Elric Vol.2 - Stormbringer (Michael Moorcock's Elric)

wish it was longer

fantastic

I was eagerly looking forward to volume 2 of this new Elric GN series, having been very impressed with the first volume. The high quality continues, with superb art and a gripping storyline. I read the books many years ago, and even if it doesn't perfectly follow those it's still an expertly crafted book and highly recommended. Can't wait for the next volume. Oh, and by the way, I like the way Stormbringer is drawn!My Master is my slave......

The first book in series, The Ruby Throne, was pretty good.The creative team took some liberties with Michael Moorcock's story, but most of them were for good reasons (like establishing just how decadent and wicked Melnibone is) and most them "worked."Moorcock himself liked The Ruby Throne. Titan is using an approving quote about The Ruby Throne from him, above, to promote this second book.Please note, he was not talking about this one.Unfortunately, the deviations from MM's storyline in this volume are excessive, to the point where I can in no way recommend it as an adaptation of the original book (i.e. "Elric of Melnibone," not actually the book called "Stormbringer" which was the grand finale of Moorcock's original series).Elric behaves in one particular scene in a way which I consider to be a complete betrayal of the character as written by Moorcock.It is possible that the writer has set this up in order to have Elric agonise over it later and maybe repent of his actions.We shall see. Or not, as I will find it hard to buy any further volumes in this series.The artwork too is below the standard set by The Ruby Throne.There are scenes in which the script is not well served by the art; basically, the pictures do not clearly show what is going on, and the drama really suffers as a result.Unforgivably, the Black Sword itself, which should be a major feature of the art, is poorly depicted.I gave this one star in the first version of this review, but I was perhaps too harsh.On re-reading it, I can see how the writers felt perhaps they were pushing some of Moorcock's implications to their limits,rather than betraying them.The setting for the confrontation between Elric and Yyrkoon, an ancient city where Law and Chaos once fought it out, is nicely done.But it still isn't Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné - the book or the character..So, to my mind, it isn't Elric at all.Too many changes to the plot. More importantly, too much warping of who Elric is.