With this latest collection of NORTHLANDERS stories, writer Brian Wood shows a remarkable versatility in an overlooked genre, capturing the epic sweep of history with a uniquely modern approach. The title story METAL, illustrated by Riccardo Burchielli (DMZ), follows a blacksmith living in medieval Norway who befriends a poor girl fallen in with corrupt Christian missionaries. When the two find themselves banished from their communities, they launch a violent crusade of retribution. Mixing themes from modern-day "Viking" black metal music with a timeless tale of star-crossed lovers, METAL is a frequently supernatural, often brutal story that crisscrosses genre lines. In THE SEA ROAD, Wood and artist Fiona Staples (DV8, NORTH 40) explore the story of Dag, the first man ever to turn his Viking boat west and sail to unknown shores. Whether or not Dag was truly a pioneer is beside the point — the voyage itself is a test of courage and strength greater than anything the crew has ever...