OneMetal.com book REVIEW:
God of War #1

Wildstorm immortalizes Kratos, Sony’s hottest poster-child for blood splatter, in an all-new limited series. Of course, by the time you’ve finished scouring these makeshift Greek tales, you’ll gladly seek refuge in the underworld.

In my opinion, when video games leap into comics, the two mediums should overcome that troublesome gap as seamlessly as the creators can forge that metaphorical bridge. Unfortunately, regardless of the labor’s intensity, the fusion tends to meet a sloppy end, and for all its might God of War #1 crumbles just the same. All the Spartans and Olympian gods could not salvage this mutilated comic, which—despite its flattering outward appearance and fair storyline—suffers from wretched oversight. Whatever research writer Marv Wolfman tapped fails to nudge this premiere issue in any glorious direction, and Andrea Sorrentino’s visuals only rub those vulnerable edges raw.

The beginning fares the worst. Jumping into the heat of narration, the comic seemingly fails to consider that the audience might lack any prior God of War knowledge. DC readers, or just comic book fanatics in general, are obviously a differently conditioned group, and not all of us indulge in the PlayStation’s computer-rendered pleasures. Fortunately for those reading this review, I just happen to know quite a hefty bit about Kratos’ tradition-breaking role and especially how he commands the game screen. Imitating a video game sequel’s opening, however, is not a technique that functions well in a comic’s introduction. These first several pages leave the reader confused and unsure as to what this supposed anti-hero means to accomplish. Instead, the reader bypasses mental starvation by forcing down cumbersome mythological references that hold little significance for newcomers. Even flashbacks transition poorly, spilling into the book’s streaming plot without adequate warning, and Sorrentino’s art, while an admittedly fascinating style, falters as a horrid pick for what should be crisp, vivid portrayals coursing with bloodshed and peppered with eye-catching Greek environments. Sorrentino’s lines blur and fall into muddiness, a decision perhaps inspired by the narrative line, “But now the visions of blood and battle dimmed like the setting sun, filling the void of emptiness inside of him.” Removed out of context, that line could fit quite soundly; realizing its place in the back story, however, choosing for such an image to represent the entire comic becomes more than faulty.

The comic not only obscures panel action, but also forces Kratos’ figure into ambiguity. Sorrentino perhaps skipped the chapter explaining Kratos’ ash-white skin, for the artist’s darkened, almost corpse-grey rendering of many characters’ flesh eradicates that otherwise crucial detail. These failings, along with the frankly unimpressive lettering job (Saida Temofonte), reduce God of War #1 to a hastily constructed mess.

Bottom Line

I hear the video game's good, but do yourself a favor and pass on the comic.