Wednesday 24 April 2013

So I Read Orc Stain


A 250 word (or less) review of Orc Stain Vol. 1
By James Stokoe, Image Comics




Have you ever wondered what all those Orcs you read about in fantasy novels get up to when they aren't guarding dungeons or enlisting in villainous hordes? Well wonder no more! They are fighting over phalluses. Orc stain is the story of the political, social, and economic fabric of Orc society. Specifically, it is about a mighty Orc chieftain's quest for status by finding his "God Organ" and the prophecy that he must capture the one-eyed Orc to find it. Much of Orc stain is seen though the lens of One-Eye, a uniocular safe-cracking thief who gets swept up in the Orc chieftain's quest. Along the way we learn about Orc culture, Orc-kind’s gronch based currency, and the elaborate craft of Orcish poisoning. Despite its uncouth sensibilities and creative tangents, from a story standpoint Orc Stain is pretty straightforward. Where the comic really sets itself apart is visually: this is one remarkable looking comic. The world of Orc Stain is a profoundly strange looking place: everything is lumpy and grotesque and ornate and exquisitely detailed and it’s all coloured in a feverish mix of bright greens and reds and purples. It’s a place that is at once endlessly fascinating to look at and ballsout (often literally) insane. If you are looking for a comic to read that is nothing like the norm give Orc Stain a try. Just be sure to hold onto your gronch. Or lady gronch.

Word count: 238

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