Odysseus In Defiance Of The Gods.
In recent days letterer and designer extraordinaire Neil "Bhuna" Roche sent me a PDF of the latest project he is clearly very proud to have played a part in bringing to life. Frankly who could possible blame him? Alongside writer Laurence Alison and artist Vu Dahn this new interpretation of a classic legend is indeed eye catching. It is my pleasure to offer a review and some thoughts about this remarkable undertaking.
It may be worth starting with a disclaimer: I come to the subject matter as an reasonably undereducated novice when it comes to classical Greek myths and legends. My experience of the subject matter are limited to enjoying movies such Clash of the Titans, Frank Miller's 300 or other various big screen adaptations of a similar nature. I am far from a scholar.
It is possible your familiarity with the source material may influence your enjoyment of PSYComics latest ambitious project. Nonetheless, with Defiance of the Good we have book one of a four part odyssey.
Laurence Allison presents an approach that is engaging without being overwhelming. Book One provides plenty to think about and promises much more to come. Without a formal understanding of the original text all I can do is offer a perspective that may help the average comics fan.
The introductory text certainly helps the reader, like the scroll at the outset of a Star War movie, these pages help ground proceedings and introduce us to the cast of characters that may at first glance feel like strangers. These succeed and parachute us straight into proceedings with the story of The Trojan Horse. To say the narrative hits the ground running would be an understatement. 
Laurence Alison provides a tale that is cinematic with a script that is full of character beats and spectacle at an action packed pace. This a careful balancing act for any writer and is delivered with pinpoint accuracy.
Most interesting is the tone of the story. It may be presumptuous to suspect there are themes touched upon here that we will see developed much further. The nature of heroism and the consequences of a life filled with brutal violence instantly bubble away barely below the surface. Undoubtable the consequences of warfare are timeless, and how to treat the resulting PTSD of such a life is a vital discussion for the 21st century.
Fear not however, these issues whilst clear, are not foisted on us with a heavy handed hammer blow. Alison employs a deft touch that concentrates on a story for the ages that charges ahead and take us on an adventure that is full of dramatic tension and excitement delivered with a sense of wonder and fresh discovery. 
It is impossible to go any further without the mention of Vietnamese artist Vu Danh's remarkable storytelling prowess. We are given masterclass in how to produce quality sequential comic pages. The imagery here is fresh and raw, yet it instantly harks back to the early works of Barry Windsor Smith and Neal Adams. In black and white everything resonates with an immediacy that is undeniable. Perhaps at a later date a coloured edition may be on the cards (who knows), for now though remaining in black and white feels like a creative choice that just works perfectly. Beyond the statuesque imagery of the cover, colour simply isn't particularly required.
It is difficult to overstate Vu Danh's contribution. As the title suggests, in defiance of the odds (pun intended), this artist is well and truly laying claim to epic tale as his very own. The text for the future promises cannibals, sirens and multi headed monsters. With this in mind it is hard not to relish the idea of what is to come.
A mention of Neil Roche's contribution is only appropriate. It isn't flashy, but it is clever. The fact the story reads so well is a mark of quality lettering and a level of skill that ought to be recognised. In fact the whole book has a design aesthetic and a colour scheme that has clearly been given a great deal of thought.
As an added extra book one also boast the beginnings of a text story by Paul James Kindred Dick titled Atalanta And The Calydonian Boar. With accompanying illustrations from Miko Pics and Neil McClements. These are both very welcome additions to an already satisfying package!
It is surely sheer coincidence this adaptation raises its blood soaked chest toward comic fans in the same year acclaimed director Christopher Nolan is embarking on his own telling of the legend of Odysseus.
On the basis of this first book of four presented here, and Nolan's undeniable track record, in the future there may be some spirited arguments ahead about which is the superior adaptation.
Either way pretty soon none us will have an reason to claim we are not familiar with the story of Odysseus. I feel one look forward to being taken on the journey this PSYComics creative team are offering. It promises much and so far, they have delivered.
Simply because this is based on a PDF, so I cannot comment of the quality of the book fans will receive, I am giving this amazing comic a solid 9 out of 10.
Here is a helpful link to the Kickstarter and all the other useful information, that by now, you should be keen to find out?
Odysseus - In Defiance of the Gods. Book One of Four. by Neil 'Bhuna' Roche — Kickstarter