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The Helm, Volume 1
(The Helm #1-4)
by
Matt Blurdy's day has gone from crap to worse. Not only did his girlfriend break his heart at work - and in front of all of the video - store patronsbut he just got fired. On the way home, Matt decides to quiet his aching heart with a brief detour to a garage sale. When an ancient-looking helmet calls to him as "the Chosen One," exhorting him to don the mantle of the "Valh
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Paperback, 104 pages
Published
April 14th 2009
by Dark Horse Books
(first published April 8th 2009)
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Start your review of The Helm, Volume 1
Not really a bad read, lots of silliness and a humorous idea. "Loser" stumbles on magic Helm at garage/Yard sale. The Helm initially calls to Mathew and identifies him as the Hero it's been waiting for...but then tries to back out, realizing Mathew isn't the hero...or is he?
I'm really not much of graphic novel person and the humor left me cold a great deal of the time, though I'm sure some will and do love this. I didn't hate it...but I wasn't impressed either and probably won't follow up with m ...more
I'm really not much of graphic novel person and the humor left me cold a great deal of the time, though I'm sure some will and do love this. I didn't hate it...but I wasn't impressed either and probably won't follow up with m ...more
"The Helm" is the first graphic novel I've ever read (I prefer weighty tomes with no pictures and have always turned my nose up at what I considered glorified comic books, being the literary snob that I am). This book was so funny I laughed out loud in several places. It gave me an entirely new respect and appreciation for this genre. (Great news for my husband, who writes graphic novels.)
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This was amusing and somewhat fun. It probably didn't run for very long. But a good read for a laugh.
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I grabbed this graphic novel because of the cover and the catch phrase on the cover that said” What if you had a magical superpower and it hated your guts?” I just had to read it. The read was fun, funny, unpredictable, and totally a farce. This was a good time; you should give this graphic novel a try. The whole story revolves around a loser named Matt Blurdy, an overweight, 30 year old movie rental clerk that still lives in the basement of his overbearing mother. To believe what is contained i ...more
BAM! BANG! BANG! This has been my impression of comic books for the last 10 years of my life, they were books about colorful superheroes with a lot of explosions and obscene noises. However after reading The Helm, I realized that comic books was just like a regular book, however much easier to read as it paints the scene in your head for you. Seeing as how I am an inexperienced comic’s reader, I have no previous knowledge or standards about a good comic book so please excuse me if I make a mist
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Mathew Blurdy is fat and lazy and lives in his mother’s basement. When his girlfriend (shocking that he has one) Jill breaks up with him and he loses his job at the video store, a tear-stained Mathew rides off on his motorcycle toward certain…garage sale. There, he finds a mysterious helm that starts talking to him and tells him that he is the “Valhalladrim,” one in a long line of heroes who stand between us and the forces of evil! Mathew is skeptical, but hey, a talking helm! He ends up stealin
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2010 Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens
This graphic novel is hilarious. Not only am I reading about the unrealistic physical attribuutes of my superhero Matthew, his actions are almost predictable...getting dumped at work, becomming so overwhelmed that his emotions take charge, getting fired.... I can totally see it! Can't wait to see what happens when he becomes the "chosen one".
How interesting!! So Matthew steals this helmet and accepts the responsibilities that come with it - hopefully ab ...more
This graphic novel is hilarious. Not only am I reading about the unrealistic physical attribuutes of my superhero Matthew, his actions are almost predictable...getting dumped at work, becomming so overwhelmed that his emotions take charge, getting fired.... I can totally see it! Can't wait to see what happens when he becomes the "chosen one".
How interesting!! So Matthew steals this helmet and accepts the responsibilities that come with it - hopefully ab ...more
At first, I thought this was just a typical wish-fulfillment story, but there was a surprising amount of depth to the story, once it got rolling.
An apparent total loser obtains an artifact of great power, one that has seemingly chosen him to be a hero...and then rejects him. Refusing to give up, he uses it to become a hero, albeit a flabby and out-of-shape one.
Weirdly, his obsession with this artifact gives him a new focus and a purpose in life, only...is it really happening? Is the voice in his ...more
An apparent total loser obtains an artifact of great power, one that has seemingly chosen him to be a hero...and then rejects him. Refusing to give up, he uses it to become a hero, albeit a flabby and out-of-shape one.
Weirdly, his obsession with this artifact gives him a new focus and a purpose in life, only...is it really happening? Is the voice in his ...more
Sometimes people seek their fate. Other times fate forces itself on a person. However there is a third option, fate could completely shun you. This is the case for Mathew Blurdy. The mystical helm sees Matt as a loser and tells Matt to go away. What a great idea, the premise alone is worth the price of admission.
It is a fun ride watching Matt stumble on the road to being a hero. The artwork adds to the enjoyment. The interaction between Matt and The Helm is great. I think we could add this duo t ...more
It is a fun ride watching Matt stumble on the road to being a hero. The artwork adds to the enjoyment. The interaction between Matt and The Helm is great. I think we could add this duo t ...more
I read this only because I was trying to determine whether it should go in the adult or teen collection. Matt is a stereo typical loser. He's 30, works in a video store and lives in his mom's basement. His girlfriend dumps him and he gets fired. On the way home on his moped, he stops at a garage sale and picks up a helmet that talks to him. He is apparently a superhero, a Valhalladrim, and needs to save the world from darkness. I'm not a fan of graphic novels and this one is OK. Campy and funny.
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A funny light read about a drop out video store clerk who finds an ancient enchanted helm and becomes the saviour of mankind (or at least his mum and his girlfriend).
It lacks a strong plot but the helm's constant old fashioned insulting of the main character keeps you chuckling all the way through:
"thou art unworthy of my power! unhand me knave!"
The art is solid - the artist certainly knows how to draw a flabby 20-something nerd (even if we might not want to see that much of him o.O; ) ...more
It lacks a strong plot but the helm's constant old fashioned insulting of the main character keeps you chuckling all the way through:
"thou art unworthy of my power! unhand me knave!"
The art is solid - the artist certainly knows how to draw a flabby 20-something nerd (even if we might not want to see that much of him o.O; ) ...more
It is just what you would expect no surprises but made me laugh anyway. I love the concept, nerdy 30 year old who still lives with his mother gets dumped, and fired in the same day. Through his tears he spots… a garage sale and must pull over (Robbendah much?) finds an ancient helm which wakes up because he is the hero but then tries to change its mind when it realizes how much of a loser he is. Tries to have him killed and hilarity ensues.
The tag line says it all: "What if you had a magical superpower and it hated your guts?" In this surprisingly funny and entertaining comic, an object of power akin to Thor's hammer Mjölnir inadvertently seeks out as its wielder a 30-something loser who still lives in his mother's basement whilst inexplicably bedding a bookishly sexy girlfriend. And this loser kicks some serious ass; the dude takes on a lich, for fecksake!
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A definite nerd wish-fulfillment fantasy, but kind of fun and clever. What if a fabled, magical helm of power fell into the hands of a loser dork who lives in his mom's basement? Whackiness and homicide soon follow! There one might not win any rewards but will be a favorite for anyone who ever wanted to run thier satanic manager threw with a flaming magic sword. I haven't found any evidence of a second volume, but I would love to read it if it's out there!
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Total fanboy fantasy comes true. It'd be as if instead of being a hot cheerleader Buffy was the nerdy girl in glasses who, oh my god, is a lot like me! I agree with Will---the part I found hardest to believe was that a loser like Matt would have such a gorgeous girlfriend in the first place! It reminds me of Tom Holt’s fantasy novel “Expecting Someone Taller” where the Ring of the Nibelung falls into the hands of an ordinary, definitely not heroic guy.
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Pretty clever idea. The voice and the putdowns of the Helm (the magic helmut that gives powers to the called one) are hilarious. Not sure how this guy got the pretty girl to go out with him in the first place, but she's a fox! A nice addition to the fanboy-turned-superhero genre that's pretty popular these days.
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Interesting concept, but it could have been executed better.
Hilarious!!! Would especially appeal to fans of the film "Clerks" and Kevin Smith's work in general.
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fun read. hokey, but fun
Oh YES! Slacker's delight. Awesome.
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A loser fan-boy stumbles upon a helmet of destiny that gives him super powers. Better in idea than in execution.
Graphic novels usually aren't my style, but this was pretty funny
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Basically a book about a neckbeard who gets everything he ever dreamed of and keeps calling his unrealistic bombshell of a girlfriend his "lady love" (*puke*). There are 2 redeeming qualities: the promise of character development for this basement-dweller to become less of a slovenly creep, and the repeated acknowledgement that this could all be a split-personity fueled by his own insecurities pushing him to actually improve on those things.
I'd read a second volume to see if those few promising ...more
I'd read a second volume to see if those few promising ...more
This light-hearted spoof on high-fantasy looks at what happens when the mystical Chosen One turns out to be an obese video clerk who lives in his mom's basement. As one might expect, intense hi jinks ensue. The action never stops, nor does the brow-beating (oops, pun) from the magic Helm our hero steals at a garage sale. Pure fun.
Recommend to: Mature readers (strong sexuality), high fantasy fans
Don't recommend to: High fantasy fans who can't take a joke ...more
Recommend to: Mature readers (strong sexuality), high fantasy fans
Don't recommend to: High fantasy fans who can't take a joke ...more
Funny story, nice art. Aside from my usual complaint about loser guys with hot girlfriends I really enjoyed this. At least this time the guy turns out to be a superhero. Looking forward to checking out Fish Wielder
Great graphic novel!!
Silliness got it to three Stars
"Womanly milksop!"
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