The Red Star: Nokgorka

Nokgorka is the second volume in the Red Star series. It's a fantasised history of the USSR, set in a country called the URRS (the United Republic of the Red Star). In the first volume we were introduced to our protagonist Maya, a sorceress in the Army of the Red Star who's participating in the invasion of Al-Istaan, an analogue to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. The second volume fast forwards ten years, where the URRS is attempting to pacify Nokgorka, an analogue to Chechnya.

First up, the art needs to be mentioned. It's a very cool mixture of hand drawn and computer generated art. It looks pretty awesome, the best part being a huge air battle involving the URRS troop transports, which are big flying magic powered juggernauts. As for the plot, it's pretty interesting, but like most comic compilations, the pacing just seems completely off.

It's a little expensive for it's slender length, but the stunning artwork more than makes up for it. I'll definitely be getting the next one soon.