When you read Gunhild, Volume 1: The New God? toss out anything you think you know about Norse mythology. Especially if you have gotten it from Marvel movies. This is not your parent’s (or grandparents’) mythology. This is some crazy Sleipnir muffins!
The story has been done before with the typical “girl power” (only she is not human but a Fire Jotun named Gunhild) and she is trying to find her place in the world (only she does not fit with humans, because she bursts into flames when upset). She grows up in a girls home, (she was found after the Fire Jotun’s attacked the island by the woman who runs the orphanage) and due to her unique powers, is an outcast. The best way to describe our heroine is “tough and dumb” (as her BFF says. With love, of course). Gunhild is a “act first and maybe think later” kind of gal. Her goal is to become a god so her adventures will lead her to Hel and back (well in book two she’ll go to Hel).
Fred Tornage’s character is relatable, but maybe not always likable. Though, she does put the mod in modern. Or is that Odin? (Nah, he’s a hippy-dude.) Anyway, Loki looks ready for a rave (if he cuts his toenails), Thor has way too much body hair, Frigg made me say more than FRIGG when I saw her (I had to change my shorts! She is SCAAAARY!) and there are two young ladies that are up to no good. And that’s just book one. In book two we continue the Norse mythology and the “going to the underworld to find yourself” theme. We get to meet different characters that are trying to stop Gunhild and her friend Liv from freeing Loki (too late) and stopping Ragnarok (we’ll see).
The art is typical of a cartoon, rough around the edges, sometimes hard to make out details (can be very busy) but the use of color is good. There are some mature concepts, but nothing over the top (too “gory” or vicarious), however, there are a few places that a sensitive reader might not be okay with and there was at least one F-bomb. Still it is a fun read and hopefully the series keeps up the pace (though there was a bit of introduction to volume one). The publisher description of the author says they were ‘inspired by shonen manga and western cartoon series. Born in Colombia and raised in Denmark,” and you can see those influences in their work. Mid-May 2024 Gunhild, Volume 2: The Hunt for Loki will be available. Published through Saturday AM, I read them both as online reader copies and due to this there were a few missing scenes/words in book two.
