Persephone: Hades’ Torment is the third title to be published as part of Seven Seas Entertainment’s partnership with Hiveworks, and it’s my favourite comic they’ve released so far.
I’ve been a fan of Allison Shaw, this book’s writer/artist, for quite some time, and I’m super excited to see one of her creations being given the opportunity to reach a wider audience. With any luck, some of her other works might also get a print release!
But, best not to get ahead of myself. Let’s talk about this romantic retelling of the classic myth of Persephone and Hades.
Synopsis:
Hades, the gloomy and frightening God of the Underworld, first meets Persephone, the spritely Goddess of Spring, when he witnesses her rescue a dying bird that had been callously shot for sport by one of the gods. At that moment, he is struck by a stray magic arrow that is enchanted to make anyone it hits fall in love with the first person they see – and Hades was staring straight at Persephone when he was hit!
Despite the fact that he is now madly in love with Persephone, Hades fights his feelings and attempts to distance himself from her. After all, such a lovely and kind Goddess deserves to be with someone bright and beautiful, not someone like him. Trouble is, Persephone has taken quite an interest in the imposing King of the Underworld, and she won’t be easily put off!
Review:
Despite the fact that the original myth of Hades and Persephone involves an abduction and forced marriage, there seems to be something compelling about the idea of the brooding God of Death falling in love with the lively Goddess of Spring. I think this is why we’re seeing so many different comics revising the myth with a modern spin that removes many of the troubling elements and presents the story as a more sweet and sexy romance.
Persephone: Hades’ Torment joins the ranks of other similarly themed stories, such as Lore Olympus and Punderworld, and is just as fun as those comics while also bringing something unique to the table.
One of the things that makes Persephone: Hades’ Torment stand out is its striking art style. This comic has a limited colour pallet of black, white, red, orange and golden yellow, and the backgrounds consist mostly of simple shapes and shadows. This stylized art may seem unassuming, but it’s fittingly reminiscent of ancient Grecian paintings and perfectly suits the mythic setting. I also found that the minimalistic backgrounds allowed the characters and their emotions to really shine in the art.
Another distinctive aspect of this comic is that it’s quite spicy. Persephone has lived a very sheltered life, thanks to her over-protective mother, and the vivacious goddess is ready for a bit of adventure when she meets Hades. She’s drawn to him right away, and her obvious enthusiasm to get better acquainted is very endearing. While Hades initially doesn’t want to give in to the magic of the love arrow and burden Persephone with what he assumes will be unreciprocated feelings, it doesn’t take long for it to become clear that Persephone is interested in him too. Things quickly get hot and heavy between them once it’s obvious that their feelings are mutual, so be prepared for some saucy scenes!
Persephone: Hades’ Torment takes what was initially a troubling story and transforms it into a charming and sensual romance. If you’re a fan of mythology and modern retellings of myths, this is a cute and sexy comic you won’t want to miss. I found it to be very entertaining and a worthy addition to my growing collection of comics starring Persephone and Hades.
Final Score: 8.5 out of 10.
Content Warning: As this comic incorporates the myth of Daphne and Apollo, be aware that this book includes a scene featuring an attempted sexual assault.
For more information on this comic, visit Seven Seas Entertainment’s website.
If you enjoy this comic, you’ll want to check out Allison Shaw’s webcomics. Tigress Queen and Far to the North are both exciting fantasy romances that I highly recommend. So, be sure to give them a look!
Be sure to check out my reviews of Seven Seas Entertainment’s other Hiveworks titles:
If you enjoy reading my reviews, please consider supporting me through Kofi.
Al's Manga Blog 
With all these Hades/Persephone webtoons and comics coming out, I really wish someone would go retro and license Aries, a late 80s manga about those two and other gods/goddesses.
But on this one, love all the love arrows coming from Hades on the cover.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never heard of Aries, but it sounds interesting. I’d love to see a manga take on this story!
LikeLiked by 1 person