter in the Orkneys and gives us a taste of the Mediterranean world as well, with a flashback to Sven and his woman. The story zips along, with more death and tragedy, and this issue, like the others in this series so far, is excellent. It’s rapidly becoming one of my favorites. link
This is the classic “from bad to worse” part of the story, but Brian Wood pulls it off well. The best quality of this vikings series is how Wood gives depth to his characters and doesn’t let any of them fall too far into stereotypical roles of heroes and villains. Life is complicated, especially for blood-hungry Scandinavians. link
Brian Wood’s Northlanders is really, really good. It just works… there’s something very powerful about the story. There is something tragic and beautiful about fighting for a losing fight. There’s something even more beautiful about knowing its a losing fight and choosing to join it despite yourself. link
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