Black Library recently released a new graphic novel. After the Mallus Darkblade Novels, this is the third graphic novel paced in the grim world of Warhammer. Players of Mordheim might already know the heroes of the novel: Ulli Leitpolt and Marquand Volker. This uneven pair of rogues seeks their fortune in the city of the damned: Mordheim.

Being a hardcore-mordheim fan it was clear to me from the first minute I knew about this novel that I had to get my hand on it. So I decided to order it at GW's online-store and waited until it arrived. When I finally got it my anticipation vanished when I realized that I already knew great parts of the comic in there... Most of the material has been previously published in Town Cryers and Warhammer Monthly-magazine. But what did I expect, wasn't it the same with Mallus Darkblade?

But lets take a closer look at the comic book:

The Cover

Like the rest of the novel, the cover held in dark tones. Besides the title a large Mordheim: city of the damned logo catches the eye of the reader. The front cover shows the protagonists, Ulli and Marquand moving over skulls. Both of them have this evil smile on their lips. The back cover is styled in this typical Town-cryer bulletin board with some advertisments, obituaries, wanted-ads etc.

Inside the book....

Like all of the Warhammer Monthly stories, the graphics in Ulli & Marquand lack some colour. All stories are either in black & white or grayscale which sometimes makes it hard to view the pictures. Okay, I know, this is a special comic-style, but to be honest, it isn't mine. But once you got used to this style, you start enjoy reading the adventures of this two rogues.

What I really like is the fact that the novel shows the Warhammer world how I like it: a dark and sinister place. And a really sick place.... Sometimes it seems that nobody in this world is sane. Nobody trusts no one, your best friends can turn against you from one moment to the other. The two heroes of the novel ain't an exeption to this. In almost every of their adventures they proove that they are really bad-to-the-bone rogues. And when I say bad-to-the-bone, I really mean it. They have no problem in betraying everybody for just a handfull of goldcrowns.

The first part of the book has been drawn by Karl Kopinski and Mike Perkins and is in this typical black & white style. Those people who have the older issues of Town Cryer magazine will reckognize the one or other story, as they have previously published there. The second part is in this painted grayscale-style. Artist of this second part of this book is Paul Jeacock. All three artists have a great feeling of the Warhammer-style. Personally I like Jeacocks style as this guy really seems to have a wonderful sick imagination.

The problem with the stories is that they are seldom longer than three or four pages. There is no real storyline or plot, besides the fact that Ulli and Marquand came to Mordheim for wealth and glory. Most stories start directly into the action and are over before you realize it. In almost every story the heroes are introduced again and the reader is reminded everytime that this novel is just a couple of short-comics quickly put together. Its a pity that the authors haven't made greater efforts to build a better plot around the several stories.

So is it really worth to buy this graphic Novel? Okay, the plot could be better and you have to get used to the style but the storys are really cynical and very evil. If you are a fan of Mordheim or if you are a WFRP-GM who looks for new ideas for NPCs this novel is a must-have.