Ody-C

I finally just got to it (took me much longer than usual to get to my weekly books 'cause of the holiday week), and man, I LOVED it. It's funny, even though i've been fairly drooling with anticipation for this book for most of the year, I ended up in more of a state of trepidation than anything in the last few days because the three short bits of review i'd seen on it (two good friends and you as well, Henry) all used the same exact phrase to describe this #1: some variation of a little "disappointing". So even before I opened that magnificent fold-out (which, honestly, is damn-near worth the price of the book all on its own) and began the journey, i'd already ridden months of preemptive highs and a couple of days of nervy lows, which left me in an uncomfortably weightless, shaky place, with unsure footing and more than one concern in the back of my mind. Turns out I needn't have worried!

I've never before read a book drawn by Christian Ward, but i've been marveling at the preview pages and panels and character designs for what seems like all year, thinking that they look like a cross between Moebius and Low's Greg Tocchini, and for the most part what I saw in this first issue is very much a confirmation of that aesthetic. I mean, look, he's not quite the once-in-a-lifetime pulsar that Moebius was, but no-one is nor will ever be. But the brash, colorful, dizzying, ridiculously unique style is breathtaking, and fits the cosmic star-faring myth subject matter to a T. And although there was a line or two in the script that gave me a very brief pause, I felt like Fraction's approach towards trying to fit into the Homeric rhythm and style (to some degree, at least) also just felt . . right. I've long loved the Illiad and The Odyssey and I spent much of my childhood and since devouring myths, especially of the Grecian variety, and this #1 felt like a homerun to me in just about every way. Can't wait to see what the next song sounds like.

Also, I couldn't help but feel like this is a direct reaction of Fraction's to his wife's and Emma Rios' Pretty Deadly; it felt extremely similar in more than one way.  The broad, somewhat clipped and abstract, very artistic, more-poetic-than-usual writing style, the overt mythic themes, and the pairing with stunning, intricate, dazzling, non-traditional artwork . . it seems very much like he's been heavily influenced by Kelly Sue and Emma, and of course who could blame him.  If this is Matt Fraction pushing his boundaries, then more power to him.  Too, I would characterize the strength of Pretty Deadly as 75% art/25% writing/poetry (which is not meant in any way as a knock on Kelly Sue, but rather a testament to Emma), and i've said more than once that the art in that series would be worth it all on its own, and Ody-C #1 gave me that exact same feel.  The writing is pretty good, but the heavy lifting is on Ward, here, and so far it looks like that's going to work just fine.

I think you really have to like the style he is going for to appreciate this book. He is using The Muse to narrate the action, which is very uncommon for something like comics, but very true to the original text. The only thing I felt was off was the cast of characters being all female felt extremely forced and it caused some confusion in the dialogue.

Came off like a 'quick, what can replace Prophet!'

It was fine, very deliberately 70s Heavy Metal in styling but the whole narrative tone I found pretty distancing and could care less about the 'drama' of the nay-sayer. It'll do well because of the names and the publisher but it's not all that. Overall a disappointment.