'Elric: The White Wolf' – Blondel, Cano, Recht, Telo (Titan Comics)

It has been one of those days and at any other time, I'd be thinking 'oh bloody hell and it's only Monday...' This week is going to be a good one though, I just know it :o)

Today was a day full of work and then full of my youngest daughter's seventh birthday. This didn't leave me a lot of time for reading but I'm covered for just these situations... 'The White Wolf' is an incredibly slim read (seriously... it feels like there's as much concept art, at the back, as there is story) so it was just the job for this evening's read. I told you I'd get to it pretty quickly... ;o) It also looked like one of those stories that could fit into that slightly nebulous period where Elric did a lot of his wandering (and wondering) and seeing as that's where my fabled 'Elric Re-Read' has derailed, again, it seemed like a good place to get a fresh perspective on the Albino.

As it turned out, 'The White Wolf' was just the right length, for this evening's read, but a bit of an odd read at the same time. I'll try and explain.

Travelling alone in the wilderness, the White Wolf seeks to evade his dark fate. But destiny has other plans. Joined by Master-At-Sea Smiorgan, Elric of Melnibone sets out to find the lost love of Vassliss, an endearing yet surreptitious merchant heiress. Following a path he swore to foresake, Elric soon finds himself at the mercy of his past and surrendering to the shadow of his soul...

If I had to say one thing about Elric's adventures, it's that they've been laid out so that there's always room to squeeze another adventure in, whether it's by Moorcock himself or by someone looking to take the reins for a bit. Like Julien Blondel and Jean-Luc Cano for instance who have written this tale of Elric searching for purpose and finding something else entirely. You could say that Elric is always doing this and you'd be right. So, maybe nothing new here then but at the same time, that sense of familiarity is great for setting the scene and then throwing Elric into what happens next. What happens next is that Elric will eventally discover that curse of humanity runs deep within Melnibone and not just himself. It's interesting to watch this play out against the back drop of a stagnant Immryr as it makes that humanity all the more vibrant and perhaps not a curse after all, unless you're a Melnibonean that is.

The story itself is a little too obvious to be really gripping but when you're operating within within such a tight space, I guess something has to give... That's not really an excuse for the ending though which throws everything on its head and has you wondering whether Elric made it back after all. I mean, I'd still read any sequels (just to see where that last bit goes) but it jarred just a little bit too much for me.

The artwork makes up for all of the above though. The story may be a little too lightweight but the artwork of Julien Telo and Robin Recht is just stunning and really draws you into this world in a way that I haven't felt in other adaptations. Their depiction of the Young Kingdoms has a real weight of history upon it which grabs your eye and doesn't let you look away until it's done with you. I'd still love a story with a little more flesh on its bones but this frankly gorgeous artwork just about balances that out.

'The White Wolf' is a good 'quick read' but the plot won't stand up to much more than that, mainly because there isn't much room to fit a decent sized plot into. Worth a look though if you like your fantasy comics exceedingly well drawn and easy to let your gaze wander over. Maybe one for Moorcock fans only...