Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Black Moon Chronicles

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Original language
  
French

Number of issues
  
14

Genre
  
Dark fantasy

Publisher
  
Zenda Editions (1-4) Dargaud (5-14)

Formats
  
Original material for the series has been published as a set of graphic novels.

Publication date
  
May 1989 – November 2008

The Black Moon Chronicles (French: Chroniques de la Lune Noire) is an epic dark fantasy French comic series.

Contents

Publication history

Written by François Marcela-Froideval, the Black Moon Chronicles is an epic story offset by liberal doses of irreverent humour and the use of colloquial modern French over the archaic language usually found in such stories.

The series first episode was published in the late 80s. Following its long-lasting success in France, spin-off series were created to give more details on the background of some key characters.

Episode 5 was the last volume drawn by Olivier Ledroit, who was replaced by Cyril Pontet for the rest of the series. Ledroit was still kept on drawing the remaining album covers.

The 14th and final album of the series was released on 21 November 2008.

Key characters

  • Wismerhill (from "Whispers Hill") - The main character, half-dark elven, with an unknown past and an extraordinary destiny.
  • Haazel Thorn / The Black Moon - An archmage, claiming to be a god, who extends his power through his own religion. Plots to destroy the Empire of Hagendorf.
  • Hagendorf - The current Emperor of Lyhnn, warned by The Oracle about the coming of the "Metal Hound" who will overthrow him.
  • Frater Sinister (also called Fratus) - Leader of the Order of Light. Also plots to overthrow the Emperor.
  • Prince Parsifal - Commander of the Knights of Justice, devoted to God, allied to the Empire.
  • Methraton - The Ultimate Mage, enemy of the gods and ally of Wismerhill. Subject of its own spin-off series, Methraton.

    • Associates of Wismerhill (more developed in the spin-off series Black Moon Arcanas):

  • Hellaynnea - A female demon (succubus), who becomes Wismerhill's new lover.
  • Gorghor Bey - A gigantic half-ogre, an impressive mass of muscle and brutality.
  • Pile-ou-Face - An elven warrior with two magical, intelligent swords (Nepher and Bepher).
  • Murata - A samurai.
  • Shamballeau - A mage.
  • Pepette - A girl, only person who can control Goum.
  • Goum - Pepette's enchanted (and powerful) brother.
  • Feidreiva or Fey - A female-elf archer, 1st love of Wismerhill.

    • Volumes

    1. Le Signe des Ténèbres (Sign of Darkness, 1989)
    2. Le Vent des Dragons (Dragons Wind, 1990)
    3. La marque des démons (Mark of the Demons, 1991)
    4. Quand sifflent les Serpents (When Snakes Whistle, 1992)
    5. La danse écarlate (The Blood Dance, 1994)
    6. La Couronne des Ombres (Crown of Shadows, 1995)
    7. De Vents, de Jade et de Jais (Of Wind, Jade and Jet, 1997)
    8. Le Glaive de justice (Sword of Justice, 1999)
    9. Les Chants de la négation (Songs of Negation, 2000)
    10. L'Aigle foudroyé (Struck Down Eagle, 2002)
    11. Ave Tenebrae (Ave Tenebrae, 2003)
    12. La Porte des Enfers (The Door to Hell, 2005)
    13. La Prophétie (Prophecy, 2006)
    14. La Fin des Temps (End of Times, 2008)

    Volume 14 is the final album of the series. The French version was released on 21 November 2008.

    Black Moon Arcanas (Les Arcanes de la Lune Noire)

    Each album tells the story of one of the key characters in the main series. Story by Froideval but each tome has a different artist.

    1. Ghorghor Bey (with Ledroit, 2001)
    2. Pile-ou-Face (with Fabrice Angleraud, 2007)
    3. Parsifal (with Fabrice Angleraud, 2010)

    Methraton

    Spin-off dedicated to the mysterious Ultimate Mage helping the hero of the Black Moon Chronicles, by Froideval and Fabrice Druet.

    1. Le Serpent (The Snake, 2001)
    2. Le Crane (The Skull, 2003)
    3. Pharaon (Pharaoh, 2006)

    In other media

    The saga is also the subject of a miniature game and a RTS videogame both of the same name. A massive online role playing game, Black Moon Chronicles - Winds of War, was cancelled before finishing production. The Beta game testing client is available for free on Fileplanet.

    In January 2007 the Company AmalGame-Online Inc. restarted developing on Black Moon Chronicles - Winds of War. Official Homepage The open beta started at the end of February 2008. The game was officially launched on May 14, 2008.

    In March 2012 Amando Blasco from Bruma Studios acquired "BlackMoon Chronicles - Winds of War" from Amalgame-Online, restarting the development of the game and opening a public beta server.

    References

    Black Moon Chronicles Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA