A Game of Thrones #21 Review

Can this comic adaptation of A Game of Thrones give us something stellar during it’s remaining few issues, or will it continue to be mediocre? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

To the victors belong the spoils: thus has it always been for the savage nomads of the Dothraki. But when Daenerys finds that the spoils include helpless women, she intercedes-triggering angry dissension between Khal Drogo and his men. Drogo’s word is law . . . yet the strange ways of his Targaryen bride undercut his authority. Now wounded, Drogo is weaker still. Yet help comes from an unexpected quarter: among the rescued women, a healer steps forward, eager to repay her debt.

A Game of Thrones may be the hit TV series out the now, doing wonders for HBO, but unfortunately this comic adaptation has failed to astound, being at best mediocre. This issue however takes the series to an even lower point, as despite having some action, the lack of energy and inconsistent tones make it hard to read, let alone enjoy.

Daniel Abraham continues to adapt George R.R. Martin‘s epic tale, draining the life and energy that made it a classic. The main problem I feel about Abraham’s adaptation is the fact he’s not tailored it properly for the comic format, with the bulky narration overpowering any form of action or excitement. Despite this Abraham does manage to refrain from ruining the dialogue with the character interaction being as intense as the novel. It is however far from enough to make up for the disappointing experience.

Tommy Patterson continues to produce the art for this series, and it easily remains the best feature of this adaptation, even it can’t make up for the terrible installment. The lavish scenery he produces along with the intense character expressions add a touch of energy to the series, as otherwise it’d be totally lifeless and dull. Despite this Pattinson wasn’t quite perfect this time round, with the latter half of the issue being a little rough and inconsistent. Nevertheless combined with Sandra Molina and Ivan Nunes‘s colours it still proves appealing to the eye for the most part.

Dynamite’s adaptation of A Game of Thrones has been doomed since it began way back in September of 2011, as though it’s had the odd flurry of excitement, it’s generally missed the energy that made both the novel and the TV series such a hit. Not recommended.