The silent god and the young blacksmith return in Birdking Volume Two. This unlikely duo now ventures beyond familiar territories into a conflict zone.

A Journey into the Unknown

The first book of Birdking followed Bianca, an apprentice blacksmith who, through a mishap, forced her master Thonir to embark on a quest for the necromancer king Aghul to reforge the spectral blade of Aduren. However, her master was betrayed by someone close to Aghul, and Bianca awakened the spirit of the King of Feather Hill. This mute giant obeys her every command and serves as her bodyguard. She decides to leave her kingdom to find the legendary land of Atlas, arriving in the Hinnom Mountains. A traveling merchant warns her that no one he knows has ever crossed these peaks. With Birdking, she discovers a vast battlefield. They gain travel companions and traverse uncertain lands: swamps and tunnels where supernatural phenomena occur. The names of these places are poetic, such as the Forked Paths Road or the Worm’s Trail.

The journey in Birdking is not only about escaping Aghul but also about family reunions. Bianca is searching for her mother. The young girl has changed since the first volume. She remains cheeky and courageous, unafraid of soldiers. However, her dreams of glory and war have faded, replaced by disdain for both civil and religious authorities. She now dreams of freedom. Her body bears the marks of her experiences. After plunging her hand into fire, her skin is covered with a long vein-shaped scar. This mark signifies her status as a chosen one with a gift. Despite this, she is independent and makes her own decisions. She belongs to a defiant people who seek acknowledgment from others, mirroring her quest for family recognition.

A Quest into Darkness

Bianca and her companion embark on a typical heroic fantasy quest: a humble character forced to leave their familiar life. Bianca once loved adventure but had never left her village. Facing the perils of the journey, she longs for her peaceful past. A monster appears, composed of worms coagulating into a giant of flesh. Like with Thonir, Bianca is paired with a peculiar travel companion. She talks a lot, but Birdking never speaks or reacts. A revelation shifts the book in a new direction. Additionally, Bianca’s family is more extensive than she realized. The format also enhances the fantasy genre. The book is divided into chapters, each beginning with a quote.

Birdking depicts a dark world. Power brings no benefits to the people, leading only to wars that the peasants cannot comprehend. Plagued by numerous disasters, they find no peace even in death. Religion is equally harmful, spreading a violent mythology and demanding human sacrifices. Missionaries bring misfortune. Birdking is not the only strange creature or specter: General Raksarsivian’s head is replaced with a metal pumpkin. These characters are war machines. The art style emphasizes this dark tone. Bodies are scarred, covered in open wounds, and weighed down by war. In this violent society, Bianca and Birdking are exceptions. They refuse to fight and seek a haven, an Eden. In the final part, Bianca’s and Birdking’s company arrives in a radically different, structured, and peaceful world.

Artist Crom transcends the heroic fantasy genre. He draws inspiration from multiple sources, revealing new ones in this second volume. The influence of annotated maps, like the Map of Tendre, is evident. This volume is highly graphical, playing with comic book conventions. Onomatopoeias punctuate the action and adorn the panels. There are also illustrated pages on magical artifacts, akin to role-playing game rules. The dense graphic appendix showcases designs for new characters. The forms move away from realism. Specters are massive giants, and a witch wears a hat so large it conceals her face. Crom contrasts minimalistic settings with more rugged, sometimes grotesque, faces.

Published by Les Humanoïdes Associés, this second volume of Birdking builds on the strengths of the first by crafting a quest around a strong duo. Bianca’s world expands, and her numerous adventures and encounters bring dynamic energy to a compelling narrative, brilliantly balancing a child’s hope and the darkness of war.