Rob reviews The Witcher: The Ballard of Two Wolves #1...
When it comes to the worlds of The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, no one knows them better than CD Project Red's Bartosz Sztybor. Across his narrative journeys, Sztybor brings his unique take on the characters - and their worlds - but remains grounded in what's come before. While the world of Cyberpunk 2077 does give him a little more scope to be expressive, it's his work with The Witcher's Geralt that deserves some praise.
The Witcher: The Ballard of Two Wolves #1 follows Geralt and Dandelion as they roll into the town of Grimmwald. Getalts gotten word that a werewolf is on the prowl, and Jaskier may get another tale to spin into a song and dance. As they get acquainted with their surroundings, the duo soon falls into the companionship of a local girl named Red. It's through Red that Grimmwald's history is explained, and the town's troubles all seem to stem from the wealthy Hogge sisters. However, in investigating the werewolf, Geralt and Dandelion soon find more sinister happenings.
Taking inspiration from the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood and a pinch of The Three Little Pigs, Bartosz Sztybor wastes no time in putting that classic Witcher spin on things. Throughout this opening issue, we're treated to Geralt doing plenty of investigative work as he attempts to uncover exactly what he's dealing with. Not only this, but we get plenty of world-building and exposition at the same time.
Considering that Geralt is already a well-established character, Sztybor still managed to make the seasoned Witcher feel fresh. Across the opening pages of this tale, we see a side to the Witcher role that's not all about fighting monsters. Sure this is touched upon in the first few pages - and then concludes the issue - but for the vast majority, we get Geralt simply asking questions and preparing himself for what's coming.
This depth of character work continues as Sztybor perfectly captures the relationship between the professional Geralt, and the more jovial, happy-go-lucky Dandelion. While The Tale of Two Wolves is a very dark opening chapter, Dandelion is there to put a playful spin on proceedings. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments too where Dandelion breaks into song, and it especially works well in breaking the tension in each scene.
Elsewhere and Sztybor begins to build the setting of Grimmwald with plenty of exposition that doesn't slow the tempo or laden the reader with a history lesson. Instead, we get to see a living, breathing location that's full of the hustle and bustle of everyday life - with a werewolf-sized shadow hanging over it. This bot only helps to make Grimmwald feel real you also fall for the plight of its residents - and Red.
Artwork comes from Miki Montlló who uses various styles to capture the essence behind Sztybor's script. Montlló blends a cartoon-like innocence with a dark, gloomy gothic horror to create the exuberant carefree singalong of Dandelion's songs to then throw us into the despair of the surroundings. Character work is also of a high pedigree. Here Montlló uses the familiar look of Geralt from both the game and Henry Cavil's live portrayal to bring both sides of the character to the page. Considering that some've not experienced the game and vice versa, Geralt has never looked any better (and more recognizable). Red is also shaping up to be an interesting addition. While the "badass" side to Little Red Riding Hood has been done before, there's something about Montlló's version that airs a side of caution. It's certainly interesting and will no doubt be addressed as the story goes forward.
Overall and The Witcher: The Tale Of Two Wolves #1 is the perfect start to a good old-fashioned mystery tale. It's not only got those classic Witcher elements of monsters and Geralt being a badass, but it also feels very fairytale-like in its execution. Away from this and The Witcher: The Tale Of Two Wolves #1 is also a great example of why Bartosz Sztybor is trusted with these characters and their worlds. With more yet to come, this ones already shaping up to be a stone-cold classic Witcher outing!
Rating: 10/10
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Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter, Hive, Facebook, & TikTok @GeekCultureRev
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