Dune: House Atreides #1
Written by: Brian Herbet, Kevin J. Anderson
Illustrated by: Dev Pramanik
Cover Art by: Jae Lee
BOOM! Studios
2020
* Set in the years leading up the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Dune-which inspired the upcoming feature film from Legendary Pictures- DUNE: HOUSE ATREIDES transports readers to the far future on the desert planet Arrakis where Pardot Kynes seeks its secrets.
* Meanwhile, a violent coup is planned by the son of Emperor Elrood; an eight-year-old slave Duncan Idaho seeks to escape his cruel masters; and a young man named Leto Atreides begins a fateful journey.
* These unlikely souls are drawn together first as renegades and then as something more, as they discover their true fate – to change the very shape of history!
I am so excited to see Dune merchandise starting to appear. It is easily one of the most promising science fiction series out there, but for some reason it’s never done well with the pop culture audience. I’m almost certain this comic was meant to accompany the upcoming film, so I’m more than a little disappointed by the timing. But I do think the comic is fantastic, I just hope people still remember it in a year.
One of my favorite things about Dune is how different every thing about their universe is, and how well thought out it is. That is evident in this comic, and it’s a huge plus for long time fans. It’s also the kind of thing that sticks out immediately to new fans, and really gets its hooks into you. I’m so happy to see it present, and well done. Dune is a fascinating mix of archaic and technological, and that comes through well.
One of my favorite things about this comic is how stunningly beautiful it is. Even the planet Arrakis, famous for being one endless dessert looks good here. It’s not just shown as a sea of sand, which would have been perfectly reasonable to do. Instead, it’s shown in contrasting colors with the technology around it, and even with the emotions of the people in it. It’s bright and colorful and leaps off the page at you. And that’s the least exciting of the many planets shown.
Indeed, if I have any complaints at all, they are small ones. Firstly, I’m not sure why the book is called House Atreides when it spends equal time with other factions. Maybe that will change in future issues, or maybe it’s just forethought so they can sell you House Harkonnen and House Vernius later on. And secondly, for being based on one of the best written sci-fi novels ever, the writing falls a little flat. It’s not that it’s bad, but I was really hoping for more.
This is a fantastic comic, and I’m looking forward to more of anything set in the Dune universe. Having said all that, though, I’m worried the separation from the movie might blunt what could have been. I feel this was clearly meant to be a tie in, and without that support, this series may not get the attention it deserves. But it does deserve your attention. Beautiful, interesting, huge potential for follow up, and a wealth of existing literature… there’s plenty of Dune to hold you over until the film does release. Why not get it all started here?
Great Comic, Weird Timing
I feel like this was likely planned as a lead up to the upcoming movie, before Covid, and didn't get pushed back as long as the film did. It's a good read, and is beautifully drawn, but with so little to support the property, I can't imagine many people will care much at all.
Brian Reed
Brian has been reading comics since January, 1987, when the death of Optimus Prime rocked his young world. Once a regular presenter on The Nerdstravaganza Podcast, Brian now writes for Florida Geek Scene.
