The Dirge of Viqdis #1 is the first project from small publisher Valkyrie Komics. The basic story follows Viq, an angel who has been infused with demonic essences to help combat evil in the realms under heavenly protection. Viq’s demons aren’t entirely passive, though, and she constantly struggles to maintain control of her body and mind as she learns to utilize each demon.
The first issue of DoV is only twenty-three pages, and, for me, it wasn’t enough to sell me on the main character or the plot, because the book is divided into two pieces: how Viq volunteered to become the prototype of the heavenly weapon and her battles to protect orphans on Earth. Viq’s backstory was complex enough that I felt it could have been an entire issue, and I was disappointed when everything about how Viq gained her demon passengers was skipped in favor of jumping two years into the future. Some readers may not be as frustrated as I was, but it seemed that Viq’s past should have been revealed in flashbacks if the creators wanted to focus primarily on her present quest. I also found the idea of demons attacking orphanages to be a little trite, but I’m hoping that both Viq and her quest will be fleshed out in later issues. There just wasn’t enough to keep me riveted in this installment.
The artwork of The Dirge of Viqdis left me divided on whether I loved or hated it. While I don’t think that angels in thongs should ever be a conscious fashion choice, some of the detail in close up shots is absolutely stunning. A lot of the panels and pages felt extremely busy, as well, which made it hard to fit speech bubbles into the lay out. It was difficult to follow the dialogue/narrative flow in a few spots due to so much material being crammed into single pages. I can only imagine how difficult the drawing process must have been given how many panels are stuffed with material!
Overall, I wasn’t entirely sold on The Dirge of Viqdis with this first issue, but I can sense a larger story waiting to be revealed. The amount of research into the angelic hierarchy and work put into the artwork have me hoping that the tale will grow and become greater as Viq’s tale progresses.
3.5 Unique Demonic Essences out of 5
