Saltire: Invasion’ review numero dos. Let us do this thang.
‘Saltire: Invasion’ (Diamondsteel Comics)
John Ferguson – Writer
Gary Welsh & Tone Julskjaer – Artists
Phillip Vaughan – Letterer
Jim Devlin – Cover
“You are the guardian of a nation, I am the god of an empire... Your cause is doomed.”
“You fight to conquer lands and bring glory to the powerful. I fight to protect the innocent and uphold their right to freedom. COME AHEAD!”
YASS! The above exchange (which comes during the climactic battle of ‘Book 1: Invasion’) had me grinning like a madman. What can I say, I love an underdog (I’m Scottish after all) and the dog doesn’t come much more under than guardian of our wee country versus the might of the Roman Empire, right? Right.
‘Saltire: Invasion’ is a sword ‘n’ sorcery-type tale set in Scotland circa AD 122 (wait until you see exactly WHY Hadrian felt the need to build that wall!). This Scotland is split into two halves – the Highlands of Shadow and the Valleys of Light – and populated by characters with names like “Brode the Cunning” and “Cennet the Righteous.” Oh, and there are unicorns and dragons too.
When the Ninth Legion of Rome (led by General Virilius) invade Caledonia, the guardians of the twelve tribes – six light, six shadow - must put aside their differences and, with the help of Saltire (the Ultimate Guardian) send them homeward tae think again as it were.
This feels like a throwback to the Silver Age due to the fact that there’s so much goin’ on. In just twenty two pages (‘Book 1: Invasion’) we are introduced to the threat (the Romans), shown the formation of the team brought together to combat said threat (the guardians) AND get to see the battle itself. In this era of deconstructed story telling, this would have taken up the first twelve issues or so of your average book.
While the pace of the story is refreshing, it doesn’t leave any room for characterisation or even to take a moment just to set the scene. This is where ‘Book 2: Inception’ comes in. Here, we get a glimpse at the origin of the titular big ginger hero and learn a bit about the more mystical elements of this fictional land. The change of pace is a welcome one. As is the decision to give us the big Ridley Scott-style battle first, then rewind to show the beginnings of Saltire. Come for the action, stay for the answers.
Gary Welsh and Tone Julskjaer do a sterling job when it comes to their artistic duties. Saltire himself looks suitably big ‘n’ bulky (and blue). The dragon, Nathir looks great too, but my favourite character designs are for two of the Guardians of Shadow. The Magneto-lookin’, Loarn the Brave and Brode the Cunning, a classic, dwarf-type character (hey, there’s a reason dwarves are a classic fantasy archetype – beards, y’all!). Saltire’s battle with the Roman champion being the highlight of the first book, with his visits to The Ethereal World and (more impressive still) The Otherworld being the best of the second.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first taste of John Ferguson’s Scottish superhero and am lookin’ forward to volume two, ‘Annihilation’. If you’ve not already picked up your copy yet (and if not, why not?), I’d urge you to do so immediately. You’ll no’ be disappointed.
(Algie)
‘Saltire: Invasion’ (Diamondsteel Comics)
John Ferguson – Writer
Gary Welsh & Tone Julskjaer – Artists
Phillip Vaughan – Letterer
Jim Devlin – Cover
“You are the guardian of a nation, I am the god of an empire... Your cause is doomed.”
“You fight to conquer lands and bring glory to the powerful. I fight to protect the innocent and uphold their right to freedom. COME AHEAD!”
YASS! The above exchange (which comes during the climactic battle of ‘Book 1: Invasion’) had me grinning like a madman. What can I say, I love an underdog (I’m Scottish after all) and the dog doesn’t come much more under than guardian of our wee country versus the might of the Roman Empire, right? Right.
‘Saltire: Invasion’ is a sword ‘n’ sorcery-type tale set in Scotland circa AD 122 (wait until you see exactly WHY Hadrian felt the need to build that wall!). This Scotland is split into two halves – the Highlands of Shadow and the Valleys of Light – and populated by characters with names like “Brode the Cunning” and “Cennet the Righteous.” Oh, and there are unicorns and dragons too.
When the Ninth Legion of Rome (led by General Virilius) invade Caledonia, the guardians of the twelve tribes – six light, six shadow - must put aside their differences and, with the help of Saltire (the Ultimate Guardian) send them homeward tae think again as it were.
This feels like a throwback to the Silver Age due to the fact that there’s so much goin’ on. In just twenty two pages (‘Book 1: Invasion’) we are introduced to the threat (the Romans), shown the formation of the team brought together to combat said threat (the guardians) AND get to see the battle itself. In this era of deconstructed story telling, this would have taken up the first twelve issues or so of your average book.
While the pace of the story is refreshing, it doesn’t leave any room for characterisation or even to take a moment just to set the scene. This is where ‘Book 2: Inception’ comes in. Here, we get a glimpse at the origin of the titular big ginger hero and learn a bit about the more mystical elements of this fictional land. The change of pace is a welcome one. As is the decision to give us the big Ridley Scott-style battle first, then rewind to show the beginnings of Saltire. Come for the action, stay for the answers.
Gary Welsh and Tone Julskjaer do a sterling job when it comes to their artistic duties. Saltire himself looks suitably big ‘n’ bulky (and blue). The dragon, Nathir looks great too, but my favourite character designs are for two of the Guardians of Shadow. The Magneto-lookin’, Loarn the Brave and Brode the Cunning, a classic, dwarf-type character (hey, there’s a reason dwarves are a classic fantasy archetype – beards, y’all!). Saltire’s battle with the Roman champion being the highlight of the first book, with his visits to The Ethereal World and (more impressive still) The Otherworld being the best of the second.
I thoroughly enjoyed my first taste of John Ferguson’s Scottish superhero and am lookin’ forward to volume two, ‘Annihilation’. If you’ve not already picked up your copy yet (and if not, why not?), I’d urge you to do so immediately. You’ll no’ be disappointed.
(Algie)
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