Sheep Comic Review: A Game of Thrones Issue #1

A Game of Thrones Issue: Book One of a Song of Ice and Fire #1 graphic novel
Cover: Alex Ross (main), Mike Miller (1-in-10)
Writer: George R.R. Martin, Daniel Abraham
Artist: Tommy Patterson
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: Sept 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages


George R.R. Martin has been called "the American Tolkien" by Time Magazine, and now his landmark fantasy series is being adapted to a graphic format, starting with the first book of the series: A Game of Thrones. The premiere issue introduces readers to George's world, adapting the prologue and first three chapters of the novel, and bringing onto the graphic stage such iconic characters as Eddard and Catelyn Stark, Jon Snow, young Bran Stark, and Daenerys Targaryen. This novel has also been adapted as a major miniseries by HBO - with HBO's highest ratings to date, since having premiered on April 17, 2011!

Holy comic book orgasm! I went back to the comic book store and picked up some more comics with hot guys on the cover, 'cause that’s how I roll, and I saw A Game of Thrones with a sword wielding sexy warrior surrounded by direwolves. Now, I have never read the books (have you seen the size of them?) (Kalpar: Wimp! Wiiiimp! I read all of them, check the records!) or watched the HBO show (don’t have HBO) so I thought this would be a quick and easy way see what all the fuss is about.

Issue #1 covers the first three chapters of the novel A Game of Thrones and we are introduced to three storylines. In the first one we meet a band of warriors from The Wall looking for Wilding raiders. However these warriors are attacked by a group of malevolent phantoms who slaughter their leader, who then appears to come back from the dead. Next we meet Lord Ned Stark and his sons as he executes a deserter from the Wall. On their way home they find a dead Direwolf and her five pups, which is odd because Direwolves haven’t been seen this side of The Wall in over 200 years. Since the Direwolf is the emblem of House Stark, Lord Stark lets his sons keep the pups. At their home Ned and his wife Catelyn discuss preparing for the arrival of their old friend Robert Baratheon, now king, who is coming to visit with his entourage. Last we meet Viserys Targaryen and his beautiful sister Daenerys, heirs to the throne that Robert currently holds. Viserys has sold his sister to the barbarian Khal Drogo in a plan to take back the lands that were taken from his family so long ago by the Starks and Baratheons.

I can’t remember the last time a comic book sucked me in so quickly and had me wanting the next issue so bad. It is hard to imagine the talent it took to condense three chapters of such a complex story into 32 pages. Of course having vivid and absolutely stunning artwork helped.

In my opinion, this comic book had it all. I found myself re-reading it multiple times and immersing myself in the fantasy world depicted in the detailed art. I definitely got my money’s worth from it and will continue to do so as I will flip through it many more times. All my fellow romance fans will appreciate the smexy sword-wielding men, especially Khal Drogo. You meet him at the very end and he screams romance hero (sorry to all the A Game of Throne Nerds, but he is hot!)

5 impressed Sheep!

SharonS (edit and snark by Kalpar)

***Game of Thrones season two starts Sunday, April 1st on HBO***