Chronicles: Comic #1
With the sudden cancellation of "The Legend of Huma (Comic Edition)", Dragonlance fans were left floundering. Well-known as one of the best books outside the core series, many people were disappointed and distraught to have Huma's graphic story left unfinished.
But lo! A light on the horizon! Devil's Due made another pact with the devil and in August of 2005, the first comic book version of Chronicles was released.
I can hear you all a-tingle from way over here.
Yes, the story that's been told a hundred times in a hundred different ways is now being released in graphic format again! Again you ask? Of course again! There was a really bad graphic novel series covering the events in Chronicles released back in the late 80s. I myself own four of them (anyone with an extra issue 2 floating around that they don't want/need, drop me an email. It'll finish off my collection.) Of course, like the ill-fated Legend of Huma comic, the original graphic novel series only put out five issues before being cancelled, leaving the Heroes of the Lance just finishing off the battle at the High Clerist's Tower. Mind you, given how badly Raistlin was drawn on the front cover of the last issue, I don't think it was a horribly bad thing to see it cancelled.
On a somewhat related tangent, it's recently come to my attention that Devil's Due Publishing is attempting to put out Issue #6 of the Legend of Huma! If this is the case, expect your well-esteemed reviewer to be picking up a copy and perusing it for your enjoyment. If they don't wind up releasing it and cancel the Chronicles, I can always resort to reviewing the Forgotten Realms drow comics that are coming out. I just recently picked up the compilation version of "Homeland". Everyone always loves Drizzt.
You don't? For shame. How can you not love the oober drow of two slinging scimitars of slicing?
I'm wandering off the tangent here. Dragonlance. Not Forgotten Realms. Remember that.
The Cover
We have what appears to be a map in the background, likely Abanasinia. Four of the heroes: Raistlin, Tanis, Flint, and Goldmoon. All look to be in various stages of battle. All are dressed in the standard clothing you'd picture them in (and what they've been portrayed in for the past 20-some odd years).
A quick scan of the page and all looks good. It's a decent, eye-catching cover and I'd probably pick it up at first glance. But looking a bit more closely at it, and things start to jump out as hideously, horribly wrong.
Raistlin looks weird. He looks like he ate too many carrots or pumpkins... he's not gold, but orange. His hand, which is reaching out for you, looks like a spider with cramps... fingers every which way but normal. He also has that pinky finger thing going, like he's a fruit or something. No, he certainly doesn't look scary.
Raistlin's creepyness takes a back seat to how badly Flint is done up though. The first thing I noticed was his right arm, which is drawn back and holding a battle axe. His bicep appears to be about half the length is should be. It stands out horrible in contrast to his other normal looking arm. Instead of being properly proportioned, Flint looks like a survivor of nuclear poisoning. He should be named Mr. Stumpy instead. And what's with the beard? Cut straight across the bottom, looking neat and tidy, it reminds me of my kitchen broom. The companions didn't need a swiffer to clean up their campsites at night... just grab Flint by the legs and swiffer up the camp!
I can't even tell who did this piece of "art". The interior cover lists a penciller and an inker, but their names a