God, Monsters And Epic Storytelling: ‘Pantheon: The Elemental Artifact’ Vol.1 Reviewed

Described as “Games of Throne meets American Gods”, Pantheon: The Elemental Artifact Vol.1 starts off with the assassination of a god before spreading its sights far and wide to take in not just Earth but a variety of mythical lands inspired by ancient stories of the Vikings, Mesopotamia, Greece, and more. Resulting in the forging of a new superhero team, if you like, of gods and demi-gods. A modern concept, with roots firmly planted in the legends of the past from writer Mohsen Ashraf (Syphon), artist and colourist Willi Roberts (Antarctica), letterer/designer Lyndon White (Antarctica) and editor Katharyn Blair (The Unchosen).

Juggling so many new characters and their various locations takes some doing, both as a writer and artist, and I can imagine there were a great deal of references to include to better depict the multiple cultures the core characters originated from. And from what I’ve seen and read, the representations are spot on, with an added modern twist here and there. After all, this is clearly a saga of large proportions the creative team are forging, with this first volume delivering an engaging story full of mystery, myths and machiavellian machinations. 

Our first port of call, upon witnessing the death of a goddess, is Sweden, where we are met with our first main cast member, Vidar. A local lad who’s keen on Norse mythology and Viking archaeological artefacts, along with his friends. But it’s not too long until creatures of myth come calling and threaten a confused Vidar. He is even more confused when Odin turns up to save the day and announce himself as Vidar’s father. 

From the extremes of Sweden we then cut to the exotic warmth of mythical Ādur Gušnasp where we meet our next hero, the Zoroastrian goddess of truth, Asha Vahishta and her fellow immortals. And so its continues, offering up readers the spectacle of ancient worlds and mythical figures, all coming together through one trail or another to unite against an equally ancient darkness. And like American Gods, this is a story of legendary deities wandering through the comparatively mundane landscapes of Earth. 

Originally a five-issue series, this collected volume is probably a better way of reading this sprawling saga. These are, after all, unfamiliar characters, and with so many to introduce and establish, all the while telling an entertaining and informative story of daring deeds and magic artefacts. The latter being a standard trope shared by all myths, legends and fairy tales. Whether that be King Arthur’s Excalibur, Bilbo Baggins’ ring of invisibility or, in this case, the magic gauntlets adopted by Vidar, bastard son of Odin. To Roberts’ credit, each figure is well realised and consistent, with his colour chosen also helping to differentiate the characters and their cultural origins. Likewise for the various landscapes we visit, also helped by some highly appropriate lettering from White, often emulating the font styles we have come to associate with certain ancient civilisations. 

For a fan of world mythologies, as I am, it’s a riveting read. And in telling an epic story evoking world mythologies beyond the typical Western fare we are used to, it’s a refreshing and original idea delivered in style, thanks to the whole creative team. A dramatic, character-driven saga that mixes the old with the new to create a uniquely original team of superheroes.  

Pantheon: The Elemental Artifact Vol.1 is available now in bookstores or at pantheonmyths.com.