L: 8/10
M: 8/10
Analysis from a piece of chalk on a winter sidewalk:
Head Lopper jumps out of the gate with an impressive first issue and speeds through a highly entertaining first collection that makes up this trade. A bearded sword-wielding juggernaut and his sidekick of a disembodied head tear through a mystical island world, removing the majority of heads that stand in their way. While I found some action scenes a little hard to follow, this book had a beautiful flow from cover to cover. The dialog was held at a minimum for this book’s stretches, making way for the action to tell the tale of Norgal and Agatha the Blue Witch.
Some time jumps strike without warning, leading to some reader confusion on my part for several panels. Besides that and some slightly confusing action sequences, this is an excellent intro to this story. The art and coloring are a perfect match. This trade collection is stuffed with a cover art collection, some artwork from other artists, and a sketchbook of some early character designs. Another Image title, and another great Image book.
Analysis from a polka dot girl in a leopard print world:
I have a common complaint in this genre: I get so fucking confused from frame to frame! Head Lopper kept that a reality, but if I’m going to have to re-read something twelve times, then it looks kick ass.
I have no complaints about this issue at all. It was a unique story with some surprise twists and an actual conclusion, which is not always the case in the comic world. The artwork was great, and I have placed it on my coffee table, where few books make the cut, in order to be able to pick it up from time to time and revisit the witch head and Viking-esque quality of the images. Truly a quick and enjoyable read, and I look forward to more!
Andrew MacLean
Mike Spicer
Aspirant Lecteur [SIC] 