This first issue of Dark Horse Comics’ adaptation of American Gods covers essentially the entire first chapter of the book without any deviation. Much of the narration from the book is kept in the comic, done as word boxes on panels describing the action. The artwork itself is good. It’s definitely a style you have to get used to, but once you get used to it it’s really quite beautiful.

In terms of writing, it doesn’t seem like P. Craig Russell has done much aside from copy and abridge the original language of the book. Which is fine – it’s often better to not fix something that isn’t broken.

For a comic, this is a bit of a lengthy read. It’s very wordy – since there’s so much narration and other text crammed into the panels – but it doesn’t feel tedious. It’s very similar to reading the book, just with more pictures than the book had.

For hardcore fans, you’re not gonna get a whole lot of anything new out of this. It’s pretty much the exact same as the first chapter of the book, but the artwork is rather good. It’s a good read for anyone wanting to star getting into American Gods ahead of the STARZ adaptation premiering at the end of April.

I may sound more negative than positive about this, but I really did enjoy it and I recommend it for anyone who liked the book and wants to see a visual representation of it, anyone excited for the TV show, anyone who likes Neil Gaiman, or anyone interested in the genre of modern fantasy.

(4 out of 5 wands)