The period of the Crusades was a crazy time when successive genocidal expeditions spilled over from one side of Europe to the other. In order to expand the group of enlightened souls, the Christian army plundered, plundered and destroyed more cities. The cruelty of both sides has become legendary, and the sea of blood poured out by the fighting armies and by innocent people unlucky enough to find themselves between the hammer and the anvil was second to none. The repercussions of those events can be experienced even today. But who were these noble knights who glorified the name of their Lord in this sacred way? Were each of them a God-fearing, obedient believer? Was faith their only guide?
Who were the heroes of the tragedy?
Vincent Burgeas in his history tries to present a picture of units that constituted the strength of the armed forces fighting in Sicily in the 11th century. Each character is driven by a different ambition: revenge, the will to power or greed. The screenwriter argues that in order to go to the other end of the world to kill people in the name of any ideals, you need to have at least a slightly distorted psyche. Even the depicted monks seek to achieve goals that are far from the concept of forgiveness and grace. They are all human and their desires are far from sacred. However, as you know – history is written by the winners, it is worth being on the right side of the barricade.
The main character is a Norman nobleman who, betrayed, found himself in captivity in a foreign land. Here, however, he won allies and, under a changed name, joins the turmoil of war, not only to take revenge, but also to get rich. His strategic sense may turn out to be more useful than his sword skills. A good commander can achieve, even with a small unit, what the entire army cannot. Ira Dei is a record of the adventures and clashes in the campaign against Islamic fortresses in Sicily, in which Robert, known as Tancred, implements his discreet plan. Slowly gaining both new allies and enemies. Revenge is impossible without a powerful background.
Mind or body? Action above all!
The plot created by Brugeas is not particularly complicated, and the main emphasis is placed on the action and epicness of the events presented. The characters, despite the lack of particularly complex characters, do not offend, because they are not the only ones in the center of attention. It gives way to subsequent combat scenes, and the intrigues are to help maintain the plot balance, so that subsequent conflicts between the characters have any justification. The first volume of the story gives the impression of introducing you to something more, but it can only be judged when reading the sequel. The introduction – despite some shortcomings – encourages us to give the series a chance and wait for the further adventures of Robert-Tancred.
How to paint a crusade?
Ronan Toulhoat is responsible for the graphic side of the project, using simple, yet meaningful lines to adapt it to the atmosphere of the story. Sharp strokes of black and the oscillation between a detailed and a slightly conventional drawing reflect the nature of the conflict well. The illustrator focused on the eloquence and legibility of the drawings, treating them rather as a good tool for telling a story than a reason to show graphic “fireworks”. Thanks to this, the following pages are a pleasure to follow and the reader does not have to wonder for a moment what the pictures show. The lack of pursuit of too much artistry is conducive to presenting the plot, which is aimed at not too complicated entertainment.
The high quality of the Polish edition combined with skilful translation complete the whole and make Ira Dei hold in hand with pleasure and gradually learns about the next stages of the battle, in which not only military skills and cleverness count, but above all strategy and the ability to stick a knife in backs of allies at the right moment.
For and against the war in Sicily
The comic of Brugeas and Toulhoat belongs to the enjoyable entertainment genre. It’s worth taking a look at, especially when you’re looking for quick and simple entertainment. The heroes, despite the lack of particularly complex characters, fill the world with their deeds, which are often ambiguous and they are difficult to classify as “good” or “bad”. This is an undoubted advantage and it can be hoped that in the continuation they will gain more psychological depth, and the conflict will gain a political and moral foundation.
