Deicide is an epic fantasy quest with some very unusual twists in setting, characters and background. Portela's setting is reminiscent more of Africa than of Dark Ages Europe, and his world is one where gods and strange creatures walk the Earth, and a variety of cults and localized deities rule the culture. The central plot, a young warrior trying to reclaim his true love's soul, is not something I've never seen in fantasy before, but the rest of the story is very new and different. Even better, the painted artwork by Das Pastoras is drop dead gorgeous.
Though Deicide takes place in an unfamiliar realm, Portela manages to impart a lot of information about how the world works in a fairly seamless and transparent manner. The opening sequence, short though it may be, gives us a good idea of the romance between Aldara and Agon, as well as the troubled history they've faced, and thus the fate of Aldara has resonance even though it happens fairly early. In addition, it rapidly becomes clear that there is a more direct connection to the gods in this world, and that the gods are of the Greek variety, full of human foibles and desires.
What I find really interesting about Deicide is that the strange elements of the story are not really emphasized, but just played as part of the world. The man-beast that winds up becoming an ally (and thorn in the side) of Agon is played as little more than a normal companion despite his lion features, and the quest for a virgin, an encounter with a bloodthirsty worm-like god and trip into dreamtime by means of a hideous organic device are no stranger than would be magic swords and armor in a standard fantasy. This approach makes it easy to get into Deicide despite the alien nature of some of its trappings, and the result is one of the more fresh and interesting fantasy epics I've read in comics.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that the book is lush and gorgeous to look at. Humanoids has long had a reputation for stunning artwork, and their oversized hardcovers really show off the skills of the painters who work for the company. Das Pastoras reminds me quite a bit of the stylized work of Richard Corben, except that I think he puts more fine detail into his work. Because of the setting, many of the characters are drawn nude or semi-nude, and this really allows Das Pastoras to show off a strong grasp of anatomy. Really, it's hard to convey how beautiful this book is, except to say that it compares very well with the work of folks like Bryan Hitch or Frank Quitely, stylized and heavily detailed.
This book is but part one of a longer journey, and like many of Humanoids' graphic album offerings, it looks like a pretty hefty investment as a result. However, $16 for this volume is definitely a fair price, as the production values, art and writing are all very solid. Portela and Das Pastoras get a lot of story and background into this first chapter, and those seeking out fantasy with a twist should definitely give Deicide a try.
