Review by Jamie McNeil
Thorgal Aegirson has been in pursuit of his son Aniel’s abductors, the Red Mages over the frozen Northern wastes and now approaches their destination, the great city of Bag Dadh. Over four previous albums Yves Sente has established that the situation is desperate and that time is running out. At the conclusion of The Blade Ship a rescued prisoner, now named as Saluma, revealed that the Red Mages’ intentions were worse than Thorgal feared. She has intimate knowledge of the order and provides valuable if distressing information. Claiming she can help, are her intentions as noble as she claims? With time of the essence Thorgal, reunited with old family friend Lehla and accompanied by his new friend Petrov, journey with Saluma as he tries to close the gap before time runs out. The gods have set Thorgal to the test and they aren’t done yet.
Thorgal: Kah-Aniel sees a close to Yves Sente’s time on the series which he took over from series co-creator Jean Van Hamme in I, Jolan. Over that time, he’s played with the idea that while Thorgal is a man of principle guided by a sense of honour, his constant trials and tendency to try and isolate himself and his family may have left him naïve and blind to the realities of the world. Sente takes a little more time to develop that idea here from the perspective of the supporting cast along with introducing the reader to other potential threats that will influence the plot later. It’s neat and economical, but slows events down out of necessity as rushing towards a conclusion would weaken the story rather than strengthen it in the long run. Despite that the plot is brisk compared to storylines English readers are used to, the tension building with new risks as it builds to a tidy cliffhanger finale.
There’s not much new to say about co-series creator Grzegorz Rosinski’s art that hasn’t already been said in previous Thorgal reviews. The finer details and facial expressions aren’t as fine as they were in his prime, but he’s still a fabulous artist, expert in conveying emotion through body language. His landscapes are sumptuous, whether a panoramic view of a bustling port or a caravan proceeding through the desert. The markets are believable and vibrant with colour, immersing you in the tale. A master at crafting atmosphere, he relies on it more now, but the result is still impressive.
Sente on Thorgal has produced admirable storylines that both honour Van Hamme’s legacy and breath new life into the series with consistent quality. His ideas are clever and entertaining so it’s a pity he won’t be closing off the engaging storyline he has so meticulously crafted. That honour will belong to Xavier Dorison in Thorgal: The Scarlet Fire.
