Lore Olympus Volume One

Lore Olympus is a wildly popular webcomic, one of the most viewed ones on the WEBTOON platform. It is a modern retelling of the myth of Persephone and Hades, with the gods and goddesses possessing cell phones and social media while also engaging in all the sorts of soap opera antics associated with classic Greek mythology. It presents realistic situations that are not always pleasant, and it does so in ways that are compelling and compassionate. It is also frequently funny.

Reading this story, I felt that I knew who these characters were, almost immediately, and they act in surprisingly vibrant ways. The twists on classical storytelling are expert and intriguing. All of the various personalities and relationships are cast in a way that heightens the drama and emotion of the goings-on of this book. It is one of my favorite comics of the past decade, and I am glad to see it in a physical format that will gain it new readers.

The narrative kicks off one day at a posh party at Mount Olympus Hades (who does not even want to be there) makes a remark that this new young goddess (Persephone) puts Aphrodite to shame in terms of beauty. That is a big mistake, because the vain, spiteful goddess of love sics her son Eros on poor Persephone, and she ends up with a spiked drink that knocks her out for the evening. Somehow, she ends up under Hades's care and ends up in his kingdom, where she wakes up and endears herself to his many dogs. There is some flirting, but nothing serious happens. What follows, however, is a lot of rumors, gossip, and wondering by various mythological beings.

What makes this book, which is retelling a tale that is thousands of years old and has been retold countless times, so exceptional is how it depicts its characters. The artwork is full of life and personality. Each god/goddess has their own color scheme and unique designs. They pop off the page in an almost alchemical way. They seem very alive and animated. I was curious to see how effects that worked with vertical scrolling webcomics would work in book form, and they translate extremely well. The story does not flow in the same manner, but the glossy pages and layouts make this a very attractive reading experience.

In addition to the artwork, the personalities are all defined in bold, distinct ways in the narrative as well. Persephone herself is young and sheltered, a bit naive but smart. She wants to get out of her mother's broad shadow and make something of herself. She does not want to be a simple conquest for a lecherous elder god. Her life gets further complicated by her relationship with Artemis, her roommate who is the goddess of chastity, among other things, and who is very protective of her.

However, Artemis is too distracted to see her brother Apollo making unwelcome advances towards  Persephone. One night he takes advantage of her, and she feels too ashamed and conflicted to deal with the violence afterward. She questions her role in this event, and she fears what others will think. I feel that an important aspect of this book is its telling this sort of story, which is too painfully common though not often shared.

Lore Olympus is the debut comics work of Rachel Smythe. She has won a Harvey Award for her work on it, and has also been nominated for an Eisner. She speaks about her work on the webcomic and adapting it into a print version in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been glowing. Etelka Lehoczky wrote that "anyone who's drawn into Smythe's world will appreciate its beauty and wit, and few will escape its seductive ambiguity." Publishers Weekly summed it up, "As rich as baklava but snacky as a bag of potato chips, this romance is hard to resist."

Lore Olympus Volume One was published by Del Rey, and they offer more info about it here. The webcomic appears at WEBTOON, and is currently on Episode 184. This book contains episodes 1-25.

Hades: Lord of the Dead

This fourth graphic novel in The Olympians series seems to be about Hades but follows more the story of Persephone. The reasons for this focus are detailed in the interesting Author's Note that follows the main narrative. Persephone appears in so few Greek myths and almost never except in the underworld, even though she spends only half her time there. With her O'Connor finds a blank slate that he uses to paint a portrait of a slightly rebellious young woman who is happy to explore life on her own beyond the yoke of her overbearing mother. The oft-told tale of a god kidnapping a young goddess to make her his bride is a strange one, and it receives a fresh twist because of the author's insights.

The traditional high notes are here: Hades receives the Underworld as his domain after the defeat of the Titans. He seeks a wife and kidnaps the young Kore (who would change her name to Persephone). While Kore is with him, her mother Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and the harvest, grieves and the world falls into a state of barren winter. Hermes is finally sent to retrieve Persephone to revive Demeter and restore life to the Earth. But she has eaten a pomegranate, the food of the dead, and must remain in the Underworld for part of the year as consequence. This myth explains why there are seasons.

George O'Connor has created a number of graphic novels in addition to the well received Olympians books, Zeus, Athena, and Hera. His first one was the American history journal account Journey into Mohawk Country. He also has published a number of children's picture books. He keeps an online sketchbook of his latest projects here.

Reviews for this book have been overwhelmingly positive. Rob McGonigal wrote that "this is a great book and a solid series for any young adult interested in exciting stories that can springboard them into a world of literature." Madigan McGillicuddy described this book as "deliciously spooky" and "riveting." She also commented that it "adds a modern touch to the stories that the Greeks told about the Underworld." The tough critics at Kirkus Reviews awarded a starred review and called it "an outstanding addition to a first-rate series."

The book's publisher First Second provides an excerpt and discussion guide here.