Graphic Novel Reviews: Elric: The Eternal Champion Collection

Get ready to spread some chaos!

Elric: The Eternal Champion Collection offers two separate stories illustrated by two different and iconic artists featuring the same notable hero, Elric. This series is a high fantasy taking place in a time before known historical time where the forces of Chaos and Law compete through elemental forces, creatures, and men. Elric is the emperor of Melnibone and the Eternal Champion, an albino swordsman with the power of Chaos, Strombringer – his soul-eating blade, and a formidable fate.

In Stormbringer, Elric’s sword the Stormbringer cannot be defeated and may cause more chaos than it ends. Elric must call forth this sword in order to save his wife and the world as an apocalyptic battle between the forces of Law and Chaos fight their final battle. [Spoiler: Characters are as safe in this narrative as the characters are in Game of Thrones.]

In a completely separate narrative, Elric: The Return to Melnibone, Elric enters the dreaming city to retrieve his wife. This story is more about humanizing Elric and describing his authority and love. While there is less violence, there is more sexual content than Stormbringer.

The storytelling method seems outdated but reads with the mythic gravitas of Beowulf. The font selections hint at runes and calligraphy, which make them cumbersome to read, and they often sit within the panel instead of a dialogue box. Sometimes the action on the page is difficult to distinguish. Visually, this graphic novel is black and white. This decision emphasizes the story’s conflict between the forces of Law and Chaos.

Comparing and contrasting the different art styles between the stories is part of the fun of this collection. Each artist uses ink differently. In the Stormbringer section, James Cawthorn uses various cross-hatching techniques to suggest shadow, the grit and finery of this fantastical ancient time, and the motion of combat. In the Elric: The Return to Melnibone section, Philippe Druillet uses intricate mandalas of details to portray opulence. He also uses contrasts with strong blots of light and shadow. Although the art styles are very different, Elric is recognizable in each story.

Elric: The Eternal Champion Collection is fit for mature audiences since the graphic novel prominently features nudity and violence. Fans of Michael Moorcock will applaud these title selections as character-defining, narrative moments. The graphic novel also features notes from the author and one illustrator as well as a history of the character of Elric. This collection is designed for and makes a great keepsake for established fans. This collection features stories that may be compelling introductions to newcomers; however, Elric will need to be advertised strongly in libraries to fans of The Wheel of Time and The Witcher series in order to be chosen off the shelf.