Ionheart

Austrian German Kummer’s English-language debut offers a magical and unpredictable fusion of fantasy, science fiction, crime thriller, and drama. In a high-fantasy world of knights, castles, and quests, Sir William awakens from a 30-year slumber to find the realm reduced to a radioactive wasteland. Advanced technology from “a ‘harder’ place” has been materializing in this world, to its detriment, though people see the items as magic: binoculars are “eyes of foresight,” a flying car is an “iron mare,” and a nuclear blast is a “tree of fire.” Pursued by a demon and by his own checkered past, Sir William sets out to save the world, while the princess he loved becomes queen and tries to rebuild her kingdom. But that’s only the beginning of this twisty tale, which skips around in time, space, and reality to piece together William’s story, little by little, revealing darker and more emotionally complex layers. Kummer’s clean lines and bold neon colors propel the proceedings, lending a streamlined Hergé-esque simplicity to tangled plots and unexpected settings. Fans of genre-benders like Nimona and The Mushroom Knight will want to explore Kummer’s weird worlds. (Aug.)