Comic - eastmeetsnorse.com

This vignette was inspired by thoughts on people, society and expectations. There are different ways to solve problems and handle situations. Some people are more direct, some people are less direct, some people are sneaky and petty. Some people, like our skirmisher, simply hope to find themselves in the right place at the right time. Impressed by the inspiration behind the story, Charlie wanted to model Halfdan, the skirmisher, on someone he felt was both inspired and inspirational as an artist. Struck by another bolt of inspiration, Charlie wrote to Clutch’s publicist to ask if Neil Fallon would agree to have his likeness used for Halfdan. Coincidentally, on the day the email was written and sent, unbeknownst to us, Clutch was performing just down the pike in central Serbia. The publicist later forwarded the scenario to Neil who, with the graciousness that characterizes him, accepted. Now that was Big News. Thanks to Clutch for all the great music, and to Neil for the morale boost.

POSTER

At the start of a project, we’re always interested in exploring different forms of art. One early idea was to create a digital poster. Historically, this format has its roots in wartime propaganda. But in the world of medieval Japan, there were no national flags—only the banners of individual clans, carried into battle behind the samurai.

In a way, the visual presence of these banners reflects a central theme in East Meets Norse: the tension between individual identity and centralized power. The flags become more than mere symbols—they speak of unity forged through adversity, of clans that predate the nation-state, bound together under a common cause.

The basis of the poster itself was a WW2 Italian propaganda that extolled the Axis powers working together. Yes, it’s not a Japanese work (their propaganda at that time is fairly crude and unimaginative) but it’s a pretty iconic piece.

Our very first vignette: Thor Is With Us was inspired by the lead up to the final shootout in the film The Wild Bunch. The vignette provides a rough depiction of the main characters as well as a possible ending for the sage. The plan was that the next vignette, Rising Sun, would focus on the saga’s beginnings. Thor Is With Us uses a style that is heavily pencil reliant, creating dynamic contrast between the characters, rendered in ink, and the background. This approach gives the work a sense of depth and atmosphere. Finally, we hope this comic will please Thor, as well as the spirits of Sam Peckinpah, William Holden and Ernest Borgnine!

Rising Sun is our second vignette. It suggests how our Vikings left Europe, how they will reach Japan, and under what circumstances they’ll attempt their invasion. This story demanded color, and so it came to be. The vignette itself is really built around that final panel, an image that came when exploring how the Vikings could get to Japan. Rising Sun also hints at the period in which the main story takes place. Further, it was an experiment in trying to tell a story in a single page.