The era of the Renaissance
16th century, Northern Italy. The Republic is ruled here, a creation based on the principles and philosophy of ancient Rome. There are no wars, and all conflicts are resolved during clashes between representatives of duelist schools. The most famous of these daredevils is Horacio d’Alba.
Nice surprise
I had no idea what to expect when opening this comic. We get a beautiful hardcover edition with a mysterious title – Horacio d’Alba . The binding is also decorated with the image of a silver-haired girl in full armor, with two bandolets. My associations? I was expecting to find a novel of the cloak and dagger genre inside. A story full of secrets, stealth, about the adventures of a mysterious hero named d’Alba. What do we get? An epic story about 16th-century Italy, full of monumental battles, political ploys and attacks. This is not a talk of spies. It’s a macro story, so we’ll see clashes between entire countries. In addition, the place of action makes the comic an ideal proposition for fans of the Ezio Auditore Trilogy from the Assassin’s Creed series.. Will people unfamiliar with games have the same fun? Of course, if not even better! They will be able to feel this wonderful Italian atmosphere for the first time. I am sure that a possible later game of the Ubisoft championship series can be treated as a nice supplement to d ‘Alba .
Duels turn into battles
The story of Horacio d’Alby begins innocently enough. The plot focuses only on duels fought by representatives of various academies. The theme itself is fascinating, but it quickly fades as the novel progresses. The comic is quickly becoming a monumental work, and local conflicts of senators turn into fights over who will sit on the Vatican throne. We get to know a cruel contender to the title of pope, the envoy of the king of France will also stand in our way, and the blood will flow in streams.
Unique atmosphere
What is the strength of this comic book? First of all, the novel gives the atmosphere of 16th-century Italy, which we had the opportunity to feel even in the aforementioned games from the Assassin’s Creed series. The enormous power of the pope, characteristic fashion, the perceptible spirit of the Renaissance and references to the culture of ancient Rome, the ubiquitous condottiers and mercenaries subordinate to them – these elements create a unique work that makes this particular region of the world an ideal reality for an epic historical novel. When it comes to comic book characters, they are expressive, human, they make mistakes. The only problem is the figure of Horacio himself, the best duelist. Despite the soul of a warrior, he rarely shows the claw of predation or the true line of a leader. The wolf disposition comes out of him only when he has to find his son kidnapped by one of the candidates for the pope. However, the depictions of specific soldiers from dueling schools are fascinating, each of which has a different character, visually different, etc.
Artist duo
Horacio d’Alba would not be such a good comic book if it were not for the masterful drawings by Nicolas Siner. Realistic, at the same time quite vivid line and subdued colors perfectly reflect the colorful, yet brutal and slightly dark world of the novel. The artist’s artistry is most visible during battle scenes, when he managed to present the clashing armies in detail. His collaboration with Jerome Le Gris resulted in a great work.
A comic book that receives speech
Even though the entire comic book is fascinating reading, I definitely highlight a few scenes. Cards that capture the imagination are breathtaking and squeeze tears. Drawing blocks dedicated to battles such as clash of two duelist schools, charge of the doom, blowing up the fortress. There are hardly any dialogues in these scenes. There is silence from the image, yet it feels like watching a movie in slow motion. Doesn’t that prove the mastery of the creators? I know from experience that there are few such moments in life. The jaw drops and we are pushed into the chair.
We invite you to travel back in time
A sensational historical novel. Monumental battles, touching breakups and a momentous action. The atmosphere of 16th-century Italy resembles what we know from the most popular games from the Assassin’s Creed series . The struggles for the Throne of Peter are alive. Great release and great story.
