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Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard #1
Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, Vol. 1
Inside the June Alley Inn, located in the western mouse city of Barkstone, mice gather to tell tales, each trying to outdo the other. A competition, of sorts, begins. The Every story must contain one truth, one lie and have never been told in that tavern before. With the winner getting his bar tab cleared, fantastic stories are spun throughout the evening. Legends of the Guard is a new Mouse Guard anthology series featuring the work of artists and storytellers handpicked by series creator David Petersen, including Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), Alex Sheikman (Robotika), Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things), Gene Ha (Top 10), Sean Rubin (Redwall), Guy Davis (B.P.R.D.), Katie Cook (Fraggle Rock), Karl Kerschl (Teen Year One), Craig Rousseau (Impulse), and Mark Smylie (Artesia).
144 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2010
About the author
David Petersen
146 books332 followersNote: There are more than one David Petersen on GR's database. For catch-all profile, see here (dissambiguated via 7 spaces).
David Petersen was born in 1977. His artistic career soon followed. A steady diet of cartoons, comics, and tree climbing fed his imagination and is what still inspires his work today. David won the 2007 Russ Manning Award for Most Promising Newcomer. In 2008, David won the Eisners for Best Publication for Kids (Mouse Guard Fall 1152 & Winter 1152) and Best Graphic Album – Reprint (Mouse Guard Fall 1152 Hardcover). He is the creator of the Mouse Guard series and is excited to be working on projects he dearly loves doing. David and his wife Julia reside in Michigan with their dog Autumn.
David Petersen was born in 1977. His artistic career soon followed. A steady diet of cartoons, comics, and tree climbing fed his imagination and is what still inspires his work today. David won the 2007 Russ Manning Award for Most Promising Newcomer. In 2008, David won the Eisners for Best Publication for Kids (Mouse Guard Fall 1152 & Winter 1152) and Best Graphic Album – Reprint (Mouse Guard Fall 1152 Hardcover). He is the creator of the Mouse Guard series and is excited to be working on projects he dearly loves doing. David and his wife Julia reside in Michigan with their dog Autumn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
December 15, 2010
I was worried that an excursis from the running narrative of David Petersen's Mouse Guard series would be at best ineffectual and at worst a deep distraction from the wonderful story being crafted over the seasons (Fall and Winter of 1152 so far). "Tales from" collections usually present a mishmash of stories varying in quality from good (very rare) to mediocre (very common) to downright bad (uncommon though unfortunately not so uncommon as good stories). My fears were largely unfounded here.
Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard sidesteps the major pitfalls of the format nicely. While, as typical with these ventures, there were a number of middle-of-the-road stories ranging from fun to occasionally ineffectual, there were also several good stories and nothing that would fall into the realm of bad. The art and writing, of course, vary depending on creator; and while none of the artists exceed the expectations readers have learned to hold having experienced Petersen's vision of Mouse Guard (some of it is downright cartoony and feels out of place in the world we've become accustomed to), the writing occasionally exhibits more depth. As each of these stories are being told by mice of different histories, personalities, and circumstances, the difference of story texture is absolutely plausible—I think my only complaint here is the art in "A Mouse Named Fox" (cute story, but the art is just too plain).
The standout stories from my vantage were Jeremy Bastian's tale of the beginnings of the Mouse Guard, Alex Sheikman's emotionally satisfying story of a mouse king and his faithful steed, Lowell Francis and Gene Ha's reminiscence of a heroic mouse banker (told, of course, by a mouse banker!), Guy Davis' wordless entry contesting a critic versus the artist of his scorn, and finally Mark Smylie's adaptation of King David's historical epic of treacherous penis-think. Most of the other stuff is fine, but only these stories come close to meriting the erasure of a bar-tab.
But (!) far better for the package than the stories themselves is Petersen's method for tying them together. Petersen uses the well-worn tavern storytelling trope in which a number of visitors to a tavern spend the evening swapping tales (in this case, the winner will have their bar tab cleared). The conditions of the telling: one tale per customer, the tales have to be partial truth and partial fabrication, and the tavern proprietress can't have heard the tale before. It would be easy to use this bridging technique and have it fail. Credit then to Petersen's grasp of character and the life-breath of his small world that the tavern-goers interaction with each other is so endearing as it is.
And as an added bonus that most readers will likely skip over but really worked to win me over, Petersen gives summary of the Mouse Guard legend that inspires the art adorning each chapter's title as well as that of the collection's cover illustration. And these four (not including the collection cover) episodes adorn the walls of June's tavern and can be glimpsed throughout the book's segues. It's a light touch that really serves to embellish the world these mice inhabit and give it a sense of history and depth.
All in, an enjoyable break from the main story. I would have preferred the next book in the narrative instead, but these were fun enough that I'll welcome the next volume of Mouse Guard legends despite its interruptive status.
Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard sidesteps the major pitfalls of the format nicely. While, as typical with these ventures, there were a number of middle-of-the-road stories ranging from fun to occasionally ineffectual, there were also several good stories and nothing that would fall into the realm of bad. The art and writing, of course, vary depending on creator; and while none of the artists exceed the expectations readers have learned to hold having experienced Petersen's vision of Mouse Guard (some of it is downright cartoony and feels out of place in the world we've become accustomed to), the writing occasionally exhibits more depth. As each of these stories are being told by mice of different histories, personalities, and circumstances, the difference of story texture is absolutely plausible—I think my only complaint here is the art in "A Mouse Named Fox" (cute story, but the art is just too plain).
The standout stories from my vantage were Jeremy Bastian's tale of the beginnings of the Mouse Guard, Alex Sheikman's emotionally satisfying story of a mouse king and his faithful steed, Lowell Francis and Gene Ha's reminiscence of a heroic mouse banker (told, of course, by a mouse banker!), Guy Davis' wordless entry contesting a critic versus the artist of his scorn, and finally Mark Smylie's adaptation of King David's historical epic of treacherous penis-think. Most of the other stuff is fine, but only these stories come close to meriting the erasure of a bar-tab.
But (!) far better for the package than the stories themselves is Petersen's method for tying them together. Petersen uses the well-worn tavern storytelling trope in which a number of visitors to a tavern spend the evening swapping tales (in this case, the winner will have their bar tab cleared). The conditions of the telling: one tale per customer, the tales have to be partial truth and partial fabrication, and the tavern proprietress can't have heard the tale before. It would be easy to use this bridging technique and have it fail. Credit then to Petersen's grasp of character and the life-breath of his small world that the tavern-goers interaction with each other is so endearing as it is.
And as an added bonus that most readers will likely skip over but really worked to win me over, Petersen gives summary of the Mouse Guard legend that inspires the art adorning each chapter's title as well as that of the collection's cover illustration. And these four (not including the collection cover) episodes adorn the walls of June's tavern and can be glimpsed throughout the book's segues. It's a light touch that really serves to embellish the world these mice inhabit and give it a sense of history and depth.
All in, an enjoyable break from the main story. I would have preferred the next book in the narrative instead, but these were fun enough that I'll welcome the next volume of Mouse Guard legends despite its interruptive status.
January 18, 2016
This was far cuter, more imaginative and varied, and just plain fun, than I had anticipated.
Full review to follow but suffice to say I have discovered some excellent new illustrators through reading this and will be looking up some of their other works.
I also fully intend to pick up all the rest of the Mouse Guard books very soon! 4*s
__________________
Full Review:-
So, this was my first venture into the world of the Mouse Guard, a world originally created by David Peterson. I wanted to try this book out right from the first time I saw it in a shop, becuase the cover and interior art was stunning to look at and it's about cute mice! (what more could you want). However, with that said I didn't really know what sort of stories it would be or the tone of the writing and so I was just hoping it would be something I'd at least enjoy.
Luckily for me this story is super diverse and easy to follow and we see that it\s introduced by David Peterson in a little tavern where the patrons are challenged to come up with interesting stories and win the day. These smaller stories are then illustrated, written and coloured by a whole variety of different artists and writers with Peterson just filling in the in-between moments with his own illustrations.
I think that the short story format worked very well becuase it doesn't spoil anything about the general Mouse Guard universe, but it certainly makes you want to see more of the mice. I found myself absorbed in their adventures right from the first story, and I was pretty hooked through to the end.
Each of the creators within this have been specially picked by David Peterson which means that you have a great mix of styles, but they're all top quality. I would honestly say that there were no styles I disliked, although there were certainly some that really stood out, and so this is a great way to see some work by some wonderful talent.
Some of the stories I most enjoyed were:
The Battle of the Hawk's Mouse and the Fox's Mouse - Jeremy Bastian
Potential - Sean Rubin & Alex Kain
Bowen's Tale - Karl Kerschl
There were lots of other fun ones, but the art styles and stories of these three were my favourites and the most memorable ones for me :)
On the whole a great entry point and it's made me want to keep discovering more of the cute little mice. I also loved the page showing each of them and their roles in the world! 4*s
Full review to follow but suffice to say I have discovered some excellent new illustrators through reading this and will be looking up some of their other works.
I also fully intend to pick up all the rest of the Mouse Guard books very soon! 4*s
__________________
Full Review:-
So, this was my first venture into the world of the Mouse Guard, a world originally created by David Peterson. I wanted to try this book out right from the first time I saw it in a shop, becuase the cover and interior art was stunning to look at and it's about cute mice! (what more could you want). However, with that said I didn't really know what sort of stories it would be or the tone of the writing and so I was just hoping it would be something I'd at least enjoy.
Luckily for me this story is super diverse and easy to follow and we see that it\s introduced by David Peterson in a little tavern where the patrons are challenged to come up with interesting stories and win the day. These smaller stories are then illustrated, written and coloured by a whole variety of different artists and writers with Peterson just filling in the in-between moments with his own illustrations.
I think that the short story format worked very well becuase it doesn't spoil anything about the general Mouse Guard universe, but it certainly makes you want to see more of the mice. I found myself absorbed in their adventures right from the first story, and I was pretty hooked through to the end.
Each of the creators within this have been specially picked by David Peterson which means that you have a great mix of styles, but they're all top quality. I would honestly say that there were no styles I disliked, although there were certainly some that really stood out, and so this is a great way to see some work by some wonderful talent.
Some of the stories I most enjoyed were:
The Battle of the Hawk's Mouse and the Fox's Mouse - Jeremy Bastian
Potential - Sean Rubin & Alex Kain
Bowen's Tale - Karl Kerschl
There were lots of other fun ones, but the art styles and stories of these three were my favourites and the most memorable ones for me :)
On the whole a great entry point and it's made me want to keep discovering more of the cute little mice. I also loved the page showing each of them and their roles in the world! 4*s
July 4, 2017
Mouse Guard is an all ages tale of warrior mice. It's not just kids stuff. This volume featured several short stories by different creators. It read somewhat like a set of fables, and was very entertaining. The art in particular was gorgeous, with beautiful coloring.
If you like Mouse Guard, than of course you'd like this one. For people unfamiliar, I'd say anyone who likes fables would enjoy it. Also, fans of Watership Down would probably LOVE Mouse Guard. If you are looking for something a little different, give it a try.
If you like Mouse Guard, than of course you'd like this one. For people unfamiliar, I'd say anyone who likes fables would enjoy it. Also, fans of Watership Down would probably LOVE Mouse Guard. If you are looking for something a little different, give it a try.
September 2, 2018
June the innkeeper at Alley Inn is fed up with her customers' tabs getting ever larger. She proposes a contest to see who will tell the most entertaining tale that is not wholly truth, nor wholly falsehood and never before heard by her. The volume is made up of several stories written by multiple writers each teamed up with a different artist, making the art style unique for each tale. It's not bad at all, since the writers do a fairly good job of maintaining consistency with the creator of the universe. Even though death and hardship is an important part of mouse life, at the end of the day I feel this comic is fit for any reader, whatever their age.
March 9, 2024
The art. The stories. Be still my heart.
May 12, 2015
Various mice tell partially true to true/false tales in order to not pay their tab at the inn. Tales range from mediocre to excellent. Artwork is it's usual style.
OVERALL GRADE: B
OVERALL GRADE: B
March 3, 2018
Bellissima antologia, il fatto di aver lasciato che ogni disegnatore tenesse il suo stile rende ancora più godibile questa raccolta di storie!
May 21, 2018
David Petersen's Mouse Guard is a very nice fable about one simple but vivid world of mice. And Legends expand it even more. I really like a collection of short stories from different authors to some well-known comics) lore. And this is even more likable because it is glued together by the "setting" story. Different stories, styles and art. Some of them better, some of them worse, some of them really close to the lore of Mouse Guard, some wander afar. Together it works and it is a very good addition, which expands vividness of the lore.
June 10, 2017
At first I was kind of "eh" about this collection. Mainly because some of the art wasn't my cup of tea and the stories left me feeling unsatisfied.
But after reflecting on the collection as a whole and looking back at what I just read, it all came together and worked.
I miss seeing the core characters but I loved having the opportunity to see more of the world of Mouse Guard.
Fingers crossed that one day we get the stories that the covers hinted towards.
But after reflecting on the collection as a whole and looking back at what I just read, it all came together and worked.
I miss seeing the core characters but I loved having the opportunity to see more of the world of Mouse Guard.
Fingers crossed that one day we get the stories that the covers hinted towards.
February 3, 2020
I have to confess that I was a little disappointed, after reading and enjoying David Petersen's
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152
and
Mouse Guard: Winter 1152
- both volumes contains six individual comic issues, and relate the epic story of the eponymous Mouse Guard, a corps of murine warriors and guides who protect the Mouse Territories from diverse dangers - to discover that this volume does not continue the story begun in those titles, but rather, offers a series of short stories set in the Mouse Guard world, written and illustrated by a variety of other comic book practitioners. The connecting art and concept - a story contest at the June Alley Inn, in the mouse city of Barkstone, gives patrons the chance to clear their outstanding tabs, by relating the best tale - are provided by Petersen himself, while the thirteen stories (fourteen if one counts the epilogue) are contributed by various authors and artists.
Once I got used to the idea of an anthology, however, and accepted that I wasn't going to discover what "happened next," I began to enjoy this collection. I'm not very well read in the world of comic books, so only one of the guest artists - Ted Naifeh, creator of the Courtney Crumrin comic books, which I have enjoyed - was familiar to me, going in. It was interesting to get some more background information on this world, and to see it through the eyes of other artists. Kudos to Petersen for letting others play a role in its creation! The stories I tended to enjoy most here, were those that built the history up a bit: The Battle of the Hawk's Mouse & The Fox's Mouse by Jeremy Bastian, with its story of the formation of the proto-Mouse Guard, and how it came to have a Matriarch; Crown of Silver, Crown of Gold, by Mark Smylie, with its tale of two warring mouse kingdoms, and how both were brought low by treachery. I liked Craig Rousseau's The Lion and the Mouse because of its Aesopic references, but The Raven, adapted from the Edgar Allan Poe poem by Jason Shawn Alexander, didn't work as well for me. Naifeh's A Bargain in the Dark was engaging, but too short to really draw me in.
Still, despite my varied reactions - I didn't really enjoy this one, overall, as much as Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 - this is definitely a book that Mouse Guard fans will want to pick up: for the stories, the artwork, and the June Alley Inn ambiance! Now, if only the next installment of the actual story were coming out sometime soon...
Once I got used to the idea of an anthology, however, and accepted that I wasn't going to discover what "happened next," I began to enjoy this collection. I'm not very well read in the world of comic books, so only one of the guest artists - Ted Naifeh, creator of the Courtney Crumrin comic books, which I have enjoyed - was familiar to me, going in. It was interesting to get some more background information on this world, and to see it through the eyes of other artists. Kudos to Petersen for letting others play a role in its creation! The stories I tended to enjoy most here, were those that built the history up a bit: The Battle of the Hawk's Mouse & The Fox's Mouse by Jeremy Bastian, with its story of the formation of the proto-Mouse Guard, and how it came to have a Matriarch; Crown of Silver, Crown of Gold, by Mark Smylie, with its tale of two warring mouse kingdoms, and how both were brought low by treachery. I liked Craig Rousseau's The Lion and the Mouse because of its Aesopic references, but The Raven, adapted from the Edgar Allan Poe poem by Jason Shawn Alexander, didn't work as well for me. Naifeh's A Bargain in the Dark was engaging, but too short to really draw me in.
Still, despite my varied reactions - I didn't really enjoy this one, overall, as much as Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 - this is definitely a book that Mouse Guard fans will want to pick up: for the stories, the artwork, and the June Alley Inn ambiance! Now, if only the next installment of the actual story were coming out sometime soon...
February 2, 2017
This was my first touch to the Mouse Guard -series and I fell in love with these fellows! The illustration is fantastic and characters so sweet. Immediately needed to search for the other books of the series, too. Also discovered some new interesting illustrators through this anthology.
February 6, 2020
Another wonderful addition to the Mouse Guard series. This book is a collection of short stories from various authors and illustrators. Some stories were incredible while others were okay. Fans of the series should definitely pick this up.
March 2, 2018
Contos por vários escritores e artistas, passados no mundo de Mouse Guard. Ratos se reúnem em uma taverna e começam a contar histórias que podem ou não ser verdadeiras. Quem contar a melhor delas terá suas dívidas de cerveja e comida liquidadas.
Achei mais ou menos. Nenhum conto me interessou muito.
Achei mais ou menos. Nenhum conto me interessou muito.
August 6, 2018
You will like this if you are a fan of Red Wall, Mouse Guard, and Mice and Mystics. This is a collection of cautionary graphic novel short stories, rich with potential in mouse exploration, lessons to be learned, and betrayals. The art work is stunning as always for Mouse Guard standards, yet there is a collection of various artists which give the series a slightly different take on subjective imagery. It is damn good and full tiny extras. Portraits, blue prints, and a cast of tiny mice characters.
Premise: When a bunch of mice from all over the territories go to June Alleys Inn to have a drink, June demands that every Mouse who owes her money must spin a tale of legend. She will decide who’s is the best, and clear the winners bar tab. Quite a unique graphic novel in my opinion. This is one of three, and my favorite story was told by Carver who is a master carpenter, the story of Crown of Silver and Gold.
5 out of 5 Mouse stars.
FD Gross
Grelldragon@hotmail.com
Premise: When a bunch of mice from all over the territories go to June Alleys Inn to have a drink, June demands that every Mouse who owes her money must spin a tale of legend. She will decide who’s is the best, and clear the winners bar tab. Quite a unique graphic novel in my opinion. This is one of three, and my favorite story was told by Carver who is a master carpenter, the story of Crown of Silver and Gold.
5 out of 5 Mouse stars.
FD Gross
Grelldragon@hotmail.com
June 24, 2017
I really enjoyed this. I haven't read the original since this is what they had at the libary, but now I plan to seek it out. The stories written were fascinating and a couple adorable. It feels like a great anthology that builds to this world.
April 25, 2021
As in every anthology, this has it's ups and downs, especially scenario-wise.
July 3, 2022
This is a great collection of short graphic-novel type stories. Very much enjoyed. My favorite was The Critic.
December 29, 2022
An extremely charming anothology of short stories set in the Mouse Guard universe. I found the jumping from one author + artist to the next refreshing and kept me wondering what quaint and quirky little tale I'd be surprised with next! Fantastic collection of artwork!
June 21, 2023
Absolutely gorgeous, and a clever idea, too! Reminds me of Redwall.
November 14, 2021
Anthology with several creators. All art is good and some is even great. Stories are short and not connected to each other. An MG fan would probably get more out of this.
Read
January 12, 2015Mouse Guard, Legend of the Guard by David Petersen is a fantasy/graphic novel that takes place in the June Alley Inn in the world of the mouse guard. Within the Inn, June, the owner, is having a competition for who can tell the best story. The rules are that it must have one truth, one lie, and have been never told before in the Inn. This spirals into a competitive competition with everyone working to have the best story. Since this book was made up of many smaller stories in it, there was a lot of varying amount of artwork that involved colored in sketches, to full blown artwork that had every little detail is filled in with full color. This book is a well-written, full of color, story about great legends of the guard mouse world with high stakes, excitement, and good stories.
I always love reading graphic and this book was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed Mouse Guard but thought that some of the stories were pointless. Some of them had no words and I think that a short story of three pages should not be wordless. Many of the stories told of old legend and added to this world in a way that makes you want more from them, but some of them told a story about a mouse whose adventures make you wish only for this story to end. Literally one of the stories was about a mouse talking to an old crow about how he lost his family. Now don't get me wrong, I liked the majority of stories and I think that there should be more. I definitely think that someone who wants variety would like this book. The artistic choices definitely help create a picture-perfect world with great fables by using bright colors and natural greens and browns that painted something more than just a graphic novel. Some motifs that I found in this book was how it seemed like the June Alley Inn was the best restaurant in their realm, it made it seem like the inn was a legendary rest stop for weary travelers A major theme in this book was how almost every story was about a guard mouse. They seem to value them and their services above almost everything else. They seem like guardians of the realm, keeping everyone safe and making sure that connection is not lost between the hidden cities. As an overall rating, I would give it a 4.1 out of 5 because while many stories were terrific, some were less than ideal.
I always love reading graphic and this book was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed Mouse Guard but thought that some of the stories were pointless. Some of them had no words and I think that a short story of three pages should not be wordless. Many of the stories told of old legend and added to this world in a way that makes you want more from them, but some of them told a story about a mouse whose adventures make you wish only for this story to end. Literally one of the stories was about a mouse talking to an old crow about how he lost his family. Now don't get me wrong, I liked the majority of stories and I think that there should be more. I definitely think that someone who wants variety would like this book. The artistic choices definitely help create a picture-perfect world with great fables by using bright colors and natural greens and browns that painted something more than just a graphic novel. Some motifs that I found in this book was how it seemed like the June Alley Inn was the best restaurant in their realm, it made it seem like the inn was a legendary rest stop for weary travelers A major theme in this book was how almost every story was about a guard mouse. They seem to value them and their services above almost everything else. They seem like guardians of the realm, keeping everyone safe and making sure that connection is not lost between the hidden cities. As an overall rating, I would give it a 4.1 out of 5 because while many stories were terrific, some were less than ideal.
October 3, 2013
My 6 year old son and I are huge fans of the Mouse Guard series. So for a present on his first day of school I got him this book and then we slowly read through the stories together. Like any anthology the stories are hit and miss, but overall it’s a good collection of Mouse Guard related stories by various authors.
The premise behind this book is that a whole bunch of mice are gathered in a tavern and they all owe the proprietor money. The proprietor, June, proposes a contest. The mouse that tells the best tale will have his/her tab paid for and everyone else who participates has to pay their tab within 7 days. As the contest proceeds where hear a variety of tales from a variety of mice. All of them involve either lore of the mice or the hardships the Mouse Guard face in their daily lives.
The illustrations and stories range widely. Some are about old mice who went on great adventures, some are about the daily trials of the Mouse Guard, and one is even about a mouse who thinks he is a fox. Most of the stories are very well done and have beautiful (if varied) styles of illustration.
However, there were a couple that fell short for me. One story in particular was done a very sketchy cartoonish way and had no dialogue. As a result both me and my son were a bit confused about what was going on. The artwork definitely wasn’t good enough to convey a cohesive story and there was no dialogue.
I enjoyed the interludes between stories that took place in the tavern, these were all done by David Peterson and were beautifully illustrated and written.
Overall a solid collection of graphic novel stories that all tie in with the Mouse Guard theme. As with any anthology some are spectacular and others not so much. The majority of the stories were beautifully illustrated in a range of styles and very well written. There were a couple I had trouble following. I would definitely recommend this collection to Mouse Guard fans and to fans of fantasy graphic novels in general.
The premise behind this book is that a whole bunch of mice are gathered in a tavern and they all owe the proprietor money. The proprietor, June, proposes a contest. The mouse that tells the best tale will have his/her tab paid for and everyone else who participates has to pay their tab within 7 days. As the contest proceeds where hear a variety of tales from a variety of mice. All of them involve either lore of the mice or the hardships the Mouse Guard face in their daily lives.
The illustrations and stories range widely. Some are about old mice who went on great adventures, some are about the daily trials of the Mouse Guard, and one is even about a mouse who thinks he is a fox. Most of the stories are very well done and have beautiful (if varied) styles of illustration.
However, there were a couple that fell short for me. One story in particular was done a very sketchy cartoonish way and had no dialogue. As a result both me and my son were a bit confused about what was going on. The artwork definitely wasn’t good enough to convey a cohesive story and there was no dialogue.
I enjoyed the interludes between stories that took place in the tavern, these were all done by David Peterson and were beautifully illustrated and written.
Overall a solid collection of graphic novel stories that all tie in with the Mouse Guard theme. As with any anthology some are spectacular and others not so much. The majority of the stories were beautifully illustrated in a range of styles and very well written. There were a couple I had trouble following. I would definitely recommend this collection to Mouse Guard fans and to fans of fantasy graphic novels in general.
June 25, 2015
I have had the pleasure of interviewing David Petersen for a podcast that I was formerly affiliated with on a couple of occasions. His Mouse Guard stories are among the finest work currently being done in the industry. I can not "Rickommend" them enough. This collection is a wonderful addition to this growing series and the ONLY reason that I did not give it a 5 star rating is that some of the tales that are told do not quite feel right in the over all Mouse Guard reality. In their defense they are suppose to be legends and tall tales, and this actually works exceedingly well for explaining the diverse styles of art and storytelling, but the transitions could be a bit distracting at times. I feel bad only given it 4 stars, but when I move my cursor over that 4th star it does say that I "really liked it" and that certainly sums up my feelings. Legends of the Guard is a welcome addition and I look forward to further such tales and experiments while I'm anticipating Mr. Petersen's next installment. I'll raise my mug to all the contributors for doing a magnificent job and to hopes that the Guard will be with us for many, many years to come.
Long Live the Guard!
Long Live the Guard!
January 20, 2011
This is the third book of this series that i've read. I read the first two because we are currently doing a Mouse Guard role playing arc. (I can't believe how much i have been revealing in these little reviews.)
I quite liked this book, which is a compilation of strips written by different artists in the Mouse Guard world. I thought the concept seemed creative, and the outcome was pretty impressive. I'm not a huge consumer of graphic novels/comics, so i can't say this is entirely new, but it was new to me, and i think a nice addition to the set.
I think the Mouse Guard novels are neatly done. The world is a very consistent imagining of what life would be like for an intelligent mouse society. It avoids being cutesy or over the top. I think my major grip about the books is that i often feel like i should be inferring more details or more depth from the work than i seem to be able to - probably more a problem with me than the books, though.
I quite liked this book, which is a compilation of strips written by different artists in the Mouse Guard world. I thought the concept seemed creative, and the outcome was pretty impressive. I'm not a huge consumer of graphic novels/comics, so i can't say this is entirely new, but it was new to me, and i think a nice addition to the set.
I think the Mouse Guard novels are neatly done. The world is a very consistent imagining of what life would be like for an intelligent mouse society. It avoids being cutesy or over the top. I think my major grip about the books is that i often feel like i should be inferring more details or more depth from the work than i seem to be able to - probably more a problem with me than the books, though.
July 16, 2014
So those of you who know me well enough know that I HATE talking animal books. This will always be the case. However I realize there is a market for this volume so I gave it three stars. It's a cross between Redwall and The Tale of Despereaux. The mice are knights and they're in a tavern when one old mouse can't pay his bill. Eventually he strikes a deal with the barkeep that he'll spin a yarn for ale and the barkeep agrees. (Story one). Then the other mice start telling stories. The story-within-a-story format works well here because the frame is consistant throughout and keeps the flow of the stories organized. The book has short stories within but isn't hitting you in the face with the multiple short stories.
August 18, 2013
A really lovely anthology set in the Mouse Guard world. No prior knowledge of the franchise was needed, meaning it could be enjoyed by fans and newcomers alike. The premise is disarmingly simple, each story is being told by a different mouse in the hopes of clearing their bar tab. Some are based on old fables or classic poems, others are wholly original. For the most part the art and story-telling are fabulous, the only let down for me was Katie Cook's story. Her art was far too cartoony and stylised to fit in with the rest of the sumptuously detailed book, and her bold colours were far too garish compared with the natural, autumnal shades used elsewhere. Otherwise a fine read.
July 7, 2022
Usual disclaimers about anthologies apply, but much less so than usual. There weren't any stories that I disliked and a great percentage that I absolutely loved. My 9-year-old son and I read these for bedtime over a few nights and neither of us could pick an easy favorite when we finished. Not as jaw-droppingly amazing as the main Mouse Guard series, but still a fantastic collection of fantasy stories about tiny creatures.
January 22, 2019
Непогане продовження мишачої саги, створений Девідом Петерсоном. Ідея така: сидять собі миші у трактирі й розповідають історії, які розфарбовують відомі й невідомі митці. Як завжди в таких антологіях, є хороші історії, а є не зовсім. Оскільки я фанат серії, то читаю абсолютно все, що стосується Мишачої Гвардії, але навіть попри своє захоплення мушу визнати: томик цей цілком посередній, попри окремі перлини. Заради них, напевно, й варто читати.
February 2, 2017
Delightful!
June 30, 2019
(This review was originally published by GraphicNovelReporter.com on Oct. 20, 2010)
Spinning off from David Petersen's popular, Eisner Award-winning Mouse Guard series comes LEGENDS OF THE GUARD. A collection of short stories written and illustrated by a group of artists hand-picked by Petersen, LEGENDS expands upon the world of the Guard and tells tales of ancient mouse history.
With a rising number of bar tabs going unpaid, June issues a challenge to her patrons --- tell a tale she's never heard before. Whoever can tell the best story will have their debt erased, while the losers must settle their accounts within seven days.
It is in this fashion that Petersen constructs a framed narrative for other storytellers to come and play with the world he has created, without impacting the overall narrative and continuity of his main series. Such writers and illustrators as Guy Davis (perhaps best known for his work on the Hellboy spinoff series B.P.R.D.) and Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise, Echo) make contributions, while Petersen bridges the stories with brief barroom interludes.
As with any collection of numerous collaborators, quality can vary. In Legends, the bar is set high amidst the accolades Petersen has garnered for his central Mouse Guard series, and, by and large, those invited to contribute are more than up to the task, and each firmly embraces the world that has been created.
Each story differs enough to be unique, although several are too brief to carry through with the proper amount of weight they seem entitled to. One story that does exceptionally well is actually an adaptation of another literary work: Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven. Jason Shawn Alexander casts the story in an entertaining way and manages to create a wonderfully tense dynamic between Poe's titular raven and a heartbroken mouse. In a few short pages, it becomes a terrific, memorable tale of loss and grief.
Guy Davis makes a contribution that strays from the traditional route of comic storytelling, relying solely on visuals to craft his short piece. Even the brief moments of dialogue are told only through pictograms. His work in gothic horror provides an interesting dynamic when pitted against the sometimes scary world of Mouse Guard, and the visuals of a lone mouse pitted against a parliament of owls is strikingly effective.
Visually, Petersen has established a naturalistic style in designing his world and his guests tend not to stray far from that aesthetic. Unfortunately, while the illustrations by Katie Cook are energetic and fun, her cartoony styling immediately puts her at odds with the naturalistic efforts of the other artists, which dominate the book. That is not to say, however, that she is a bad artist --- far from it. Her portfolio is filled with terrific imagery, and she is certainly a skilled illustrator. However, Petersen has very carefully and deliberately created a story of heroic mice that are decidedly not cartoony. As such, Cook's work here is simply an odd aberration, which disturbs the visual flow of the book by being so cheerily different from the art that precedes and follows her story.
LEGENDS OF THE GUARD works well as a collection of short stories, even if the overall narrative construct of the story is weaker than Petersen's central Mouse Guard series. The barroom bet to see which mouse can tell the best story provides little in the way of narrative conflict for readers to invest themselves in, and exists solely to tie the short stories into a cohesive whole. It works out well enough in the end, and the stories told are entertaining. Perhaps more importantly, the stories are authored and illustrated by people who actually care about and enjoy the world they've been invited to briefly play in. They had a fun time contributing to the book, and it's an infectious enjoyment. While established fans may find Legends to be an interesting detour, it's certainly a suitable jumping on point for new readers ready to embrace a mousy epic.
Spinning off from David Petersen's popular, Eisner Award-winning Mouse Guard series comes LEGENDS OF THE GUARD. A collection of short stories written and illustrated by a group of artists hand-picked by Petersen, LEGENDS expands upon the world of the Guard and tells tales of ancient mouse history.
With a rising number of bar tabs going unpaid, June issues a challenge to her patrons --- tell a tale she's never heard before. Whoever can tell the best story will have their debt erased, while the losers must settle their accounts within seven days.
It is in this fashion that Petersen constructs a framed narrative for other storytellers to come and play with the world he has created, without impacting the overall narrative and continuity of his main series. Such writers and illustrators as Guy Davis (perhaps best known for his work on the Hellboy spinoff series B.P.R.D.) and Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise, Echo) make contributions, while Petersen bridges the stories with brief barroom interludes.
As with any collection of numerous collaborators, quality can vary. In Legends, the bar is set high amidst the accolades Petersen has garnered for his central Mouse Guard series, and, by and large, those invited to contribute are more than up to the task, and each firmly embraces the world that has been created.
Each story differs enough to be unique, although several are too brief to carry through with the proper amount of weight they seem entitled to. One story that does exceptionally well is actually an adaptation of another literary work: Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven. Jason Shawn Alexander casts the story in an entertaining way and manages to create a wonderfully tense dynamic between Poe's titular raven and a heartbroken mouse. In a few short pages, it becomes a terrific, memorable tale of loss and grief.
Guy Davis makes a contribution that strays from the traditional route of comic storytelling, relying solely on visuals to craft his short piece. Even the brief moments of dialogue are told only through pictograms. His work in gothic horror provides an interesting dynamic when pitted against the sometimes scary world of Mouse Guard, and the visuals of a lone mouse pitted against a parliament of owls is strikingly effective.
Visually, Petersen has established a naturalistic style in designing his world and his guests tend not to stray far from that aesthetic. Unfortunately, while the illustrations by Katie Cook are energetic and fun, her cartoony styling immediately puts her at odds with the naturalistic efforts of the other artists, which dominate the book. That is not to say, however, that she is a bad artist --- far from it. Her portfolio is filled with terrific imagery, and she is certainly a skilled illustrator. However, Petersen has very carefully and deliberately created a story of heroic mice that are decidedly not cartoony. As such, Cook's work here is simply an odd aberration, which disturbs the visual flow of the book by being so cheerily different from the art that precedes and follows her story.
LEGENDS OF THE GUARD works well as a collection of short stories, even if the overall narrative construct of the story is weaker than Petersen's central Mouse Guard series. The barroom bet to see which mouse can tell the best story provides little in the way of narrative conflict for readers to invest themselves in, and exists solely to tie the short stories into a cohesive whole. It works out well enough in the end, and the stories told are entertaining. Perhaps more importantly, the stories are authored and illustrated by people who actually care about and enjoy the world they've been invited to briefly play in. They had a fun time contributing to the book, and it's an infectious enjoyment. While established fans may find Legends to be an interesting detour, it's certainly a suitable jumping on point for new readers ready to embrace a mousy epic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews