Fans of blood and thunder will enjoy the exploits of this mighty-thewed barbarian warrior, the muscular warrior queens and witches who surround him, the vile dwarves and dragons and sea demons who people his world.

Fans of Celtic mythology will revel in the close links between this tale and heroic lore from Ireland, particularly the legend of the mighty warrior Cuchulainn as well as the magical artifacts and weapons featured in ancient stories.

Devotees and dabblers of nature- and goddess-based pagan religions will enjoy the way those philosophies are woven into the story in a colorful, yet insightful narrative.

Slaine: The Horned God is an amazing piece of graphic fiction by writer Pat Mills and artist Simon Bisley. First appearing in Britain's comic magazine 2000 A.D. in the late 1980s and collected by Fleetway into a three-part series beginning in 1989, this graphic novel is gaining a new audience with its new release from Titan. And it's about time, too.

The story, steeped in history and lore, is exciting, filled with details drawn straight from the pages of Irish mythology. Slaine, a former cattle thief and mercenary warrior, is now king of his clan, and he believes he can unite the four great cities of these pre-Flood Celts (Falias, Finias, Gorias and Murias) using four great weapons and artifacts of the earth goddess Danu. But the Horned God has not completed his usual cycle into death, and corruption has marred the people's faith. Slaine must learn to temper his baser self with a greater desire to serve his people if the goddess is to return her favor to the land and make him High King over Tir-Nan-Og.

Oh, and there are lots of tremendous battles, with vast gouts of blood and enough severed limbs and heads to make Conan blush. Warp-spasms turn Slaine (like Cuchulainn) into a beserk, hulkish fighting machine. Clothing is optional. There is sorcery at work, and the sidekick dwarf Ukko is frankly revolting. There are enough strange beasts and characters to keep even the most cynical fantasy buff entertained.

In all, this is great stuff. Mills spins a delightful tale that is entertaining in its own right; the incorporation of so many layers of rich lore in its fabric is a masterful stroke that puts The Horned God far beyond your standard yarn about barbarian kings and bodacious warrior women. Coupled with Bisley's lush, colorful art, the story is a winner by every count.

While The Horned God is neither the first nor last chapter in the adventures of Slaine, it's a great starting point for anyone who enjoys a good Irish brawl and a lesson in Celtic philosophy and mythology.

- Rambles
written by Tom Knapp
published 22 January 2005