Elric: The Balance Lost #9 Elric created by Michael Moorcock
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Francesco Biagini
Colors by Stephen Downer
Letters by Travis Lanham
Covers by Francesco Mattina, Dan Panosian Boom! Studios
Release Date: March 14, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99
As you may know if you have read any of my other Elric reviews, I am a huge fan of the Eternal Champion books and comics. This month I got to review Elric: The Balance Lost #9 and it was a real treat. A major change from the majority of the previous comics, this issue explores some of the wonders and background of the multiverse as envisioned by Michael Moorcock.
We get to explore the different planes and concepts of inter-dimensional travel as seen by our heroes on the sentient ship Spammer Gain. Focusing mainly on information, this month we are given a tutorial on the different ways to travel between the worlds and the types of people able to do so.
Elric: The Balance Lost #6 Elric created by Michael Moorcock
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Francesco Biagini
Colors by Stephen Downer
Letters by Travis Lanham
Covers by Francesco Mattina, Dimitri Armand, and Blond BOOM! Studios
Release Date: December 7, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99
Law and Chaos run rampant in Elric: The Balance Lost #6. Still questing for Tanelorn, our heroes embark on the final leg of this journey.
I must say I am still quite amazed at how well Chris Roberson mimics the style of the original writings that Michael Moorcock began producing fifty years ago.
Elric: The Balance Lost #5 Elric created by Michael Moorcock
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Francesco Biagini
Colors by Stephen Downer
Letters by Travis Lanham
Covers by Francesco Mattina, Dimitri Armand, and Blond BOOM! Studios
Release Date: November 2, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99
Finally! The heroes begin to join together in Elric: The Balance Lost #5. Hawkmoon and Elric, Corum and Eric Beck. Four worlds collide leaving two universes. After the merging, they find themselves face to face with their allies and opponents from those other planes of existence. No matter where or when, the followers of Law are always pitted against the agents of Chaos.
Elric: The Balance Lost #4 Elric created by Michael Moorcock
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Francesco Biagini
Colors by Stephen Downer
Lettering by Travis Lanham
Covers by Francesco Mattina, Erik Jones BOOM! Studios
Release Date: October 12, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99
This is it! This issue begins to bring it all together. Elric: The Balance Lost #4 is obviously the precursor to a major occurrence. This team of folks is laying some seriously awesome groundwork for a great story. As we all know, I’m a big Elric fan, but it’s a really good series.
We start off in Tanelorn, the city that is both everywhere and sometimes nowhere. A quick visit to the Grey Lords leaves the reader knowing something is wrong. Jumping to Machinoix, we see Elric and the Horn of Fate trying to avoid the chaos that approaches. Next is New Orleans and Eric Beck fending off the warriors of Law. Then comes Corum in the stronghold of the Pukawatchi helping to defend against a siege. Lastly, we have Hawkmoon trapped in Narleen with a demonic cult.
Dracula: The Company of Monsters #1 Created and Story by Kurt Busiek
Written by Daryl Gregory
Art by Scott Godlewski
Colors by Stephen Downer
Letters by Johnny Lowe BOOM! Studios
Release date: August 25, 2010
Price: $3.99
Apparently, vampires are kind of popular these days, for some reason. Fortunately, Dracula: The Company of Monsters #1 isn’t about just any vampire, but it’s about the biggest granddaddy vampire of them all, so it’s definitely trying to set itself apart. The story goes into the “real” history of Dracula, as told by Evan, a researcher for some kind of large, family owned company. Evan has been tasked by uncle to track down information about Vlad the Impaler, specifically the spells used to turn Vlad into the big D. From there, it looks like Evan’s uncle want’s to bring old Drac into this century and do…something? I don’t know exactly what they plan to do, but if it involves a blood sucker, you know it’s going to be evil.
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press