Immortal Brothers: The Tale of the Green Knight #1
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Pencillers: Cary Nord and Clayton Henry
Inker: Mark Morales
Colorist: Brian Reber
Publisher: Valiant Comics
A review by Josh Rose
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a classic Arthurian tale that’s been 
told for generations, and Fred Van Lente has come along and merged it seamlessly into the Valiant Universe. Immortal Brothers: The Tale of the Green Knight#1 features Archer as he tells Faith the story in Princess Bride like fashion (Inconceivable!).
The Green Knight rides into Camelot on Christmas Eve and challenges Arthur’s Knights to a game: The Green Knight will take a blow from any one of the knights if they in turn will take the same blow a year from then. Gilad the Eternal Warrior takes the challenge and beheads the Green Knight only for him to pick up his head and walk away reminding Gilad to be at his Chapel in a year’s time. This prompts Gilad to seek out his brothers, Armstrong and Ivar, to help him find the Green Knight and learn what kind of immortal he is.
I loved stories about King Arthur growing up and I wanted to read this from the moment it was announced. Immortal Brothers: The Tale of the Green Knight#1 has a perfect blend of Valiant mythology, pop culture, and Arthurian/English folklore without being overbearing to new readers. From the beginning the plot draws you in and keeps you engaged. Lente perfectly captures the brothers’ relationship as they tease one another, and the Archer and Faith scenes don’t distract from the story, rather they add some comedic relief to an otherwise serious plot.
Cary Nord’s art is perfect for the Arthurian setting and flows easily from one panel to the next. Brian Reber’s colors are fantastic as they jump from Nord to Clayton Henry’s art, balancing the dark moments with the light, successfully setting the tone for each scene. Reber’s shades of green pop out against the pages and make the Green Knight look so perfectly haunting.
The Verdict
Buy It! A great twist on a classic Arthurian legend featuring some “timeless” characters. If you haven’t read any Valiant titles before Immortal Brothers: Tale of the Green Knight #1 is a great place to start.
