HOAN OF ORCS #2, from Blood Moon Comics on 5/24/23, compels Hoan to seek out the King of Orkia to request an army for the sake of ending the thousand-year war.
The Details
- Written by: Nahuel Sb
- Art by: Nahuel Sb
- Colors by: Nahuel Sb
- Letters by: Nahuel Sb
- Cover art by: Nahuel Sb
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: May 24, 2023
Is It Good?
HOAN OF ORCS #2 is not bad. Nahuel Sb continues the intriguing take on the Joan of Ark legend within a fantasy setting by setting Hoan on a path to end the war, driven by the mysterious voices in her head. Sb’s script dives deep into developing Hoan’s fragile yet determined personality as an avatar for a mysterious power. However, the issue suffers from a few flaws that tarnish the mystical power of this chapter in the run.
When last we left Hoan, we learned how she survived the devastating attack on her village and fell in with a group of resistance fighters for safety and opportunities for revenge. Now, the voices in Hoan’s head drive her to seek out the King of Orkia to ask for an army. What she finds is mistrust, deception, disappointment, and perhaps a chance to get what she wants through unconventional actions.
The highlight of Nahuel Sb’s script lies in the richly nuanced development of Hoan into a (presumed) leader of her people and an ender of wars. Hoan doesn’t have all the answers, and she takes her lumps along her journey, but it’s her spirit of determination to stop the hostilities that will get you on her side.
Where the issue stumbles is in the mix of scene transitions and dialog. Sb frequently plays out scenes using snippets of phrases and partial sentences, as though the reader is walking into the middle of the conversation. That storytelling approach rarely works (except in Robert Altman films), so you’re constantly struggling to figure out what people are talking about. Second, there are a lot of scenes that jump back, forth, and sideways to different characters when it’s not always clear when and where the story is headed. The transitions are jarring to the point of confusion, so the story could benefit from a few setting captions.
How’s the art? In this issue, aspects of the art are better than in the first issue. The lines are somewhat cleaner, and the overall visuals are easier to follow. That said, Sb’s choice of thick, loose brush strokes hurts the clarity of the panels, so it’s occasionally difficult to tell what you’re looking at.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our HOAN OF ORCS #1 review to find out how Hoan became an orphan.
We begin with Hoan scaling a cliff to reach the royal castle. She hopes to speak with the King and receive an army to end the war with the elves. What she finds is two orcs, Defilin and Punkur, sparring. When Hoan approaches them for help, she finds herself in a fight to avoid capture.
Later, the Queen meets Hoan in her jail cell. Punkur is the heir apparent to the throne since the King died, but he’s too small and cowardly to rule. Since fighting Hoan, Punkur found the courage to charge into battle for his people. Unfortunately, courage is no substitute for brains, and Punkur was captured. The Queen agrees to an audience with Hoan if she will find and return Punkur first.
We conclude the issue with whispers, wolves, and walloped dwarves.
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Final Thoughts
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HOAN OF ORCS #2 excels at building up the legend of Hoan as the savior of her people who hears voices in her head. Hoan’s character development is complex, but the dialog and scene transitions are often jarring and confusing.
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