REVIEW! Game of Thrones comics and more!

George R.R. Martins Hedge Knight

Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to all you patrons of the improbable, the surreal and the fantastical!

Today for your pleasure I bring a little-known treat for most and one I think is most appropriate now more then any time before.

The new comics variants!!

By now almost all of you will be familiar - either completely or at least in passing - with the phenomenon that is "Game of Thrones", the TV series adaptation of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series of books by the amazing George R.R. Martin. We've all gaped in awe, shock and horror as we watched the beginnings of the deadly drama that would set the kingdoms of Westeros to the sword - the noble Houses of Stark, Baratheon, Targaryen and all the others that I'm sure you are remembering vivildy in full gory detail right now! And of course Khal Droga and his Dothraki, not to be forgotten!
Marvelous is it not? And not only was the show such a runaway success that they confirmed a second season after just ONE episode aired, but its become bigger still - recently there was an announcement for a Game of Thrones video game for which we saw the trailer at the E3 2011 event. And on top of that we have the recently released comic adaptation of the books themselves with some pretty awesome cover art by the legendary Alex Ross! (Oh and I have to be an arse here but can't help myself - I got a copy of #1!! Mine, all mine!! muahahahah!)

Anyway, with all this and the next season underway and soon to be back to the screen - anticipated with pounding heart by anyone and everyone who saw the stunning season finale - I decided to bring in a little something extra, something that got forgotten in the shadow of this mammoth saga, one that Martin is still writing to finish!

So without further adieu, I bring you George R.R. Martin's Hedge Knight! Produced years ago by the Image Comics and the now defunct Devil's Due Publishing, this was an adaptation of one of the stories from the Tales of Dunk and Egg, a series of short tales - novellas if you will - that take place in Westeros' past. More specifically these tales are set quite some time before the Song of Ice and Fire and in fact even before the rebellion of King Robert that we know about from these stories. In fact it is set a hundred or so years earlier in a more idyllic time when the vaunted and feared House Targaryen still rules supreme - the blood of the Dragon still on the Iron Throne!


This comic mini-series is based on the first of the novellas, also title 'The Hedge Knight', and follows the rise to prominence of our main protagonist: Ser Duncan the Tall (a.k.a. "Dunk"). Before going any further, allow me to briefly explain what a Hedge Knight is since I'm sure some of you of will be wondering:

Hedge knights are 'Men of Honor' without a bound lord who served multiple lords over their lifetimes. Once they finished their duty to the lord who took them into their house, they were released from their servitude and were free to find and serve another. In between engagements with noble houses they engaged in tournaments - contests of strength, skill and physical prowess. The objective of their taking part in tournaments being to earn enough money to get by until they were taken into the service of another lord. It is a tad mercenary-like, yes.

Issue #1 Pg.1

The premise of the story will remind some of you (as it did me) of the movie that came some years ago called "A Knights Tale" starting the excellent Heath Ledger: A good hearted and honourable squire to a Hedge Knight one day finds his master dead and himself purposeless. To cut a long story short (or a short one shorter still), he takes up the armour and weapons and mounts the steed and dreams of becoming a fighting knight himself.

Issue #1 Pg.2

Issue #1 Pg.3

Of course as can be expected, its not an easy road - however the thing to remember is that unlike the pop-culture friendly and fun movie (that I still think ripped this off a bit maybe), this is a story set in the world of George Martin, someone we all now know can be terribly realistic and brutal in his depictions and narratives in this medieval world. So the trials and adventure that our dear Dunk has to face are far from easy and often truly dire and life-threatening. BUT he does not need to face them alone, for early in his travels he takes up a young, fiery boy as his own squire - not entirely willingly on Dunks part I might add - who, though not wanted at first, proves himself quite able and bearing a few surprises up his own sleeve in fact! This bald-headed youth is the aforementioned "Egg" and so you know now that he is a central part of the overall story in his own way. The "Robin" to Dunks "Batman" if you prefer!

Click to enlarge!

The story-line we face here is very much in the 'Game of Thrones' mold in that it is filled with politics and power-play inter-weaved with the action and people by compelling characters. Dunk is a good man at his core and early in the tale he befriends some gypsies and during a tournament he is participating at he comes across the young Prince Aerion, who is NOT a man to be trifled with, beating on the gypsy girl violently and for no good reason. Being the honourable hero he is, Dunk dives in unthinking and bashes the prince-ling across the face. Arrested and humiliated, Dunk has but two options: (1) have his hand and foot chopped off, or (2) trial by combat.

Of course he opts for trial by combat, but the Prince is not going to let his chances fall easily and demands a Trial by Seven, which means 7-vs-7 knights facing off in the field. This of course spells certain doom for Dunk as he must find six knights who will stand with him against the Prince and his deadly team.

Oh and there are secrets and bits I have yet not given away and am DYING to but for your benefit will hold my tongue.. er, fingers. Whatever.

Excellently retold, this comic adaptation reads very entertainingly from start to finish and feels very much like a worthy adaptation and Ben Avery shows a strong grasp of the subject matter in his scripting. Filled with suitably stylised artwork, the story just comes alive - both the action and the more quiet moments. Mike S. Miller does a tremendous job on pencils and Mike Crowell's inks bring it to life vividly.

I would recommend this to all fans of Martin's work in any medium and for fans of medieval fantasy in general.

Wayfarer Rating: 4 out of 5


Next week! I review the Game of Thrones comics itself!

Till next week folks, cheers!