The White Wolf. The Butcher of Blaviken. The Witcher. Geralt of Rivia. A man must be a legend when he carries this many titles, but is his first TPB graphic novel good?
The Witcher Vol. 1: House of Glass (Dark Horse Comics)
Man, Mignola is just the greatest ever, isnt he?
The great thing about a character like The Witcher’s Geralt of Rivia is that he is incredibly well suited to a short story/monster the week type vignette, like we see in this collection. Being a professional monster hunter, it tends to come with the territory, and, as he has been hunting the beasties for the majority of his adult life, one can easily craft a new story that only takes a few hours or days of Geralt’s life, in between his stints in the published novels or critically acclaimed video games.
He’s sort of a Batman with swords in that aspect, as just like the Bats’ long and storied career lends itself to the same type of “one night on a rooftop” stories, we see that used just as well here.
Geralt, meeting a fisherman in his travels, stumbles upon a large house, that once inside, he can’t escape. We’re then treated to a mystery involving a haunted house, an undead wife, a randy succubus (is there any other kind?), and many a twist and turn. This exchange below gives you a good idea of the world these people live in, where the supernatural is so commonplace, that even incredibly spooky shit like your DEAD WIFE WATCHING YOU does not mean you skimp on the wine.
So…she’s dead…and she’s watc…yeah I’m going to go.
Is It Good?
Yes. I’ve devoured the original novels the games are based on as well as the games themselves, and I feel that this is a great addition. It feels like a much longer read, as it’s a very slow burn mystery, with each small reveal adding just a bit more to the ominous feeling that Geralt has gotten himself into a bit of a bind.
Right, next you’ll tell me there’s a beast and singing tea sets and candelabra!
The artwork lends itself to the ominous and creepy feel of the house, and the sketchy, almost frenzied nature of the pencils and inks only adds to the dark and gritty world these poor schmucks have to live in, where the phrase, “Oh and then there’s the Grave Hag,” is commonplace.
This self-contained narrative is a really good read, that leaves you wanting to curl up in front of a nice warm fire and read more spooky tales.
If you’re enjoying the hell out of The Wild Hunt or are playing endless rounds of Gwent, this is absolutely worth your time.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
