Review - Noah

Review by Paul Fiander
In biblical terms Noah is one the most important characters of the Old Testament. His was the first purge of the wickedness of man and was favoured by God in his task to save one pair of each of God’s creatures. Now whether you believe this really happened or you see the story as a teaching tool, it is still one hell of a basis for a story. 

Enter director Darren Aronofsky along with his long-term cohort Ari Handel, together they are creating a film adaptation of the story and you can find out a little more about that here. However in this first draft turned graphic novel you will see a more adventurous telling of the story. Unrestricted by money and CGI the writers were able to let their imaginations run wild and produce a story that brings a whole new face to the classic tale.

Noah is set on a planet similar to ours with no name. This world is full of unclean men beyond redemption. They are destroying the world and hunting animals for game and trophies. Noah has chosen to live outside of this society and because of this he is chosen by God to be the saviour of the world. The trouble for Noah is understanding what he is supposed to do. His instructions come in the form of dreams and so are open to interpretations. The dream sequences are a highlight as the story begins thanks to the artwork created by Niko Henrichon,

Throughout the pages the art really can take your breath away, there are many high points besides the dream portions and even in the quiet moments Henrichon gives depth to the characters. In terms of characters we get some simple forms but there are the watchers as well as other fantastical beasts. This is where an artist can let his imagination run wild and show his salts. The work done is impressive to say the least and from beasts of the sea, to the sky and the land we get to see as an exotic menagerie as you will ever see.

A story like Noah is not new and the direction is pretty much as has been told for centuries, however it’s the way the narrative plays out that makes this telling so worthwhile. If you have an interest in great storytelling then Noah is a great book to pick up. This kind of cross pollination between film and comics is something that I would love to see more of when done with this level of craft. 

Issue Rating; 4.5/5

For a little more from Image you could try

Undertow #1

With art to die for and an adventure story with a great twist Undertow struck a chord with a lot of readers, find out if Paul shares the view here
Rat Queens #1

Meet the most awesome foursome since the Beatles and jump in form the start of their comic world domination.
The Comic is available in both print and digital from Image comics. Follow this link for more details.
Images courtesy of Image Comics
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