Hell and High Water
You wouldn't be blamed for not having heard of Nikolai Dante before; he seems only to be famous amongst those who've already heard of him. In fact, he's barely left the pages of weekly British anthology "2000AD" since his first appearance in 1997. If you've never had the pleasure of sampling his cheeky exploits in a semi-futuristic alternate Russia, there's no time like the present with this sixth book, newly released by the "2000AD" team.
"In the aftermath of the war, Imperial Russia entered a time of terror. Purge Squads cut a massive swathe through the land, as the Tsar wreaked his revenge on those who had betrayed him..." So begins the latest graphic novel, drawing a run of Nikolai Dante strips from 2002 to 2005. It follows Nikolai's roguish exploits following the long, dark story arc of the Tsar Wars, in which the disgraced member of Russian royalty led troops to battle against the mighty Tsar.
Artists Simon Fraser and John Burns return, bringing levity or drama to the stories when required; the book is written by the unparalleled Robbie Morrison. Great stories that strike a perfect balance between humour and the darker emotional side of Dante, as well as pivital back-story about his family and childhood. Excellently written, beautifully drawn with real class and flair. A great book in the series!
One of the alltime great comic-book creations
Future Russia, where the Tsar rules a world empire with an iron fist. His nobles conspire against him for their own advantage, and everyone's on the take.
Enter NIKOLAI DANTE - a womaniser with a taste for the high life, a man equally handy with his tongue and his sword, and the greatest thief in the empire. Dante has dedicated his life to simply enjoying himself, which makes it awkward when a series of chance events leads to his discovering that he is an illegitimate son of the family Romanov, one of the most powerful groupings in the land. Genetically bonded with an alien weapons-crest that advises him on strategy and creates a sword (or 'bio-blade') when he needs one, Dante soon finds himself up to the neck in palace intrigue, battling to stay afloat in an unfamiliar world. And he isn't helped by the powerful siblings he never knew he had, most of whom aren't exactly happy to meet their new brother...
This Flashman-style tale of Russian swashbuckling revitalised its parent publication, Britain's "2000AD". And with hindsight it's easy to see why. Writer Robbie Morrison (Batman, The Authority, Shimura, White Death, Shakara) and artist Simon Fraser (Judge Dredd, Hellhouse, Shimura, Family) created an anti-hero that stood out as a fully-fleshed character from the first moment he appeared on the page (and incidentally contrasted nicely with the tough guys who make up the majority of comics heroes). Book II, Tsar Wars, may have more emotional impact, but it means nothing without this enjoyable romp that sits just the right side of parody.
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