Jessica (HDB)

Can you blame me for picking this one up? The cover itself is tempting, but the synopsis sealed the deal. I have a weakness for anything fantasy/fable based, and this graphic novel promised that plus a post-apocalyptic world. I was helpless my friends. Hinterkind spoke to me, and I eagerly scooped it up.

The first few pages drew me in. A world that has been overtaken by nature itself. Whole buildings swallowed up by native plants, wild animals that roam unafraid, and the addition of that unknown evil lurking somewhere close by. These people were scared. They were survivors. I desperately wanted to know everything about them.

Which brings me to issue number one, the fact that nothing is explained. I did notice that the synopsis mentioned an "unspecified biological event", and I was okay with that originally. I soon found though that nothing is really explained. There are mutated survivors, there are fantasy creatures, and somehow technology still exists in certain portions of this wild world. Why? Your guess is as good as mine. I have no idea.

In fact, the majority of this graphic novel had a very choppy feel to it. It swapped back and forth between our pocket of survivors, and a Sidhe queen that I can only assume is in charge somewhere in this world. There was a ton of blood and gore, but none of it was very effective because I never felt anything for the characters other than utter confusion at what was going on with them. When there is a boy who has a tail, and I don't know why? I'm slightly angry.

Add in the fact that I was a bit disappointed at how the gorgeous cover art translated to the illustrations inside Hinterkind, and I nearly set this aside rather than finishing it. I loved the premise, but didn't find what I was looking for in the execution. I can't say I'll be continuing on with this series.