D&D comics history part 16 - Black & White (K&C)

   Keeping their publication rhythm, and In the Shadow of Dragons ending in May 2002, Kenzer & Company will release, in July 2002, a new series, once again set in Greyhawk, entitled :

Black & White

   The series will be a six parts one as annouced on the covers :

Part 1/6 : Once a Thief... (July '02)

Part 2/6 : New Friends, Old Enemies (Aug. '02)

Part 3/6 : Woodwych (Sep. '02)

Part 4/6 : Lambs to the Slaughter (Oct. '02)

Part 5/6 : The Return (Nov. '02)

Part 6/6 : Coming Home (Jan. '03)

   Story is from Jeff Limke (See the 2002 Interview by CBR's Arune Singh) and here again, even if we're in a white & black comic, a bunch of artists will work on this :

Gregg Paulsen : Penciller of part 1 p.1-14, Cover artist of part 1

Nicholas Nix : Penciller of part 1 p.15-22, Inker of part 1, Cover artist of part 2

(As explained in first issue intro, N. Nix will draw the end of the part 1/6 as G. Paulsen is, for some reason, unable to finish his work on it. And as a preview, there are also some sketches by the artists of the following issues at its end - cf below)

Wilson Roberto de Oliveira Jr. : Penciller of part 2

Rodrigo Pereira : Penciller of parts 3 to 6, Cover artist of part 3

Jorge Correa Jr. : Inker of parts 4 to 6, Cover artist of parts 4 & 5

Renato Guedes : Cover artist of part 4*

Adriano Batista : Cover artist of part 5

Thiago "Grafik" Carvalho : Cover artist of part 6

Tom Martin : Cover colorist of part 1

Scott Kester : Cover colorist of parts 2* to 6

Dreamer Design : Lettering & FX of parts 1 to 3

Martin Barnes : Lettering & FX of part 4

Alan Smythee** : Lettering & FX of parts 5 & 6

*credited in following part's erratum

**Alan Smithee is a pseudonym used to disown a product

 

Part 1/6 - art by G.Paulsen (left) & by N.Nix (right)

  

Upcoming issues #2 & #3 sketches previewed at the end of part 1/6

 

Part 2/6 - art by W.R.Oliveira Jr. (left) & Part 3/6 - art by R.Pereira (right)    

   To say the least, that's some unique piece Kenzer & Co offered us here. The black & white rendering is very interesting in many ways. If forces the reader to take time to decipher the drawing in details and gives a special atmosphere to the story. Tho, and especially on the first two parts, it is sometimes difficult to define who's who due to the absence of colors (meaning there that whatever the pose, distance or even angle of view of a character, colors -of hair, outfit, etc- can be a very good marker of recognition). Rodrigo Pereira did a really great job here as his white & black processing is, in my opinion, a level above the other artists'. But well, even if the roughest without a doubt, I still do appreciate Nicholas Six's part. On the writing, Jeff Limke offered us a very entertaining and intriguing narrative even if some plots find some quick and easy denouement... that's maybe the wrong side of mini-series telling a not-so-short story...

   ...about a an half-elven thief named Tinelith, living in Rel Mord (capital city of the Kingdom of Nyrond), who robbed King Lynwerd's messenger. Having cut the wrong purse and now in possession of unwanted magically sealed scrolls among some jewels and coins from the theocracy of the Pale (more info here), she finds herself tracked by the city guards led by a certain Captain Grakin. With the help of Snibb, the gnome wizard and Benni, the half-orc fighter, the group manage to flee the city. On the road they'll be joined by Bernleough, a traveling cleric. The party will have to face many dangers and wander in many places (not always by their own will...) as the city of Woodwych, the hidden elven city of Stalwart in the Celadon Forest, the city of Beetu or even the feared Gnatmarsh. (cf map below). With a background of politics and royal treasons sprinkled with love and friendship affairs, the whole story is not left out of twists and turns.

 

World of Oerth - Kingdom of Nyrond & City of Rel Mord

   For their 3rd mini-series, Kenzer & Co did great with this uncommon piece. I am just a bit disappointed on the fact we're granted with no RPG material at all... there is just some places description/history here and there within the frames... But well... it is what it is heh. 

   A must-to-read anyway !

O_O