Immortal Brothers: The Tale of the Green Knight #1 is a standalone story about Gilad searching for another potential immortal. It opens up with Archer caring for a sick Faith when he decides to read her a story to help her rest. The story is from the time of King Arthur when Gilad was one of his knights. All is well in the kingdom until the day a green knight shows up with an unusual challenge. He challenges any knight to a free blow with an axe if that knight agrees to receive a similar blow from him a year from the date. Gilad agrees to do so but when he cuts the man’s head off the man carries on as if uninjured.

Disturbed by the existence of another potential immortal, Gilad decides to enlist the help of his immortal brothers, Ivar and Armstrong. They agree to search out the Green Knight and his Green Chapel in order to fulfill the deal. But who is this Green Knight and what does he want with Gilad? And can Faith stay awake for the entire story?

Archer narrating this story to Faith was a very nice touch. Since he told her the poem was actually written by Armstrong he could embellish a bit based on the “true” story from Armstrong. This allowed the story to be suspenseful with the right amount of gravity and the humor didn’t feel out of place. And the Archer/Faith dynamic is always enjoyable.

Ivar and Armstrong’s addition to the story guaranteed this wouldn’t be another remake of King Arthur since the focus was on them and their journey to find the Green Chapel. They would eventually come across a castle where they were welcomed by the lord and his wife. So while Gilad would get caught up in an interesting situation due to the stories of his great deeds, the other brothers would see some action of their own. And Fred Van Lente’s writing kept the story engrossing with a refreshing pace and sharp wit.

SUMMARY

Immortal Brothers: The Tale of the Green Knight #1 is an amusing tale that utilizes its characters well. The mystery of the Green Knight is intriguing because it’s tied to him being a possible immortal. And the banter from start to finish is on point. The buildup is great and the reveal is wonderful, however, the conclusion felt sudden. But Archer’s story did serve its purpose.