Definitive Commentary: Book 3 Ep 1 The Battle
Tony told me he was happy to write Ravage solo because he needed the money to finance his rock band. The fact that Ravage was – er – not Stan’s finest hour shall we say didn’t bother him in the least.
I’m blown away by Nemesis the Warlock: the Definitive Edition. My compliments to the publishers, Rebellion, and especially their designer Gemma Sheldrake for the truly inspired front and back covers.
Such a Definitive Edition requires a Definitive Commentary, a companion piece for when you’re looking at the beautiful art by art-creator Kevin O’Neill and the other talented artists that followed him. So it’s time for The Secret History of Nemesis the Warlock, an episode by episode revelation of what really went on behind the scenes.
VOLUME TWO
I’m looking forward to the Definitive Edition Volume Two of Nemesis. I’m told it should be with us this Summer.
In the meantime, here are my definitive comments for Volume Two. I’m sure most of you will have earlier editions of Nemesis and I’m using the excellent ‘The Early Heresies’, which is also a most beautiful book
BOOK THREE
Episode One – The Battle
The saga begins with a battle between Chira and Magna, two female warlocks who look like centaurs. It transpires that Chira is the wife of Nemesis and it is customary for the female warlocks to fight over the males, ‘For in the race of warlocks, the female of the species is deadlier than the male’.
I recall being inspired by a similar battle in Heavy Metal comic in the late 70s/early 80s. This was an era where the magazine was as cool and as imaginative as its parent Metal Hurlant. I believe the artist was Paul, but can’t remember his surname. Looking through Google images, I’m pretty certain it was the incredibly multi-talented Paul Kirchner. I could only find two relevant links, but they ring a very distant bell. The tarot reference I believe inspired the use of tarot cards for the introduction of Deadlock in ABC Warriors.
https://bclaymoore.tumblr.com/post/187389546314/paul-kirchner-from-heavy-metal-1978
As far as I can tell, that whole ‘European’ sensibility faded away in the States by the end of the 1980s. If I’m correct it’s a great pity because there were some brilliant American artists in this era: Barry Windsor Smith, Mike Kaluta and, of course, Paul Kirchner, all of whom I found inspiring. The sensibility of Heavy Metal and Warren Comics seems to have been replaced by the corporate emptiness of American superheroes.
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