*cue ‘Cortez the Killer’ by Neil Young*
Sacrifice is a story of a boy, Aztecs and human sacrifice. Fun mix, right? Written by Sam Humphries (Uncanny X-Force, The Ultimate, Avengers AI) and illustrated by Dalton Rose with colors by Pete Toms. It was originally self published earlier this year, and Dark Horse is releasing a collected volume next month. If you’re into historical fiction with a bit of teen angst, you may want to check out Sacrifice.
I enjoyed the story. It successfully weaves together the story of a trouble teenager and an empire on the brink of collapse. It look a bit to get going and Hector wasn’t a character I immediately latched onto, but he grew on me. For a significant portion of the story, he seems to merely respond to the environment around him, instead of actually take charge and command. Naturally, this is expected from someone like him who finds himself in this particular set of circumstances, but it’s not what we always want or expect from a protagonist. However, when he does finally make a stand, it’s awesome. The growth arc he undergoes builds up to the payoff. He has both high and low points, but in the end he is a hero. He just needs a while to realized it.
Through his choices and actions he did endear himself to me and when the book hit its climax I was genuinely invested is the resolution and outcome. While I had my share of issues in high school, I never had to worry about an empire obsessed with human sacrifice, nor the pain of knowing what comes next, pondering if it is even possible to save anyone. It is worth mentioning that Hector is an epileptic, if only because it is a central character crux. Now, I have never known anyone personally who suffers from seizures, so I cannot say if the portrayal is accurate. But from what I have read, it does seem to be true to the condition. Feel free to correct me, though.
Also, a special nod to the character Malin, the leader of the rebel Aztecs. She was very fun to read. Passionate, bloodthirsty and driven, I can see parallels between the way Humphries wrote her and the way he writes Psylocke in Uncanny X-Force. As a longtime Psylocke fan, I approve. Malin is one of those characters that when she shows up, something big is going down and somebody is going to be stabbed. Fun character and a good offset to Hector’s youth and inexperience and some of the other characters’ piety. She brings a needed angle to open up the book.
I’ve always enjoyed stories about alternate timelines and other ‘what ifs’, and I found that part of the story to be the most engaging. What if the Aztecs were prepared for the Cortez? How would history change? Would they fight back and try to conquer Europe? Would they take the advanced technology and wage total war? Build Central America into an impenetrable stronghold? Or would it even matter? It’s things like this that keep me awake at night, but that’s just me.
The thing that holds the book back most for me is the linear art, not the colors (those are fantastic, more on that in a bit), but penciling and lines that define the characters. The style doesn’t do it for me. It feels basic and there’s a noticeable lack of shading and aspects that give a visual depth. Also the faces seem off. I couldn’t connect with the that part of the art is this book.
The colors on the other hand were gorgeous. There are some very beautiful one and two page spreads where the colors just scream. They are bright, brilliant and vibrant. They get in your face and shout ‘Look at me!’ and your only response is ‘Yes, please’. For as much as the linear art caused a disconnect for me, the colors drew me in.
Sacrifice has a strong narrative that takes a while to get going, but is ultimately well worth it. The penciling holds the book back, but the colors do draw you in. Recommended for anyone with an interest in Central American historical fiction, or just a good story with some excellent colors to look at. It has a fantastic conclusion and I really think you’ll enjoy it if you pick it up.
Look for Sacrifice in your local comic store on August 21.
Thanks to Dark Horse for providing a copy to review! Love those guys!
