In a nutshell this is a gay Viking saga comic, but why put this in a nutshell? It's far too good for such basic categorisation, and really enjoyable. The artwork is great, the ongoing plot seems really strong on this opening book of four monthly issues, and the author handles multiple flashbacks, high drama and her own takes on well-known myth more than competently. I certainly hope to be back for future installments. Four and a half stars.

My favorite graphic novel release (so far) for 2017! (5 stars)

This comic ticked so many "yes please" items off my list of things I like to read about I kinda want to run through the streets throwing copies at strangers. Beautiful art I'd love to hang on my walls. Check. Norse mythology. Check. Ass-kicking women warriors. Check. A romantic plot/subplot. Double check. A heroine rebelling against the culture of she was raised in and refusing to be changed to fit the "norm". CHECK!!!

I forget where I originally heard about Heathen but what initially excited me about reading it was that she was a queer character. I've been actively seeking more LGBTQIA+ reading both because I enjoy it and because I want to support those who are telling these stories. Heathen did not disappoint. Aydis is a character I'd happily follow to the halls of Valhalla, she's a feminist heroine that fans of Wonder Woman are sure to enjoy. I wouldn't suggest this for kids but when my daughter hits her teens I'd gladly let her read it.

Spoiler Free Review
4 Stars

This is a mixing of mythology with feminism that's a LGBT comic and that makes for a great story. This was a fast read, that just drops you. But I didn't mind the drop because of the strong message of being a storming woman and being who you are no matter what others think. There are a few times when in the book, the characters are telling stories, I enjoyed the change in pace when that would happen.

Aydis is the main character, but I feel that this story has many main characters. She is a strong warrioress who's brave and realizes what her heart wants, and even those that's against her cultures believes she fights for that. With the help from her father, she makes a run for it. She goes on an adventure where she meets a few different people who change her life.

I like the take on the Viking/norse world and the Gods of this culture. But I think I enjoy the writes ability to pass on so many different messages while staying within the story. That's my favorite part of the story. I enjoyed the characters, and the plot but the message between these pages are what I loved most.

The art helps tell the story with out over powering the words. The messy, sketchy art is beautiful. The colors set a Viking feel, that takes you back in time yet takes today's world too.

Unique, intelligent, and well-drawn this has a badass heroine and an awesome cast of secondary characters that bring the story of the Vikings to a young adult audience.

Long ago the leader of the Valkyries, Brynhild defied Odin and as punishment was sent into exile, to await a mortal brave enough to free, and marry her . Now our heroine, Aydis, forced to feign death and flee her home, with only her (somewhat unusual) horse,Saga, is on a quest to release Brynhild and prove her worth. Unfortunately the curse on Brynhild is a little more complicated, and now she and Aydis must try to enter the Godlands, which might be a little difficult, especially when Freya who has become the new queen of the Valkyries steals Aydis away.
Drawing on viking mythology, with a thoroughly modern heroine in Aydis, and a theme of women fighting to be allowed to be themselves, live and love in any way they choose, this was a wonderful read. Beautifully illustrated using a subtle, muted and yet perfectly fitting palette, the artwork of Rachel Deering is a huge part of why I liked this book so much. That said, the story is well told, and left me intrigued and excited to read more of the series.
I received an ARC from Netgalley.

I very much enjoyed Heathen by Natasha Alterici. Her take on ancient Norse mythology breathed new life into these old stories. Aydis is a warrior, from a culture that reveres strength in combat, but as a woman, she has no place in that society. Her father raised as a son, and taught her everything she needed to know. Then, when faced with a choice, he gave her life by appearing to condemn her death.

It's that honor that leads Aydis to attempt to free the immortal Valkyrie Brynhild. What Aydis doesn't know is that she is being both helped and hindered by others in the Norse pantheon. With a strong story line, beautiful artwork and amazing storytelling, Heathen is a must read for anyone that loves mythology, with a slightly new twist.

This was a very good, fast and enjoyable read.
I read this to give me motivation as I was slumping and it worked well!
Good characters, drawing style and plot :)

Review will be posted on Amazon on pub date and I will update with review link. The following review has also been posted on my personal blog and on Goodreads (links below for reference)

I saw that this graphic novel was available as "read now" on Netgalley and then I saw "Vikings" and I was like yes, please!!! Like literally, they had me at Vikings and I downloaded it immediately! I have to say that this one did not disappoint!

So here's the situation, Aydis gets caught kissing another girl and her father pretends to kill her so she can run away. So Aydis takes it upon herself to try to break the curse that the god Odin put on the leader of the Valkyries. This story is pretty much a classic quest story, and I loved it so, so much! As a fan of mythology, I was super into reading about the Viking culture through this comic and seeing how the Gods relate to mortals. I don't know a lot of norse mythology, but I'm really interested in it and definitely want to read more of Aydis' story.

The story arc in this comic is very much about finding yourself and being okay with that. It's also about trying to overcome adversity when you are the "other" that scares simple-minded people. We see this not just in what Aydis' experiences at the hand's of her village's male leaders, but we see it later when a "witch" is being cast out from her village and Brynhild basically takes matters into her own hands to solve the problem.

One thing I really enjoyed about this story was all the little hints about how Christianity was starting to take over Viking culture, and forcing them to change their ways. I love the part when Aydis is asked why she wears a helmet with horns when her people have never done that before. It also plays a part in the scene when Brynhild helps the "witch". I found these little nuggets of showing the world and culture changing to be super interesting and gave me more context about this story.

I can't write a review about a comic book without talking about the art! I really liked the style of art in this one. It's done in a very muted tone with neutral blacks and browns. In the beginning when we get the story about Brynhild the style almost looks like a primitive style reminiscent of cave paintings, and I thought that was a cool way to introduce us to the setting of this story. The art style really reflects the grittiness of the setting and really gave me a feel for what life was like in Viking society at this time period.

My only issue with this comic is that it was over too quickly! I want to read the next one right away!

As I settle down to write this I realise something very important; I have no idea how to describe this.

Let's start with the easy one - it's a graphic novel. It's got gorgeous artwork, but please don't ask me the style. The main cover has a very historical feel to the drawing. The main contents are fairly contemporary. There are some feature pieces and alternate covers which range from dark and detailed to bright and simple. It's an unexpected combination but somehow it works. It's a book with a very autumnal palette, a lot of browns, but even the brighter more colourful pieces manage to fit in. They may seem bright in contrast to the main book, but they have a similar muted, almost muddy hue. All in all, it looks good. I also like that there is a happiness to be visual. The dialogue never overpowers the artwork and hides important things. It's a bleak style of art and it looks much better for not cramming as much text as possible into frames.

That bleakness? That's because we're going Norse! Yeah, the title may be a bit of a hint but you can expect some mythology in this one. The basic plot is that a mortal called Aydis sets out to free the banished Valkyrie, Brynhild. If you're tired of Norse mythology step away now. Otherwise, hang in there because it's a nice angle for looking at some famous old tales.

And it is a good angle, Aydis is a great character with a subtle blend of timidity and bravery. Brynhild is a powerful figure with some serious baggage. They make a good pairing. We're treated to clever cameos from other mythological figures too. I like that pretty much everyone has a small flaw on display. That humanising of gods is well done. The intersectional social message of the author comes across clearly without feeling in your face. I suspect the people it needs to reach out to would run a mile at the idea of a powerful female protagonist and miss out, but it doesn't hurt to stay there even if it's likely preaching to the choir.

A great read, it takes a number of small elements that you can appreciate and combines them into something greater than the sum of the parts. Be a Heathen, give it a go.

The art is gorgeous! Wow! Despite being in only black, gray, white, and beige this story has so much color and really comes to life as you read it. It reads like an old-fashioned folk tale with some modern spins and I absolutely adored it. I read this so fast because I had to know what was going to happen and then it ended and now I want to know even more what happens next!

Introduction:

I have noticed lately that I rarely got the chance to read graphic novels that features a LGBT character as the main protagonist and I have been searching for many graphic novels that contains main LGBT protagonists. Well, luckily NetGalley had decided to hand out such a graphic novel called “Heathen Volume One” which is written by Natasha Alterici along with artwork by Rachel Deering and I must say that this is easily one of the best LGBT graphic novels I have ever read!

What is this story about?

The story starts off with a young Viking woman named Avdis who was banished from her homeland due to participating in a forbidden act in her land: kissing another woman. After this event, Aydis decided to go out on a mission to change the ways of Odin’s empire and the first thing she tries to do is to find and free the Valkyrie Brynhild. It turns out that Odin had cursed Brynhild by forcing her to return to her mountain prison if she cannot find a mortal who is willing to marry her and Aydis aims to bring Brynhild’s suffering to an end!

What I loved about this story:

Natasha Alterici’s writing: Wow! Natasha Alterici has certainly done a wonderful job at writing this story as she is able to combine Norse Mythology with LGBT themes, which made this graphic novel such a unique read! I loved the way that Natasha Alterici wrote the dialogue between the characters as it really characterizes the characters and I loved the little nods to humor in the dialogue, especially between the two wolves Skull and Hati, which was the best part of the story. I also enjoyed the details involving Norse Mythology in this story since I am always interested in fairy tales and mythology and it was nice to be able to point out the characters from Norse Mythology that were mentioned in this story, such as Odin and the Valkyries. But probably the best part about this graphic novel was how it approached the issues that Aydis is going through. Natasha Alterici has done a fantastic job at paralleling the prejudice that Aydis is going through because she kissed another woman, to the real-world prejudice that the LGBT community is going through and it is great that there is a graphic novel that portrays a strong LGBT character in a positive light.

Rachel Deering’s artwork: Rachel Deering’s artwork is quite gorgeous to look at and I especially loved the focus on the characters themselves. The backgrounds are blank for the most part, apart from some trees, but the characters are drawn in such a detailed way, that they really stand out in the artwork. I also enjoyed the wilderness scenes as the trees surrounding the characters look truly luscious and they bring a certain beauty to the story.

What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:

For anyone who does not like nudity in a graphic novel series, there is a bit of nudity in this volume, especially with the images of Freyja with her breasts being openly exposed. Also, even though the artwork is gorgeous for the most part, I found the artwork to be a bit too scratchy at times and it was a bit hard for me to see what is going on in the story due to the artwork blurring out some action scenes.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Heathen Volume One” is a fantastic graphic novel for anyone who loves Norse Mythology and LGBT characters!

Beautiful illustrations that have a flown feel to them and Norse mythology sign me up. Heathen is about a lesbian Viking Adyis who is exiled from her home and takes on a quest to save a Valkyrie from a punishment she'd received from Odin many years ago. There is a quirky, odd humor in the book but really so far it seems to be about bravery and being true. I can't wait for volume 2.

Warriors don't fight for themselves, they fight for those who cannot fight on their own.

This was so much fun!

Heathen Vol. 1 follows Aydis a viking who fakes her death with the help of her father after it is discovered that she's hella into girls. He father's parting words to her is that it is time for her to be brave. So she does the bravest thing she can think of. Seek out the Valkyrie, Brynhild, walk through a ring of fire and save her from immortal loneliness. Only nothing is that easy so we follow the adventures of Aydis and Brynhild.

So I'm new to comics/graphic novels, for some reason I just never really picked one up but recently I have been well and truly embracing my inner geek so I've given it a go.
Suicide Squad sounded right up my alley but it kind of fell flat to me. I gave a couple of volumes a go and I just never really connected with them. I then tried Wonder Woman which was a step in the right direction. I love stories led by women, but I still felt kind of eh after reading the first volume.
Today I picked up Heathen, I was expecting the same result. I enjoy the ride but not to really feel all that much, one way or the other, towards it. Boy was I pleasantly surprised.

Aydis, a young woman from a viking village who is unapologetically herself kisses a girl and gets caught. Even though she had to leave her father and life behind she doesn't regret a thing. Our girl has got more important things to do.
She decides to take on the bravest challenge she knows of, to walk through a ring of FIRE all so she can free a Valkyrie she's never even met for a couple of reasons;
1. Because Aydis is a bloody good person and wants to free someone being held captive for literally eternity by some grumpy old god.
2. She wants to prove that women are just as brave as men, if not braver; to right their view on women which in a way could possibly free all viking women from the roles they've been assigned for so long.

This was such a fun read, and it's gotten me interested in vikings and Valkyries. I'll definitely be picking up volume 2 when it comes out, hopefully sooner rather than later.

When Aydis is found kissing another girl her father is given one choice, marry her off or kill her. He pretends to kill Aydis, instead of letting her run away. Aydis sets out to right the wrongs of the gods. First, she decides to free Valkyrie Brynhild who is cursed to marry mortals only to have them die and the process to start over again. Aydis is on a mission to end that cycle once and for all, Odin be damned.

I really enjoyed this comic. At first, I wasn't sure that I would. The art style is very distinctive and grew on me more and more as the book went on. I really enjoyed how Alterici took Norse mythology and decided to add this new story to it. The characters are interesting and engaging and the artwork really contributes to the story.

Love. I love this graphic novel and I will simply have to read every other volume that comes out to make sure that I live a fulfilled life.

This is the first graphic novel that I've read which centres around LGBT characters - it uses Norse gods and dark and dramatic illustrations to explore different attitudes towards gay people, and it's simply divine (pun intended). The storytelling is strong and the characters truly compelling, I can't wait to see who they bring in next!

As a lover of Norse mythology, this was the perfect read for me and I am in awe of the artwork. I was devastated when I realised that I'd come to the end of the volume.... can only hope that the next installment will be out soon or I may have to be overdramatic and weep.

Heathen by Natasha Alterici is a graphic novel dealing with a viking world overlapped with a fantasy plotline surrounding the nordic gods such as Odin and Freya, but also the mighty Valkyries. It deals heavily with LGBT and feminist problems and the whole graphic novel is in my opinion a metaphor for the closeted people who suffer for and because of it.

It was a quite enjoyable read, the illustrations were phenomenal and the characters distinctly different from one another. The dialogue was in my opinion a bit forced and I really could not feel any connection to the characters because of it.
My favorite character is certainly Freya, the goddess of love and the leader of the Valkyries. I find her very enchanting as she should be and very interesting.

Even though I know it was the most important message of the graphic novel, I was quite annoyed with the forcing of the LGBT thematic. Not the love scenes, but the dialogue following it. And I say this as a member of the LGBT community. 

Anyhow, I am quite excited to read more about Aydis, since we know so little about her. And of course read some more about Freya!

Heathen is a coming out story interwoven with Norse mythology.

Heathen tells the story of Aydis, a Viking young woman who can fight as well as any male warrior. After kissing a girl (and liking it), her father is forced by the tribe's elders to punish her. Aydis must marry a man of her father's choosing or he must kill her. Her father pretends to kill her but instead banishes her from the tribe.

With only her trusty horse, Saga, Aydis decides to rescue the Valkyrie Brynhild from a mountain surrounded by fire. During her quest, Aydis meets and sometimes fights many Norse gods. There are three chapters in this volume and this summary is only part of chapter one. Many more adventures occur later.

The coming out plot was interesting though short. Hopefully, this plot line will be explored more in future volumes of this series. The mythological setting was my favorite part. Who doesn't enjoy a good quest complete with battles with temperamental gods? The author does a great job explaining the back stories of the gods without overdoing the detail. The artwork is unusual but clearly sets the fantasy mood.

If you like Marvel's Thor movie/comics or the great Neil Gaiman book, Norse Mythology, Heathen will be a real treat for you as it was for me.

Thanks to the Vault Comics and netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

OMG, this was SO good! I want the next one already!

Aldys is a young Viking woman who is caught kissing another girl. Her clan gives her father a choice: marry her off, or kill her. Her father chooses death, but only so he FAKE her death and allow her to run away. Now Aldys is out to prove is more worthy than any man in her village by finding and freeing Bryhild, the Valkyre who has been cursed by Odin.

Aldys is cool man! Her freaking HORSE is cool! Thanks Netgalley for sending me a free copy of this!

This is a little bit cheesy with its messages of finding independence, coming out, and being who you are despite the fear, prejudice, and "the Man" (in this case, literally Odin), but I don't mind, because they're positive messages. Married with the Norse mythology base, and tied together with understated character models, landscapes, and a well-chosen limited color palette, it works.

P.S. The one thing I found to cause eye-rolling was the attire, since all the characters are dressed in an MMORPG version of what female Viking fighters would wear, namely random scraps of fabric, and Freya's boobs are exposed for everyone to see. While it's not hypersexualized as female characters in mainstream comics and videogames often are (with the porny arched back poses, etc), it seemed unnecessary, but also a statement by the creator that ladies who like ladies and make comics can decorate their comics with scantily clad women as well, if not better, than cishet male comic creators.