PSYComics continue their unique spin on an ever-expanding Greek Myth Universe (or as they call it ‘Horrorverse’) with Odysseus – In Defiance of the Gods Book Two this month.
New genius artist Vu Danh’s incredible talents are now on full display, as he oscillates between scenes of mutinous treachery, giant sea dwelling cannibals and the beautiful dark magik of Circe.
Written by Laurence Alison (Hedrek, Out There, Warfighter, Madness & Monsters) this is the first crossover issue in PSYComics’ Greek Horrorverse, having just come off the back of their huge success with Alison and Simon Harrison’s successfully crowdfunded Circe.
Although the two stories can be told and consumed separately clearly, the introduction of Circe to the Odysseus books helps reveal more of her back story for the folks that picked up the Circe Kickstarter.
In this issue, Alison promises greater depth and complexity in his lead character.
“We’ve seen Odysseus’ merciless side and now we will see his duplicity”, he explains.
“Odysseus faces challenges amongst his war weary crew. He will do anything to get back to Ithaca. And in this issue, he faces a very different kind of challenge. One which is an internal struggle, since it’s clear he falls in love with Circe.”
Sticking close enough to the myth to retain the central narrative arc but deviating substantially to lean into both the horror and what Alison wants to say about identity, PTSD and war trauma, Odysseus – In Defiance of the Gods Book Two strengthens and deepens these themes.
Reader will be taken to the halfway mark of the Odyssey and – of note – with Christopher Nolan’s film looming, it will be intriguing to see how different or similar the comic will be to the forthcoming movie.
Certainly, the PSYComics team are delighted with the serendipitous coincidence that their final chapter, Book 4 and then the Odysseus Collection will be released just as the feature film hits cinemas next year.
As Alison says, “Is it mere coincidence that our strapline ‘In Defiance of the Gods’ is so near to what we now know Nolan has selected for his Odyssey: “Defy the Gods’?”
Alison, jokingly, called out Nolan for pinching the strap line but, in fact, as he says “I’m delighted, really. If he’s stolen it says he’s seen what we are doing, which is great. If he knows nothing at all about us, then it is wonderful to know that he’s thinking along the same lines as us.
“At the heart of our version is Odysseus’ burning desire to not be merely a pawn of fate or the Gods. Nolan seems to be seeing the tale the same way we are.”
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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