Dragonero - The Rebel: Wanted !, review

Wanted! , the Dragonero - Il Ribelle book on newsstands these days, is a story that readers of the saga were looking forward to with particular anxiety, considering that it takes us back to the early days of the rebellion led by Ian Aranill. When the first issue of Dragonero - Il Ribelle came out in Lucca two years ago, many readers felt displaced by a marked time jump compared to the previous chapter of Dragonero's adventures, apparently deprived of a connection between these two moments in the existence of Ian. A narrative approach that Enoch and Vietti have bravely chosen, finding in the development of their saga the confirmation of the validity of their decision.

The Rebels of the Erondar introduced us in media res into the new life of Ian, focusing more on the emotional construction of the story than on its chronological structure. A narrative structure that can bring out in some readers the feeling that Ian's adventures lack cohesion, but that books as Wanted! instead it demonstrates both a precise stylistic choice, which obviously may or may not meet the tastes of the reader. What are usually defined, with a horrendous term, 'script holes' should instead be seen as frozen moments within the continuity, which later can become a glimpse into the past of the characters that allows you to have a clearer vision of their past. and give consistency to the entire narrative universe.

Dragonero: yesterday, today, tomorrow

The work done by Vietti with I Wanted! is a perfect example of this feature. The mechanism is apparently simple, but it hides many pitfalls, which require a perfect management of narrative timing, considering that we move on multiple temporal planes. Going to tell events of the past, we must be careful that what has been revealed is in line with what the readers have already been shown, without entering into contradiction (the curse of continuity, does not forgive!). At the same time, the scenes set in what is, to date, the future of the Erondar must maintain a tone of naturalness in introducing these which are, for the characters, memories, while leaving the possibility of inserting into the story future details that will tickle the readers' curiosity.

Following this naturalness of events, we also venture into books in which what should be a troubled period of the existence of the Erondar seems to suffer from a certain immobility. Paraphrasing Ian Malcom 'Is Rebellion expected in this Rebellion story of yours? '. Seriously, a rebellion is not just battles and action, it is also planning, survival and escape, with apparent downtime in which the guerrillas must regain their strength and study the next actions. Let's not forget that Vietti and Enoch are Carthusian in their stories, they deal with every detail, including a respect for military dynamics, which does not extend only to battles, but also to respect for its dynamics.

To give a precise explanation of this narrative choice is Luca Barbieri in his Cronache della Rebellione:

"The authors wanted to face this story in a realistic way, without condensing and accelerating the times of action, which, just like in reality, are often diluted and full of breaks ”

Within these moments of pause, books such as Wanted fit perfectly! , in which the reader can be given further details of aspects that have not yet been dealt with, always in the name of that respect for the narrative structure which is a fundamental axiom for the two authors.

In Wanted! Vietti, more than a narrator, should have been an architect, to be able to find the perfect structure that could hold up such a complex register. To support him in this task is the solidity of Dragonero's narrative system, a titanic road map built with Enoch on which the two authors are basing their work in narrating the adventures of Ina Aranill, whether it is the monthly series or the its other declinations, such as the recent Dragonero Senzanima: Victims.

Read also: Lucca Comics & Games 2019: Luca Enoch and Stefano Vietti tell us about Dragonero

This authorial dynamic is again confirmed in The Wanted !, thanks to the presence of a fundamental character: Gmor Burpen. Or as Barbieri good-naturedly calls it 'Old Man Gmor', appealing to his Marvelian passion. In fact, it is up to the now elderly ogre to reveal aspects of the early days of the Rebellion, thanks to his diaries in which he traces his adventurous existence. This elderly Gmor still has the essence of the spirit of the ogre that we have always known, but we can also perceive his nostalgia for the past, a fatigue of the present that he manages to soothe only by taking refuge in his memories

“I'm tired of the present… I want to write… the memories have refreshed me ”

And for us readers they are precious details in which aspects of the early days of the Rebellion are revealed to us. Vietti takes the opportunity to show us how at the dawn of the Rebellion the citizens of Erondar still struggled to understand the importance of Ina's mission, or to show us the close ties with characters who have become an integral part of the rebel company or the challenges faced to find new hiding places. to carry on the fight against Leario's power.

Three memories and a mysterious future

Without forgetting that the old Gmor is not only prey to his memories, but also our gaze on the future of the saga. Role played well and with a surprise ending that lets them understand that the Rebellion will not be the last challenge faced by our heroes. Vietti moves in these different moments of the Dragonero saga with a light step, he finds the right way to move from one time to another, picking up fragments of the past that still do justice to an anthological volume such as Wanted! , thanks to the presence of several designers.

Cristiano Cucina has the task of creating the frame of the register, that is to portray the Gmor of tomorrow, while Antonella Platano, Vincenzo Riccardi and Ludovica Ceregatti sign the tables of the memories of old ogre. Despite having different styles within this book, the feeling is that of always being in the same universe, but both have a pleasant customization of the different authors, who each capture different aspects of Dragonero.

Antonella Platano, in the his story dedicated to Ian and Briana, relies on a dynamic story, in which he manages to enhance the urgency of the moment by emphasizing the poses of the characters, often portraying them in the midst of movements that convey the sense of frenzy of the action. All inserted in a detailed urban context and in which the characters move naturally.

The memory of Gmor who brings him back to the oriental kingdoms is entrusted to Riccardi. In his cartoons a massive but delicate Gmor moves, capable of passing from the quiet pose of a diplomat looking for support to a lethal warrior. A change admirably played in the posture of the character and in the facial features, which allow Riccardi to develop an overwhelming graphic story, whose kinetics derives not only from the explosive muscularity of the characters but also from his skilful use of black.

Ludovica Ceregatti makes her Dragonero debut with a story that winks at the horror and typical dungeon exploration that every role player dreams of (and usually regrets). The verticality of the unearthed technocrat refuge is conveyed in an excellent way, like the sense of danger that lurks in the shadows, which Ceregatti interprets with personality with simple facial expressions but that convey the right emotionality.

They complete the artistic team. of the register Gianluca Pagliarani and Paolo Francescutto, as always impeccable in offering us a cover that captures the spirit of the register, and Marina Sanfelice, inevitable in the lettering.

Dragonero - Il Ribelle returns to newsstands on January 15th with The inaccessible fortress.

From the shadow we rise. In silence we strike.