description: From Off the Beaten Panel Every once in a while I stumble upon a comic that simply blows my mind. Count Morphos The Shapechanger as one of them. Morphos is co-written and drawn by Burne Hogarth, an artist that I consider among the highest of echelons in the world of art. Known for his beautifully detailed Tarzan strips in the 30's and 40's, Hogarth went on to become a teacher in illustration, and his Dynamic series of textbooks were highly regarded as some of the best instructional art books a student could hope to get their hands on. And in 1996 at 84 years old Hogarth was still drawing exceptional art. Together with long-time writing friend Harry Hurwitz, the two had planned to release a four-issue series featuring a complex story involving two scientist's quest for the evolution of man, with the help of the ghost of Merlin the sorcerer. But unfortunately Hogarth suffered a heart attack after completing the first issue and the series was never completed. Dark Horse released the first issue later that year, including the rest of the story script and extra Hogarth illustrations that would have been used in the forthcoming series. What remains is a very interesting story with amazingly detailed, captivating artwork that will have you wishing for more. The story begins with the tale of Merlin, the great wizard and advisor of King Arthur. Merlin gets trapped inside a Tower of Crystal after succumbing to devious treachery by the Lady of the Lake. Doomed to die entombed within the tower, Merlin's spirit has plenty of time to think about the evils of mankind and decides a change is in order.
language: English
title: Morphos the Shapechanger
titlecomplete: Morphos the Shapechanger
ratings_count: 2
publisher: Dark Horse Comics