Rob checks out Balor by Peter Harte...
Created by Peter Harte and Amii Muir, Balor tells the story of an ordinary Irish youngster, Sean James whose life is about to become entwined with the mythology of old.
Up until two weeks ago, Sean James was a typical Irish youngster. However, this all changed the night his younger brother Ben was murdered by criminal kingpin Don O’Donnell. Torn up over his brother's unjust murder, and frustrated with O'Donnell being above the law, Sean is very close to doing something he may end up regretting. Sensing this frustration, Sean's mother suggests they take a trip to Ben's favorite place Loch Na Suil. Needing some alone time, Sean decides to head out into the frosty waters of the Loch. Once out on the water, he’s then overcome by a mysterious green glow that compels him to swim deeper into the murky depths.
Coming into contact with a faerie, Sean is then told he is to be the vessel for Balor's magical powers. He's then given a warning to use it wisely, and an ominous threat from Balor itself. Now awoken back on land, Sean decides to use these powers to exact his revenge on Don O’Donnell.
While I'm not clued up on my Irish mythology, it doesn't detract from the story Harte is telling. Across this opening issue and we're given a heck of a lot of character-building for our central hero - Sean. Personally, while I like the character his "origin" is a little clichéd. At some moments I couldn't help but picture Peter Parker's backstory - especially when Sean makes his "suit". However, it does fit the character well and shows that while he's messing with the Mob - he's a troubled adolescent that's out of his depth.
The other character in this story is Balor, a powerful being from Ireland's past that was cast asunder. From the comics' opening page, Harte makes us aware that Balor isn't the good guy. A somewhat megalomaniac whose prophesied death leads him to war with his own family does make for an interesting character. While we don't see much more of the character away from the opening of the issue, he does make a small cameo when Sean is bestowed his power. Even with the Faerie claiming that the dark side of Balor is kept at bay, it's obvious that this side will come to the surface as the series continues.
Away from the characterization and Harte's plot plays out like a superhero origin movie. He does well in setting his scene while introducing us to his cast and their motivations. The overall pacing is fairly consistent too with a good degree of action and quiet moments that allow for some context to be given. This all culminates in an ending that's not only unexpected, it takes Sean in a completely different direction than being a simply masked vigilante.
Joining Harte is artist Amii Muir who provides artwork - and coloring. Muir's work here is a real treat for the eyes. Each page is a display of bold line work, with an abundance of colors. Balor's introduction is a very poignant piece of artwork. Not only does the scene take place within panels that mimic an eye, but Muir's use of a strong red against the twilight background makes everything seem a lot darker. This same page layout is also used when Sean is creating his costume but in a much lighter way.
Overall Peter Harte and Amii Muir set their creation off to a decent start. There's a lot of world-building that takes place within this opening issue. Harte gives just enough exposition to keep you invested in the now but also throws in a few breadcrumbs to make sure you come back to Balor with its next issue (I've already got many questions and wild theories!). Muir on the other hand brings a lot of varied art and color to proceedings, which helps Harte's script leap from the page.
With issue #2 already out now is the perfect time to jump on board and see what the fuss is about!
Special thanks go to Peter Harte for sending over a copy of Balor #1 to aid in this review.
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