Morgana Pendragon is a top-tier comic book written by Madeleine Holly-Rosing. If you’re into comics and love Arthurian legend, consider this essential reading. Behold our review!
We get a lot of review requests from indie creators at Comics Bulletin. As we should; it’s vitally important that we uplift up-and-coming creators. But we’re a small team and so we can’t get to every indie comic that floods our inbox, try though we might. This brings us to Morgana Pendragon #1, the debut issue in a series inspired by Arthurian myth, written by Madeleine Holly-Rosing alongside Alden Kaye (art), Warnia Sahadewa (colours), and Troy Peteri (letters). The moment I saw the name Morgana Pendragon, my interest was piqued. As a lover of King Arthur legend, from The Mists of Avalon to the BBC’s Merlin, I knew this was a comic that couldn’t pass me by.
Morgana Pendragon #1 is an issue written with confidence, by someone who knows the character inside and out. Holly-Rosing is not afraid to put a twist on Morgana, but her interpretation feels authentic and true to the character. In this comic, Morgana, bereft of her magic and away from England, leads a mercenary team, heading wherever the best paycheck is. However, when she catches wind that her brother, none other than King Arthur himself, is dying, she ends up facing Mordred, the child she left behind — and what follows may alter the fate of all England.
Holly-Rosing doesn’t hide her ambitions and vision for this comic: it’s right there in the introduction. Traditionally, Morgana (often called Morgaine) is represented as an evil sorceress, and is very much angled as the antagonist in stories. She takes such ideas of Morgana and realises a take on the character that’s significantly more grounded. She’s human, and she’s flawed. This comic achieves Holly-Rosing’s vision is bold, steadfast, and delivered excellently and with a confident flourish.
There’s characters Arthurian fans will instantly recognise: Morgana’s son Mordred; Sir Gawain; Sir Bedivere; and of course, King Arthur himself. Plus new, original additions that seamlessly weave into the narrative, such as Morgana’s group of mercenaries. There’s former merchant Lena, Korean merchant’s daughter Kyo-Joo, and West African warrior Ghedi. These characters have in-depth backstories and enter the overarching story in realistic ways. Notably through the Silk Road, a melting pot of different cultures.
The world building in Morgana Pendragon #1 is exquisite. This comic hasn’t been thrown together, it’s well thought-out, blending together intelligent new ideas with an extensive legend. So too is the artwork stellar. This comic jumps around a lot for a debut issue, perhaps a little too much at times, but the artwork instantly transports you into every location. The action is fast-paced and visually spectacular — it’s not afraid to get violent and bloody when needed.
As a lover of Arthurian Legend, I can be hard to impress. However, Morgana Pendragon #1 delivers a historical epic on all fronts. From its strong characters, to the personal conflicts between them, to the overarching politics of the world — there’s so much to love. Add this to your reading list, folks! Explore more about Morgana Pendragon #1 here.
