Yucatan 1512

by Alex Vede

Yucatan Peninsula, year 1512.
An expedition of Spanish conquistadors arrives on the shores of Yucatan in search of Mayan gold. This quest will lead a violent man to meet a girl with unfinished business with death. A story of gold, revenge and monsters.

First published comic book written and illustrated by Alex Vede.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Hosein · Rating 3 out of 5]

نمی‌شه واقعا توی ژانر تاریخ جایگزین گذاشتش، حتی راحت هم نیستم که بگم یه کار فانتزیه. بیشتر نزدیک می‌شه به ویرد فیکشن‌ها (ایکاش متن بهم نمی‌ریخت وقتی انگلیسی مینوشتم). اما با همون معیار ویرد فیکشن هم چندان داستان خاصی نداره. صرفا کانسپتِ اینکه یکسری رباتِ بزرگ که دقیقا ربات نیستن (از جنس آهن نیستن، خون هم دارن) از شهرِ باستانی‌ آزتک‌ها محافظت می‌کنن به حد کافی جالب هست.

خود روایت هم چیز خاصی نداره، خیلی کلیشه‌ایه. کلا همه چیز در خدمت اون کانسپتِ ربات‌هاست. برای یه خوندنِ کوتاه قبل خواب خوبه، برای جدی گرفتن یا با دقت خوندن نه.

[Vladimir Kostin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great visuals, but for a similar and longer plot you’d better watch The Road to El Dorado (2000) and Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

[Katsiaryna Paliakova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Visual style is cool, but the story is meh. My favourite part was the last few pages with the concept art

[Amir Mahdi · Rating 3 out of 5]

این چی بود؟ من کلش رو تو 10 دقیقه خوندم ولی حسابی لذت بردم. زیاد درموردش حرف نمیزنم اما یه تجربه زیبا بود

[Suki J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic novel following a group of Spanish soldiers seeking gold on the Yucatan peninsula in 1512. When one of the soldiers rebels and saves a native child, they flee and seek sanctuary among monsters.
Gorgeously illustrated, I found this very enjoyable, especially the touching relationship between our two protagonists. I also loved how the monsters were depicted.
What was a little disappointing was that I preferred some of the concept art at the end to the images that ended up in the book!

[Annalise · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art style and story were so intriguing in this graphic novel!! The use of shadows and jagged edges in the art really helped set the tone for each panel. And the color work was really good too!

[Μιχάλης Δαγκλής · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Yucatan 1512* by writer & artist Alex Vede is a visually striking read that plunged me into a dark, violent tale of conquest and redemption. Set during the Spanish expedition to the Yucatan Peninsula in 1512, the story follows Sorolla and a Mayan child, turning a quest for gold into a desperate jungle survival. Vede’s dynamic, textured artwork, with its vivid colors and expressive linework, steals the show, effectively conveying the story’s intensity and emotion. The use of glyphs for Mayan dialogue is deep cut perspective. However, the story feels somewhat brief yet compelling, leaving some wanting more development, though it lays a promising foundation for future tales. Vede is possibly a dual threat in future story telling.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool read with stunning artwork and a surprisingly heartfelt storyline for such a compact little package.

One of my favorite things in graphic novels is when the creators aren't afraid to lean heavily on the artwork to do the storytelling versus just accompanying dialogue. This book absolutely excels in that category. I especially loved the use of logograms to represent language unfamiliar to the reader. The experience of learning the various symbols alongside the main character felt both very fitting for this context and also so unique and special.

Def recommended!

Special thanks to Dark Horse and Edelweiss+ for providing access to an ARC in exchange for review.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art for this graphic novel was BEAUTIFUL. I loved that all the Mayan characters spoke in glyphs, so we were reading the story through the eyes of the main character as well — such a unique way to show that! I also thought the mecha guardians were an interesting touch, and looked super cool springing out of the jungle with all their Mayan art vibes. But I wish there had been more story — it’s only 80 pages long and I would have loved to see the whole thing fleshed out more; it could easily be double or triple the length!

[RSC_Collecting · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great one. A quick 64 page book of vengeance. Taking place in 1512, a crew of Spanish soldiers invade Yucatan in search of gold. Despite the warnings of Gods and guardians, the Spanish soldiers chug along. Killing anyone who opposed their search for the treasure. Ending in an epic battle with gorgeous art. It was a blast to read. And came to a really rewarding conclusion. You're led to hate the soldiers the entire time. So it's fun to see how it ends. I won't spoil too much. Definitely worth the read!

[Melissa C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

short yet memorable

Enjoyed this short tale of a poignant story. While fictional in many elements, it still contains a very real part of history that didn’t always end in happy endings such as these ones. The artistry is beautiful and the colors invoked a mood that was raw and visceral but also warm. I could see this being drawn out and made into a full length movie.

[Prachi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first thing that captures your gaze while reading YUCATAN is the exquisite artwork. The artwork is the heart and soul of the story. This is a short graphic novel about a group of soldiers who travel to the Yucatan peninsula in search of gold and what awaits them at the city.

[alejandro galvez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its ok.

Average book with good art. Wish it was longer. Only get 63 pages of the actual story. But the foundation is set for future stories. I can see other tales from this book, if they do go that route. An ok book.

[Alexander Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across this as a recently-added book to Libby, and I'm glad I did! A short, simple story with excellent art.
And I always appreciate a good "You're not that guy" moment.

[Tim Rooney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the funky art even if it gets a little too loose at times. The book doesn’t really live up to its premise, the big climax with the monsters is too short and the emotional story feels rushed. Worth checking out but wish it was meatier

[airrunkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story followed by some concept art. Well made, quick read. I like the comic book texture brushes and messy but dynamic art/linework. Happy with my purchase

[Arsnoctis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il suo peggior difetto è essere troppo breve.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a zine. But the art was amazing. Just wish there was more to the story.

3.3✨

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

badass. awesome art. satisfying story. would make a great movie.

[Rosy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is impressive and creative, but I didn’t feel any emotional impact (even though it's clearly supposed to be there).

[AllyP Reads Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars but I'll round up.

The artwork is outstanding, but the story lacking. It's a bit too short to get to know the main character and his backstory.

[Sammm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the art style and how the difference in language was shown. I wish the story had been longer though.

[Brad Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty solid. Incredible art and a simple but effective story. Although the story did feel like a backdrop for the art. It was good though, not much to it.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. It's about some conquistadors attacking Mayans for their gold. Somehow some big mechs get involved. It's cool even without things being explained. The Mayans talked in pictograms which I thought was interesting. Strangely enough, I was in the Yukatan today when I read this.