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By Chance or Providence #1-3
Por Deus ou Pelo Acaso
A coletânea da premiada trilogia medieval que consagrou Becky Cloonan como uma das principais artistas dos quadrinhos contemporâneos! Licenciado pela Image Comics, este encadernado reúne as histórias Lobos, O Pântano e Deméter, que foram originalmente publicadas avulsas, de maneira independente, e que têm em comum o cenário fantástico, típico do subgênero Espada e Feitiçaria. A visão única da artista nos apresenta uma faceta romântica de contos sobre lobisomens, fantasmas e outras criaturas mitológicas, sem perder de vista o horror que eles possibilitam. Nessas histórias mágicas, hipnóticas e misteriosas, o real se funde ao sobrenatural em um caminho pavimentado por guerra, melancolia, verdades distorcidas, tragédias e antigas maldições.
Na época de seus lançamentos, entre 2011 e 2013, o sucesso de público e crítica das três histórias foi estrondoso, sendo que O Pântano inclusive ganhou o prêmio Eisner de Melhor Edição Única em 2013. A edição da editora Pipoca & Nanquim vem no capricho que a autora merece, em formato americano, com capa dura e 132 páginas em papel couché de alta gramatura, que trazem os contos colorizados por Lee Loughridge (Hellblazer, Escalpo, Deadly Class), o que proporciona uma atmosfera ainda mais pungente para a deslumbrante arte, uma galeria de arte exclusiva e texto de biografia.
Na época de seus lançamentos, entre 2011 e 2013, o sucesso de público e crítica das três histórias foi estrondoso, sendo que O Pântano inclusive ganhou o prêmio Eisner de Melhor Edição Única em 2013. A edição da editora Pipoca & Nanquim vem no capricho que a autora merece, em formato americano, com capa dura e 132 páginas em papel couché de alta gramatura, que trazem os contos colorizados por Lee Loughridge (Hellblazer, Escalpo, Deadly Class), o que proporciona uma atmosfera ainda mais pungente para a deslumbrante arte, uma galeria de arte exclusiva e texto de biografia.
132 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2014
15 people are currently reading
2008 people want to read
About the author
Becky Cloonan
523 books397 followersBecky Cloonan is an American comic book creator, known for work published by Tokyopop and Vertigo. In 2012 she became the first female artist to draw the main Batman title for DC Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 307 reviews
October 8, 2022
Cloonan dedicates her volume to "those who have crushes on your characters," as she does in this loosely linked trilogy of dark supernatural fantasies with brooding gorgeous men and women. The stories, "Wolves," "The Mire," and "Demeter" (see Sam Quixote's fuller review for summaries and analysis) are short, elusive, and evocative rather than a rendition of a complete narrative. I'm going to characterize these as poetry comics, where the images largely convey everything she wants us to know. And we know very little that is going on but that's not the point. The images and feelings conveyed through those images are dark and sensual and gothic, haunting and mysterious. Cloonan does a range of comics, including the series Gotham Academy, for younger audiences, so she knows how to tell stories in different and impressive ways.
November 15, 2015
By Chance or Providence is a trilogy of previously published short stories – Wolves, The Mire, and Demeter - by Becky Cloonan collected together in one volume. I reviewed all three individually in 2013 – those reviews are below. Enjoy!
(The publication order was Wolves first, then The Mire, and finally Demeter but I read The Mire first, then Wolves and then Demeter which is why I’m referencing The Mire in the Wolves review. Regarding the Demeter review, Cloonan was calling this series Ink and Thunder but obviously changed it to By Chance or Providence for this book. I’m also still ranting about Marvel’s AVX in The Mire! I’m over it now, honestly…)
*
Wolves – 4 stars
Wolves is a moody supernatural fantasy that reads like a graphic poem than a straight story. Set in a time when people lived in castles and used swords on a daily basis, we meet our nameless narrator, naked and desperate, stumbling around in the woods. He tells us his sad story of being sent to kill a monstrous wolf in the forest by a king whose wife he is having an affair with. Somehow the two are connected as our narrator descends into a hellishly dark place from which he may never emerge.
The story isn’t as straightforward as The Mire as it jumps around a bit and Becky Cloonan keeps vital information unspoken. That said, it’s by no means a tough story to follow and the ending has a quiet devastation all of its own. As with The Mire, the best part of this comic is Cloonan’s incredible art. Her expressive use of black and white, the swirling figures blending into the impossibly romantic scenery and the perfect use of panel progression to tell the (albeit brief) story all make reading this a treat for the eyes.
But even more simply, it’s gorgeous to look at. Wolves is a comic whose high quality of artwork you rarely see in comics as quite often artists are pushed to hit monthly deadlines. The benefit of Cloonan taking her time drawing this comic is this stunning artwork that I find myself looking at every moment I have some downtime. That scene with the werewolf…
It’s also dead cheap. A full length comic for a handful of pennies? This is what digital comics should be instead what Marvel and DC charge which is 4, 5 times this at least. Wolves is a wonderful comic that readers of Mike Mignola and Dark Horse comics will especially respond to. More please, Becky!
*
The Mire – 5 stars
On the night before an epic battle will be fought, Sir Owain, a knight, sends his teenage squire Aiden on a mission to deliver an important letter to a castle, far from the battlefield. But what is the real reason for Aiden's journey? And what does the letter contain?
In just 24 pages Becky Cloonan creates an enchanting world of magic and chivalry, recalling the stories of King Arthur, Prince Valiant, and George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. It's a really well told story, paced nicely with utterly beautiful art throughout. The twist ending was something I'd guessed more or less from the start but Cloonan manages to throw in a rogue element to make the story seem that much more eerie and interesting.
I would say this comic contains better art and writing than entire Event series put out by DC and Marvel - The Mire is easily a more quality read than Blackest Night and Avengers Vs. X-Men combined. And I bought this on Amazon UK for 38p - a 24 page digital comic for half the price of a chocolate bar! It's less than a dollar on Amazon US and Comixology, while Marvel and DC routinely charge three or four dollars for a 20 page comic. I say, support this artist for the next-to-nothing cost of this excellent comic and pick up The Mire today. It's well worth it and is a far better read than half the crappy, overpriced New 52 and Marvel NOW! titles crowding the shelves.
Comics Rule Everything Around Me, says Cloonan on the copyright page, and it's paid off with this comic - Cloonan deservedly won the 2013 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue or One-shot for The Mire. It's a brilliant comic and shows that Cloonan can not only draw great comics but can also tell a great story too. Here's looking forward to her first full length graphic novel!
*
Demeter – 4 stars
Demeter is the latest addition to Becky Cloonan’s Ink and Thunder series of black and white digital comics and, though this is the third in the series after 2011’s Wolves and 2012’s The Mire, each is a standalone one-shot so even if you haven’t read the previous two, you can still jump straight into Demeter.
Set in an indeterminate time in the past (definitely pre-Industrial Revolution), Anna and Colin are young lovers living in a small cottage on the coast. Colin is a fisherman and Anna the housekeeper/farmer of their small land, and the two are very much in love (lotta sex!). But a strange figure haunts Anna in the night, looking in through the windows and watching them as they sleep. Anna holds a dark secret at the heart of her seemingly perfect romance, and their idyllic love is anything but…
Cloonan’s Ink and Thunder comics have this wonderful fairy-tale quality to them, set in a fantasy land where werewolves, ghosts, and this time, magic and spirits of nature, exist alongside ridiculously beautiful humans. Maybe it’s because of the doomed romance angle and the fact that magic and the sea are central to the tale that I kept thinking Demeter read like a comic Samuel Taylor Coleridge would’ve created if he were a comic book artist today. It’s got a very lyrical narrative tone alongside the haunting imagery that makes it really attractive to read as well as ambiguous in all the right places to keep the story lovely and mysterious.
Though the comic is 30 pages, its peculiarly complex storytelling structure where Cloonan leaps about at different points in the story and leaves on an open-ended note means that this is a comic you’ll want to flick back and re-read to tease out its puzzling meaning. And, like all of the Ink and Thunder series, Demeter is available only digitally though the price is far cheaper than most digital comics, longer too at 30 pages compared to 22, and of a much higher quality, so it’s excellent value for money.
Cloonan’s art is absolutely gorgeous, there’s no other description for it. I love her mainstream work on books like Batman, Killjoys, and, most recently, Harley Quinn #0, but her art in her own comics is the best it is and is so good, it’s unreal. Her manga influences are still there in her human characters’ faces, but her layouts and designs are distinctly her own. There are fantastical elements to the comic, and they look amazing, but even domestic scenes are rendered in breath-taking ways.
Demeter is another triumph for Becky Cloonan and a fine addition to her amazing series. Wonderful art coupled with a haunting tale of love, lost and found, Demeter is a brilliant fantasy/romance/supernatural/Cloonan comic, well worth a read.
(The publication order was Wolves first, then The Mire, and finally Demeter but I read The Mire first, then Wolves and then Demeter which is why I’m referencing The Mire in the Wolves review. Regarding the Demeter review, Cloonan was calling this series Ink and Thunder but obviously changed it to By Chance or Providence for this book. I’m also still ranting about Marvel’s AVX in The Mire! I’m over it now, honestly…)
*
Wolves – 4 stars
Wolves is a moody supernatural fantasy that reads like a graphic poem than a straight story. Set in a time when people lived in castles and used swords on a daily basis, we meet our nameless narrator, naked and desperate, stumbling around in the woods. He tells us his sad story of being sent to kill a monstrous wolf in the forest by a king whose wife he is having an affair with. Somehow the two are connected as our narrator descends into a hellishly dark place from which he may never emerge.
The story isn’t as straightforward as The Mire as it jumps around a bit and Becky Cloonan keeps vital information unspoken. That said, it’s by no means a tough story to follow and the ending has a quiet devastation all of its own. As with The Mire, the best part of this comic is Cloonan’s incredible art. Her expressive use of black and white, the swirling figures blending into the impossibly romantic scenery and the perfect use of panel progression to tell the (albeit brief) story all make reading this a treat for the eyes.
But even more simply, it’s gorgeous to look at. Wolves is a comic whose high quality of artwork you rarely see in comics as quite often artists are pushed to hit monthly deadlines. The benefit of Cloonan taking her time drawing this comic is this stunning artwork that I find myself looking at every moment I have some downtime. That scene with the werewolf…
It’s also dead cheap. A full length comic for a handful of pennies? This is what digital comics should be instead what Marvel and DC charge which is 4, 5 times this at least. Wolves is a wonderful comic that readers of Mike Mignola and Dark Horse comics will especially respond to. More please, Becky!
*
The Mire – 5 stars
On the night before an epic battle will be fought, Sir Owain, a knight, sends his teenage squire Aiden on a mission to deliver an important letter to a castle, far from the battlefield. But what is the real reason for Aiden's journey? And what does the letter contain?
In just 24 pages Becky Cloonan creates an enchanting world of magic and chivalry, recalling the stories of King Arthur, Prince Valiant, and George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. It's a really well told story, paced nicely with utterly beautiful art throughout. The twist ending was something I'd guessed more or less from the start but Cloonan manages to throw in a rogue element to make the story seem that much more eerie and interesting.
I would say this comic contains better art and writing than entire Event series put out by DC and Marvel - The Mire is easily a more quality read than Blackest Night and Avengers Vs. X-Men combined. And I bought this on Amazon UK for 38p - a 24 page digital comic for half the price of a chocolate bar! It's less than a dollar on Amazon US and Comixology, while Marvel and DC routinely charge three or four dollars for a 20 page comic. I say, support this artist for the next-to-nothing cost of this excellent comic and pick up The Mire today. It's well worth it and is a far better read than half the crappy, overpriced New 52 and Marvel NOW! titles crowding the shelves.
Comics Rule Everything Around Me, says Cloonan on the copyright page, and it's paid off with this comic - Cloonan deservedly won the 2013 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue or One-shot for The Mire. It's a brilliant comic and shows that Cloonan can not only draw great comics but can also tell a great story too. Here's looking forward to her first full length graphic novel!
*
Demeter – 4 stars
Demeter is the latest addition to Becky Cloonan’s Ink and Thunder series of black and white digital comics and, though this is the third in the series after 2011’s Wolves and 2012’s The Mire, each is a standalone one-shot so even if you haven’t read the previous two, you can still jump straight into Demeter.
Set in an indeterminate time in the past (definitely pre-Industrial Revolution), Anna and Colin are young lovers living in a small cottage on the coast. Colin is a fisherman and Anna the housekeeper/farmer of their small land, and the two are very much in love (lotta sex!). But a strange figure haunts Anna in the night, looking in through the windows and watching them as they sleep. Anna holds a dark secret at the heart of her seemingly perfect romance, and their idyllic love is anything but…
Cloonan’s Ink and Thunder comics have this wonderful fairy-tale quality to them, set in a fantasy land where werewolves, ghosts, and this time, magic and spirits of nature, exist alongside ridiculously beautiful humans. Maybe it’s because of the doomed romance angle and the fact that magic and the sea are central to the tale that I kept thinking Demeter read like a comic Samuel Taylor Coleridge would’ve created if he were a comic book artist today. It’s got a very lyrical narrative tone alongside the haunting imagery that makes it really attractive to read as well as ambiguous in all the right places to keep the story lovely and mysterious.
Though the comic is 30 pages, its peculiarly complex storytelling structure where Cloonan leaps about at different points in the story and leaves on an open-ended note means that this is a comic you’ll want to flick back and re-read to tease out its puzzling meaning. And, like all of the Ink and Thunder series, Demeter is available only digitally though the price is far cheaper than most digital comics, longer too at 30 pages compared to 22, and of a much higher quality, so it’s excellent value for money.
Cloonan’s art is absolutely gorgeous, there’s no other description for it. I love her mainstream work on books like Batman, Killjoys, and, most recently, Harley Quinn #0, but her art in her own comics is the best it is and is so good, it’s unreal. Her manga influences are still there in her human characters’ faces, but her layouts and designs are distinctly her own. There are fantastical elements to the comic, and they look amazing, but even domestic scenes are rendered in breath-taking ways.
Demeter is another triumph for Becky Cloonan and a fine addition to her amazing series. Wonderful art coupled with a haunting tale of love, lost and found, Demeter is a brilliant fantasy/romance/supernatural/Cloonan comic, well worth a read.
June 24, 2019
The art was very well done. The stories were intriguing and had a legendary feel, but ultimately didn't seem to go anywhere. Also, it's always a little sad to me to see authors today, especially women, falling back on the old "women are temptresses destroying men with their boobs" trope.
May 23, 2014
Beautiful.
The storytelling is three stars, but the art is eleventy stars, so it evens out.
The storytelling is three stars, but the art is eleventy stars, so it evens out.
March 26, 2022
Three dark fairy tale like stories full of werewolves and the undead. The endings of all are left vague to leave to the readers' interpretation. I prefer to get a little more of the author's intent. Cloonan's art is very good. The storytelling can be a bit sparse.
January 11, 2021
It’s the morning after and I can’t seem to get these stories out of my head. By Chance of Providence was hauntingly beautiful. Each story is so wonderfully poetic and dark, leaving you with a sense of melancholy. Becky Cloonan does an exceptional job at blending fantasy and horror to weave three timeless tales I don’t think I’ll ever forget.
It’s very rare for me to find graphic novels that I like because I’m very picky about art styles but this one blew me away. I want these illustrations plastered all over my bedroom walls.
Out of the three short stories, Demeter was definitely my favorite. If I had to nitpick, I would say that I wish there had been more. These stories left me wanting… but perhaps that’s the point. Beautiful stories don't always need a HEA.
Wolves – 4.75/5
The Mire – 4/5
Demeter – 5/5
Overall rating: 4.5/5
It’s very rare for me to find graphic novels that I like because I’m very picky about art styles but this one blew me away. I want these illustrations plastered all over my bedroom walls.
Out of the three short stories, Demeter was definitely my favorite. If I had to nitpick, I would say that I wish there had been more. These stories left me wanting… but perhaps that’s the point. Beautiful stories don't always need a HEA.
Wolves – 4.75/5
The Mire – 4/5
Demeter – 5/5
Overall rating: 4.5/5
March 3, 2019
This was a nice different kind of story. I enjoyed it. There are 3 issues that make up this volume. It is a trilogy, but a very short one. I feel like there should be more of this. It was so short and quick and I wanted more. That's a good thing.
The artwork was mysterious and the story kept you wanting more. Maybe, I'm tired, but I didn't really see how they related to each other, the 3 stories. It seems to be a love story of some sort. As I said, maybe I'm tired, but I didn't feel like dots were connected in this story. I feel that happens often in modern comics now. Story is sacrificed for either mystery, or a break neck pace to keep people interested.
Still, this was a different type of story and I appreciate that.
The artwork was mysterious and the story kept you wanting more. Maybe, I'm tired, but I didn't really see how they related to each other, the 3 stories. It seems to be a love story of some sort. As I said, maybe I'm tired, but I didn't feel like dots were connected in this story. I feel that happens often in modern comics now. Story is sacrificed for either mystery, or a break neck pace to keep people interested.
Still, this was a different type of story and I appreciate that.
February 1, 2018
Bullet Review:
WOW! I am just STUNNED at how beautiful this is and how my heart strings are now pulled all over the place. Each comic - Mire, Wolves, and Demeter - tell such a tear-jerking story in the fewest pages, but each tells it SO BRILLIANTLY WELL, much better than full length novels that tweak and manipulate your feelings to get you to cry already dammit!
Cloonan, you MUST write more! MORE PLEASE!
WOW! I am just STUNNED at how beautiful this is and how my heart strings are now pulled all over the place. Each comic - Mire, Wolves, and Demeter - tell such a tear-jerking story in the fewest pages, but each tells it SO BRILLIANTLY WELL, much better than full length novels that tweak and manipulate your feelings to get you to cry already dammit!
Cloonan, you MUST write more! MORE PLEASE!
April 16, 2021
Do you like sexy, creepy goth stuff? Saddle up Hot Topic shoppers, does Becky Cloonan have 3 unrelated, yet similar veined stories for you! These creepy tales of woe are also sexy and intriguing. Werewolves, sea monsters, dead ladies, sexiness, IT'S ALL HERE!
Honestly though, she's a fantastic artist and this was a super quick, enjoyable read. Like a sexy Mike Mignola, as it were.
Honestly though, she's a fantastic artist and this was a super quick, enjoyable read. Like a sexy Mike Mignola, as it were.
December 6, 2017
There is nothing groundbreaking here, but the three fantasy/horror stories are quite well done, especially the middle story, "The Mire." I'd certainly like to see Cloonan do another collection like this or tackle a longer piece in the same vein.
October 10, 2017
Nice and gothic. Cloonan uses fairy tale themes in three stories - Demeter, the last tale is the best. But all stories are outstading.
March 5, 2018
4 stars--I really liked it. This collection contains three shorter stories--"Wolves," "The Mire," and "Demeter." I enjoyed all three. There's not a lot of text--these are more the suggestion of stories rather than full arcs. They're mysterious and spooky and leave lots of room for interpretation. Clonan's art is fabulous--sinister and beautiful at once.
August 8, 2017
This book contains three short stories. Well written with great ambiance. They left me wanting more. The art is fantastic and I'd be interested in more with this artist.
July 17, 2025
Three short stories, poetic medieval fantasy sustained mostly by Cloonan and Loughridge beautifil artwork
February 7, 2018
This is something I'm going to have to re-read. For some reason, I was under the impression that this volume was all one, cohesive story - I didn't realize that it's actually 3 individual short stories that Cloonan initially published online only. I think had I known this ahead of time, it would've shaped my expectations differently.
The stories in this collection are beautiful and haunting. I do wish I had read them more slowly - I went through them kind of quickly and so I was confused some of the time, but this was definitely not the fault of the writing. These narratives actually worked incredibly well as short stories. Cloonan packs a lot of atmosphere into these little morsels and while the Fantasy setting is somewhat generic, the tales Cloonan tells are not.
As many other reviewers have noted, the artwork in this collection is absolutely beautiful. This is some of Cloonan's best work and the colouring by Loughridge is top-notch. I would honestly buy this for the aesthetic value alone.
The stories in this collection are beautiful and haunting. I do wish I had read them more slowly - I went through them kind of quickly and so I was confused some of the time, but this was definitely not the fault of the writing. These narratives actually worked incredibly well as short stories. Cloonan packs a lot of atmosphere into these little morsels and while the Fantasy setting is somewhat generic, the tales Cloonan tells are not.
As many other reviewers have noted, the artwork in this collection is absolutely beautiful. This is some of Cloonan's best work and the colouring by Loughridge is top-notch. I would honestly buy this for the aesthetic value alone.
July 26, 2021
This is unsettling and gorgeous, and I loved it. Reminds me of a medieval version of Through the Woods (but Becky Cloonan uses less red than Emily Carroll uses).
Reread: still good!
Reread: still good!
July 8, 2025
Drop-dead stunning artwork and colouring. Worth reading for the art alone! That being said, the stories themselves are haunting, dark fantasy goodness. I found the first story to be a bit lackluster compared to the other two, but all are enjoyable, and taste will vary. Definitely a better fit for those who enjoy a little ambiguity in their endings.
March 25, 2021
Re-read ktorý nezmenil môj názor. Toto je proste skvelá záležitosť a dôkaz toho, ako veľa sa dá na pár stránkach dokázať. A kresba a farby sú tiež výborné. Ilustrácie a náčrty na konci ako bonus sú asi tretina knihy ale stoja za to.
January 13, 2019
A collection of three beautiful and dark short stories that Cloonan originally self-published. I love Becky Cloonan's art style, and this doesn't disappoint. A big part of the book is the art gallery at the end, and it is absolutely gorgeous.
I got this signed at the Helsinki Comics festival in 2018, and couldn't be happier. If you love dark artwork in strong black inks, check out By Chance or Providence! I can also highly recommend her illustrations in this Dracula edition.
I got this signed at the Helsinki Comics festival in 2018, and couldn't be happier. If you love dark artwork in strong black inks, check out By Chance or Providence! I can also highly recommend her illustrations in this Dracula edition.
September 17, 2017
By Chance or Providence is a mainstream publication of three zines that Cloonan previously produced. They are dark and horrifying fantasies, beautifully illustrated with dark and moody panels. My only beef is that the original zine publications had slightly different colours and a bit more nuance to the lines it seemed, but this is still a wonderfully luscious book. Also quite dark and terrifying!
October 28, 2017
The art in this is a gorgeous 5 stars, and while the stories were interesting, they weirdly weren't complete. A few of the stories were much too short to be any good, but again, the art was beautiful.
Another thing to add, only half of this image edition is the 3 stories. The other half is story designs and related art which were super gorgeous and almost more satisfying than the stories.
Another thing to add, only half of this image edition is the 3 stories. The other half is story designs and related art which were super gorgeous and almost more satisfying than the stories.
August 6, 2017
Si je pouvais mettre plus de 5 étoiles, je le ferais avec plaisir. Définitivement ma BD favorite de cette année 2017. Un style de dessin en noir et blanc absolument sublime, tout en expressions et en lignes, et des histoires intemporelles.
June 9, 2014
Gorgeous art, beautiful, mysterious atmosphere. Wish this was more widely available so I could recommend it to libraries!
August 6, 2017
Haunting, heartachingly sad and creepy stories.
March 24, 2023
Gostei muito da vibe dos contos. O primeiro foi o que eu gostei mais. tambem adorei os rascunhos no final. Arte mt linda
May 30, 2018
Three somber fairy tale-like short stories.
---------------------------------
WOLVES
A naked man stumbles through a forest. A hunter tracks a werewolf. Flashbacks to a tryst with a woman. A king curses and exiles the hunter. A naked man stumbles through a forest.
Wolves is appealing as an experience but as a story it's woefully unclear. Is the naked man the hunter or the werewolf? Or someone else? Is the hunter exiled because the woman was the queen? Was the WOMAN the werewolf? Too many questions.
---------------------------------
THE MIRE
A squire traversing a haunted swamp learns the story of his own provenance from a ghoul in an abandoned castle.
Love the understatedness of The Mire. Cloonan doesn't tell us the whole story, but it's there for the reader to suss out in the dagger protruding from the ghoul's chest, in the confused, furious words of a second ghoul who chases the squire into the castle...
Cloonan is a deft hand at morbidity.
---------------------------------
DEMETER
When a fisherman is taken by a sudden storm, his wife trades seven drops of blood for seven months of reprieve from death. Eventually the sea comes to collect on her debt.
Beautiful. It's atmospheric, romantic, and melancholy.
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
WOLVES
A naked man stumbles through a forest. A hunter tracks a werewolf. Flashbacks to a tryst with a woman. A king curses and exiles the hunter. A naked man stumbles through a forest.
Wolves is appealing as an experience but as a story it's woefully unclear. Is the naked man the hunter or the werewolf? Or someone else? Is the hunter exiled because the woman was the queen? Was the WOMAN the werewolf? Too many questions.
---------------------------------
THE MIRE
A squire traversing a haunted swamp learns the story of his own provenance from a ghoul in an abandoned castle.
Love the understatedness of The Mire. Cloonan doesn't tell us the whole story, but it's there for the reader to suss out in the dagger protruding from the ghoul's chest, in the confused, furious words of a second ghoul who chases the squire into the castle...
Cloonan is a deft hand at morbidity.
---------------------------------
DEMETER
When a fisherman is taken by a sudden storm, his wife trades seven drops of blood for seven months of reprieve from death. Eventually the sea comes to collect on her debt.
Beautiful. It's atmospheric, romantic, and melancholy.
---------------------------------
October 19, 2018
This would be probably worth 5 stars, if not for the fact that about 1/3 of the TPB is concept sketches and various artworks.
I liked the stories very much, however and I consider them further proof that Cloonan should stick to her own guns instead of becoming mixed up in terrible ideas such as the "Conan Incident" (although I confess, I liked her Belit).
Cloonan understands fundamental elements of the myth, folktale and oral storytelling, as well as how they connect to the art of comics. I would very much like to see something bigger in scope, in the same vein.
I liked the stories very much, however and I consider them further proof that Cloonan should stick to her own guns instead of becoming mixed up in terrible ideas such as the "Conan Incident" (although I confess, I liked her Belit).
Cloonan understands fundamental elements of the myth, folktale and oral storytelling, as well as how they connect to the art of comics. I would very much like to see something bigger in scope, in the same vein.
October 15, 2017
Three haunting medieval tales with beautiful illustrations. The mood is well set, but the stories could use a little more cohesion - I could tell the author was trying something clever, but I had to go back and re-read sections to figure out what the twist actually was. Still, it was all delightfully dark and mysterious.
October 1, 2018
Becky Cloonan's art is so stunningly beautiful and I can't believe I waited this long to finally read this! I've followed her on twitter for so long and this just reminds me why.
October 2, 2021
Very beautiful art. My favorite story was The Mire. Some of my favorite pieces were in the concept art rear matter, where it felt like there were a lot more stories to be told.
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