Meet the Cast: THE WITCH BERGTHORA

Each week I'm talking about a cast member from my upcoming graphic novella "The Wolves of Odin," and offering some insight into that character. This week's cast member is Bergthora.

At a glance, one might suspect that Bergthora is a Valkyrie, but in the case of this particular character, not all is as it seems. While she very much wants to be a Valkyrie, Bergthora is a witch, and her true appearance is something she goes to great lengths to hide.

Long ago, the God of Thunder made Bergthora his lover and his servant. In return for her loyalty, she asked to become one of the legendary Valkyries of Valhalla. Thor promised that he could make that happen once her services were no longer needed. Many years have passed since then, and with this new mission unfolding - the approaching confrontation between the wolves and Tyr - Bergthora is hoping that her eagerly awaited reward is near. Thor has chosen Bergthora to guide Tyr and to set his plans in motion.

For her appearance, I knew I wanted it to be very Valkyrie-like, because of her desire to become one. I tried to design something that was a mixture of Valkyrie and "ragged outcast witch." Of all the human characters, Bergthora's clothing is definitely the least realistic in terms of what people of the viking era really wore... Not to mention, it's not a very practical outfit for wintertime. I took some artistic liberties with this one. But hey, if Red Sonja can wear a metal bikini in the snow, my witch can show some leg. :P And let's face it, we're seeing an illusion -- for all we know, the witch is wrapped in furs under that magical disguise of blonde sexiness.

Her staff is actually a heater of sorts, so that also helps explain why she isn't more bundled up. The orbs on her staff hold earthly energies that radiate heat and light, keeping her from freezing her butt off.

Anyway, that's Bergthora in a nutshell. I'm in the middle of preparing for San Diego and am way behind, so I have to cut this post short. I'll be back post-Comic-Con with the next "Meet the Cast" feature.

If you're going to Comic-Con, definitely swing by the Super Real Graphics table (S16) and my table in artists' alley (CC-18). We'll have "Wolves of Odin" goodies you don't wanna miss out on!

Thanks for reading -- Talk to you again soon!

Grant