Written by: Raule
Illustrations: Juan Luis Landa
Coloring: Juan Luis Landa
Publisher: Dargaud
Arthus Trivium #1 De engelen van Nostradamus – Comic Book Review
The Dark Ages have always been a rather intriguing period, be it because it was the age of valiant knights and hero worship, or simply because the filth of humanity was ever so noticeable during this time, due to the Black Death that roamed through the lands, or the horrible witch trials. While this new series by Dargaud situates itself in the 16th century, only decades after the end of the Dark Ages, it seems not that much has changed when it comes to horrible diseases that cull the local populace or the superstitious behavior of the indigenous average Joes. Truth be told, we were not quite expecting this trip to the occult when we first laid our eyes upon this series.
Even though the series is called Arthus Trivium, which refers to one of Nostradamus’ students, we first get acquainted with this legendary seer, who was known for his predictions. While the man was often deemed a charlatan by the general population, he was still a well respected man by all the nobles and even the king of France himself, which made sure he was able to live a happy, albeit exhausting life together with his wife and many children. Nonetheless, this man who has done his part in conquering the Black Death has had his own encounter with the sickness, as it cost him the life of his first wife and two children, while he was absent saving lives elsewhere. When all of a sudden he receives a package, which was brought by two children, containing gifts he once gave the children he had with his first wife, he is stricken with a fit of hysterics, making him bedridden for a short period of time. It seems a higher power is messing with him, but even he isn’t quite sure of who or what sent him this vile present.
Meanwhile, we see his apostles at work, who are roaming the cities to see where they can fix wrongs or simply prevent the population from doing foul acts or act upon their superstitious beliefs. Arthus Trivium and Angulus Dante walk in on a ridiculous witch trial, which they do their best to prevent, while the lonesome Angelique Obscura handles other villainous acts but is soon after lured away by two children, who take her to a lair that could easily resemble the pits of hell. While some superstitions might be silly or invented by the authorities to oppress the people, one should tread carefully when dealing with the occult.
Even though the pace is quite rapid and there’s a lot of going back and forth between the different characters, this first issue is already extremely captivating. Raule does a great job by immediately throwing you in the middle of one of Nostradumus’ predictions while adding a hint of mystery soon after that. A bumpy ride is ensured when reading through this album, but one that puts you on the edge of your seat, while it evokes a lot of questions as the issue progresses.
The artwork of this album is simply stunning and feels like a giant collection of different paintings, with a lot of details embedded into everything. Facial expressions tend to make up for most of the experience, even though some are a bit obscure, very characteristic and a bit on the grim side. Juan Luis Landa shows that he is not merely an illustrator but an artist as well. While the story is very captivating, it might actually be the artwork that truly sucks you into this grim fairytale.
Conclusion
Arthus Trivium #1 De engelen van Nostradamus is one of those rare titles that makes a series start off with a proper bang, making those who read this issue immediately regret there isn’t a second album in stores already. Get yourself a mixing bowl, add in a pinch of mystery, a whiff of sadness, an intriguing story and flavor it all with beautiful illustrations and you’ll have yourself a great new series to add to your collection.
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