Uncovering the brutal truths and rough-hewn beauty of the high fantasy world may be a difficult and thankless task, but Chris Pritchard accomplishes it with ease. His  world-weary warriors and battle-hardened beasties are no less heroic in their pursuits, but they are mindful of the costs of their victories, and the toll it has taken on their souls.

Mr. Pritchard has a flair for the demonic and the animalistic, be they aspects of the human psyche, or more explicitly as creatures of dark power and ferocity. Indeed, some of the figures you find in his portfolio are not clearly man nor animal… but some amoral amalgamation of the two.

Curiously enough, when Chris isn’t exploring the inner and outer struggles of the fantastic, he’s documenting a decidedly science fiction parable of street crimes and political intrigue titled Subterfuge. This compelling web comic, like much of his work — and perhaps his outlook on life — is rendered only in shades of gray.