Most comic book titles settle into one genre, sticking close to the chosen style with little deviation. The ones that venture into mixing genres are often met with varying degrees of success. In the No’madd graphic novel series, creator/writer Andrew Kafoury provides an entertaining blend of fantasy and science fiction for a battle between a barbarian-like hero with mysticism on his side versus an invading alien army with advanced weaponry.
The story of No’madd began in “The City of Empty Towers,” introducing the warrior who would go on a dangerous, isolated quest to confront intruders from the sky that were invading their land. He traversed a desolate path that challenged him with dangerous creatures, a mysterious warrior, and the unyielding terrain. This culminated in finding the Ah’Kee City where he pledges to help protect it, along with his own people, from the alien V-Or Armada. To do so, he must follow the will of Tyon, the moon and deity, and enlist his son Taron as an ally in the impending fight.
“The Cave of Broken Tombs” opens by introducing Thane, a member of a clan of sorcerers known as the Mys. Her clan had lived with the Ah’Kee long ago, but were cast out when the Ah’Kee were struck by a plague and blamed the Mys. Hoping to let go of old animosity to survive together, Thane offers her help to Ah’Kee Queen Meta Wen as the V-Or attack.
It moves on to introduce Taron, the son of No’madd and Ka’Sell (who has another identity that was discovered in the first volume). After his parents left, Taron began training to be a warrior like No’madd, but it proves to be a struggle until he starts learning from Jav, a warrior around his age with a much stronger skillset. As Taron becomes physically formidable, Whispers, the village seer, impresses upon Taron that he must gain wisdom to develop his own powers and abilities to heal – not destroy.
Once No’madd and Taron reunite, they meet Thane and with Queen Meta Wen, start forming a plan to fight the invading V-Or before the ravagers can use and consume this world.
No’madd’s first volume established a feeling of isolation with its near singular focus on No’madd as he traversed destitute lands in search of Ah’Kee City. Through Taron and Thane, the world opens wider in this volume, developing new levels to an already deep story. Each character has the common goal of surviving the invasion and protecting what they treasure, but Kafoury also layers them with personal motivations and concerns. Rather than being two-dimensional sidekicks for No’madd, Taron and Thane, as well as characters like Jav and Whispers, are complex and interesting.
Not a panel is wasted in this thoughtfully designed and captivating graphic novel. It is a carefully developed, complex story that is presented through a smooth blend of exposition, dialogue, and action.
The art by Aaron McConnell and Lee Moyer is similarly detailed as the characters’ faces are very expressive and the action scenes are clearly defined. There is no ambiguity about what characters are feeling, whether it’s the emotional toll of their situation or what they experience during moments of battle. This keeps the reader engaged with the characters rather than skimming over undefined action panels that can be found in many modern comics.
Like the first graphic novel, “The Cave of Broken Tombs” is rendered in shades of blue, gray, and black. This tactic enhances the motif that No’madd and his people serve a moon deity, by bathing the entire book in moonlight. Rather than stifling the art, this limited color palette gives the book a unique quality, especially in the contrast of sizzling bright magical or tech energy and deep shadows that hide unknown threats.
After “The Cave of Broken Tombs,” No’madd’s story continues on in “The Star of Fallen Foes,” which sees No’madd and his allies dealing with the aftermath of the previous graphic novel’s events. It pushes the fantasy/sci-fi genre bending aspect and has a beautiful, inventive midbook surprise.
“The Cave of Broken Tombs” and other No’madd graphic novels are available on nomadd.net. It is now available as three individual books and will soon be released as a collected volume.
-Amanda Sheriff