Written by: Peter Van Gucht
Illustrations: Claus
Coloring: Studio Leonardo
Publisher: Standaard Uitgeverij
De Rode Ridder #249 De Satansvrucht – Comic Book Review
It has been quite an epic journey for Johan, the valiant red knight, now he’s closing in on his 250th adventure. Sadly, this 249th album also means the end of a great adventurous era, as Johan and the universe all around him will be revamped to suit a more modern look, perhaps thanks to the influence J.Rom and Amoras had on our local comic books industry. Claus will retire after this issue as the native artist of the Rode Ridder and Peter Van Gucht will now present us with his second story. It’s clear that this is already a transition story, as Johan is already subtly changing, let’s enjoy one last adventure presented to us by Claus. May Saint George guide us against all the evil foes in this album!
The war between good and bad has been going on as long as one can remember, from the day the earth has been created and it will probably wage on until the human race exhales its last breath. Of course both parties have their own emissary that represents them, for evil it’s Bahaal, who is pretty much the arch-villain of the world, whilst for justice it’s Galaxa, a fairy that stands for all that is righteous. Nonetheless, evil gains ground every day, but Johan does his best to counter all of Bahaal’s actions, which makes him one of the monster’s primary targets. When Johan has to go on an undercover mission for Merlin and Galaxa, things go a tad sour, at least for his cover, when he encounters a fair maiden in distress. The young woman, Anat, is being pestered by Bahaal’s soldiers, who are getting ready to get a lot more intimate than she would prefer. Even though Johan is conflicted about blowing his cover, he can’t simply let such a foul act go on under his supervision. After saving the maiden, she explains that she’s the daughter of one of the lords with which Bahaal’s army wages war and it seems as if she’s fallen madly in love with Johan after his heroic act. Nonetheless, it seems as if she’s linked to Bahaal himself, but whether she’s truly evil that’s something only time will be able to tell.
Just like the other issues of the red knight, the pace is rather rapid, but this one feels more like an introduction to a longer tale and has snippets of information spread over the entire issue, to keep things very interesting. While during the previous issue it was clear that Peter Van Gucht was still learning the ropes, he is now quite comfortable in presenting us a very intriguing tale of good vs. evil and love and betrayal.
Even though Claus presents us with very typical illustrations that well suit his own style, it’s clear that Johan’s undercover appearance is already a subtle wink to the more rugged appearance he will receive in the 250th album. We’re not sure how the following album will truly capture the spirit of Johan, but it’s clear that Claus showed us all he got with this final “original” issue.
Conclusion
De Rode Ridder #249 De Satansvrucht is a great tale, that tells us about an everlasting war, with a love story intertwined in the midst of the chaos. If you’re looking for an interesting tale, that will have a follow-up, this one will surely prove to be very entertaining. This issue will be the last of a chapter as Claus leaves the illustrative cast, but also the beginning of a new age for the red knight.
De Rode Ridder #249 De Satansvrucht - Comic Book Review,
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