Review: ODY-C #3

OdyC03_CoverODY-C #3
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Christian Ward
Published by Image Comics
Release Date: February 25, 2015

Three issues in and ODY-C is proving to be as epic as its source material – Homer’s Odyssey for those of you that are out of the loop. As the Gods resume their primary occupation of playing games with humanity, Odyssia and her crew – still struggling to find their way home to Ithicaa – instead find themselves stranded on Kylos and at the mercy of the Cyclops.

In true epic style and because retelling The Odyssey wasn’t quite enough of a challenge, Fraction has chosen to write ODY-C in dactylic hexameter, a meter favored by Greek and Roman poets and intended to be sung. Though clearly not trying to make this easy for himself, Fraction is doing a wonderful job of transforming a classic into what I can only describe as something else entirely. The decision to write in dactylic hexameter allows for the script to flow like poetry – if you read it out loud you will see what I mean – and the pacing reflects this. It’s steady but not laborious and not so heavy as to make it difficult to read or follow.

Ward’s art is just incredible, the universe he has created is beautiful and the characters that inhabit it are diverse in every way imaginable. Thoroughly yonic, every line is soft and delicate, somewhat reminiscent of a psychedelic daydream. With a colour palette that spans the spectrum, the pages of ODY-C remain tonally consistent and thus avoid becoming garish which is always a risk when utilizing such a bold colour choices. The layouts are varied but have no negative effects on readability as Ward effortlessly guides the reader’s eye across, around, and down the page.

While a gender-bent retelling of an 8th century Greek epic may not sound like the sort of thing you would usually read I would implore you to reconsider. Strange and beautiful, ODY-C is what happens when you throw caution to the wind and jump in with both feet.

The Verdict: 9.0/10

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