ARH Comix 2015
Story by Arahom Radjah
Written by Abraham Kawa
Illustrated by Manos Lagouvardos
Coloured by Nikos Koutsis & Mike Toris
This is the first book that ARH Comix has offered and probably its most ambitious and the one I saved for my last review of their line this week. I think there’s something about this that has so much grandeur to it. While Vlad Dracul might be the most well known of the Vampires, aside from LeStat it combines the royal majesty of Cleopatra and the modern sensibility of Queen of the Damned (with shades of the Necroscope book series) making it something so grand and sweeping you can’t help but be drawn into this world.
Some of what stood out for me aside from the sense of power and cruelty that comes with ruling a kingdom in such ancient times was that it’s stated this is civilisation in its infancy. As such there’s much ado that perhaps man got a kickstart in building cities and empires, from the lost of Atlantis or from those visiting from the stars. Regardless during the time we get Arkhalla’s origin either of those and many more, see biblical, reasons could be attributed to her change. Being the first of her kind and literally being Queen and mother to her race gives her powers the others do not share so this will breed many different things.
Superiority, mistrust, contempt and overconfidence are things any ruler has to contend with but with Arkhalla being a vampire, the original at that, this takes on a much stronger context. Much like Cleopatra a woman ruler is though naturally weaker than the men that serve her and we see already in these pages the dangers of her appetites and the seeds of jealousy being sowed. The characterization and story unfold in such an emotional and natural way that you get swept up in it. There are secrets and power struggles and all the things that you want or need to sink your teeth into, plus some hidden gems that could be nothing or could something you never know. That means you’ll come back repeatedly for answers, to your own questions, to see if someone will succeed and of course if Arkhalla will ultimately remain Queen.
I’m very much enamoured of the architecture we see here. For civilisation being so young they’ve certainly learned to construct such magnificent structures that have the look and feel of sandcastles. I love the look of the ruling class here and the slaves well they have that look of hatred and desperation that befits their current predicaments. If I have any complaint it’s that during the Caligula style orgy that we see no same sex copulation or role play playing out. Let’s face it in this age sex was sex and only with the rise of Christianity was same sex relations deemed inappropriate in this age they would have been proliferant. Also with as much female nudity as we get turnabout is fair play. Still the how the pages and panels are utilized to show the flow of the story, the angles and perspectives not to mention backgrounds are magnificently done.
There’s an intensity to this story that you wouldn’t expect to see. I mean certainly we’re dealing with a Vampire Queen and the era in which this set evokes different feeling and emotions but the overall effect or drama you FEEL with this is remarkable. This is what one would think the Original Sin was and not the biting of an apple. As it is Game of Thrones comes close to matching the lust for power, greed of sin and overall politcing, plotting and scheming to what we are treated to here. There’s no escaping the power of this storytelling and honestly i’m not sure you’ll want to.
Not since Anne Rice have vampires been this sensual and deadly all in the same breath only this time around even Frazetta would be envious of their depiction.