Dungeon

(NBM, 1998, 2003)
™ and © NBM

In the tradition of the wry and oddly hilarious Oddballz, NBM has produced another English translation of Trondeim’s European work for a new audience. Like his other work, Trondeim’s Dungeon is chock-full of dry wit that should bring a smile to North American readers, at least to those with a craving for something a little different.

As with Oddballz, the humor in Dungeon is more low-key than that often seen by readers on this side of the Atlantic, and those expecting a more in-your-face approach might be disappointed. At worst, Trondeim’s work is an acquired taste; those who do, in fact, acquire it will find this book to be charming, intelligent, well-characterized, and, yes, funny.

The Dungeon itself is a labyrinth of “ladders, trapdoors, and stairs down into the bowels of the Earth.” The story arc of the first two issues is about the unskilled and hapless Herbert (a duck), who stumbles into a mission for which he must locate and eliminate an army of hooded soul-stealers. The second two issues are Hebert’s coming to terms with his new role and embarking on a Jedi-like mission to learn a warrior’s ways.

Trondeim and co-creator Joann Sfar’s stories are quirky and charming. The biggest complaint would be the often-murky grayscaling that muddies the early issues, but this has been improved somewhat on the later ones.

— Jim Johnson

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