Dune: House Atreides vol 1 by brian herbert & Kevin J. Anderson

Illustrated by Dev Pramanik, colored by Alex Guimarães
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House Atreides is the prequel to the original Dune series. In this story, we follow along with several different plot lines. Baron Vladimir travels back and forth between Arrakis and Giedi Prime, overseeing his spice production.  Teenaged and Duke-Presumptive Leto travels to the planet Ix, the Machine Planet, to learn from the House Vernius. Upon arrival, Leto finds a desolate place and is surprised to discover the entire planet operates underground. In another part of the galaxy, the son of Emperor Elrood Corrino plots to assassinate his father and take the imperial seat. Shaddam and his advisor slowly poison the Emperor in the hopes that no one will suspect assassination. The Emperor also sends the planetologist, ​Pardot Kynes, to Arrakis to begin study of the planet and how it has such deposits of Spice. On Giedi Prime, Rabban participates in hunts of real people, including a child Duncan Idaho, who is fighting for the freedom of his family. 

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To say there is a lot going on in these four issues would be a severe understatement. Herbert & Anderson pack these pages full of intense scenes and meaningful dialogue that every panel is something important. This series is definitely meant to be read after reading the original series. Herbert & Anderson do not spent a ton of time world-building or introducing characters, so it feels like you should know all these people already. This would be a great series for fans of the original, but it might not be the best choice for a school library until the new movie comes out and interest develops again for this series.

Pramanik’s illustrations are supremely detailed. The colorings by Guimarães are bright and vivid. There were several pages where I was swept up in the scene the artistic team has created of these beautiful planets. All of the action sequences in this volume were very clear, and sound effects didn't overtake the artwork as often happens in comicbooks.

There is an adult situation between a Bene Gesserett woman and Vladimir Harkonnen as the two conceive a child, but it is from a distance and no bits are shown.

Sara’s Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 11-12

Reviews of other volumes in this series: Dune vol 1

Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Publication Date: June 29, 2021
ISBN: 9781684156894 (Hardcover)

​Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: High School, Comicbooks, Science Fiction, Action Adventure