About the comic
To find a supposed hero, the timid princess Kriemhild of Burgundy must journey through the world of the gods, rise above her fears, and discover her own path. River Rhine is inspired by one of Europe’s oldest epics: „The Nibelungenlied“ (Tale of the Nibelungen). A tale that has shaped literature for centuries, leaving us with iconic symbols like the Cursed Ring and the Dragon-Slayer. The more I learned about it, the more my interest grew, but so did the urge to tell my own version and give Princess Kriemhild a different fate. What started as a small idea grew into a story that has become very important to me. It has become a story that I – in part – need to tell for myself. But of course, I hope there are people out there who will enjoy Kriemhild’s journey and find something meaningful in this story.
Disclaimer:
I’m using the original myth as a starting point for creating my own universe. I am in no way trying to tell the story of the Nibelungen in an „accurate“ way. The same applies for the portrayal of a time period, I mix a lot of symbols, fashion, art, architecture etc. as I see fit to tell my story.
About the author
Hi there, I’m Stephan. I am the author and illustrator of „River Rhine“ as well as a freelance illustrator based in Hamburg, Germany. I grew up in a small village near the border of Luxembourg, surrounded by forests, meadows and farmland. In 2011 I graduated from art school (htk) in Hamburg. After a couple of years working in advertising as an Art Director, I quit my job to draw a comic book called Sunshine Chronicles and decided to take the opportunity to become a full-time freelance illustrator. If you are interested in seeing my client work, have a look at my portfolio-website at stephanlorse.eu
