The Drowners

by Nabiel Kanan

James Quinn has built himself a dotcom empire. But when this empire starts to fall, dark secrets from his past emerge, not least of which is the drowning years earlier of a beautiful, mysterious young woman whose presence still haunts him. From the Eisner Award nominated creator of Lost Girl and Exit.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

Paperback

First published June 27, 2006

Reviews

[StrictlySequential · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Nabes- story and especially art. He's the best at the stereo-typically blank Brit face and creates my kind of sexy woman.

Every time I read "arse" it just feels wrong. Objectively, not as a speaker of American, it seems so stubborn (they are known to be) to hold on to that incredibly awkward adjective. What about those (many) poor souls who can't rhoticize their Rs? It would sound like they were saying "house" right?

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's fine, nothing's really wrong with the story and the art is fine. But that's all it is. Not a lot too interesting with this book, outside of the twist which I actually like. Feels like one of those comics made as an excuse to draw curvy women committing crimes. Whatever.

[Irene Lázaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 estrellas.

Me ha gustado mucho esta novela gráfica. Los hilos argumentales se mezclan muy bien y todos los personajes son únicos y distintos a pesar de que tenemos la oportunidad de conocerlos muy poquito. Las ilustraciones son sencillas pero muy potentes, juegan mucho con el negro y su perfil es muy grueso. Al principio no sabía si iban a ir bien con el argumento oscuro y retorcido, pero al final creo que funcionan bien. El argumento me ha encantado así como todos los personajes y los giros inesperados. Me ha gustado mucho que en un sólo tomo tengas toda esta historia llena de personajes estupendos. A pesar de eso, creo que hubiera ganado mucho si fuera un tomo más gordo (o consistiera en dos o tres tomos) porque así conoceríamos mejor a los personajes y el argumento quedaría un poco más detallado. En cualquier caso, la recomiendo encarecidamente. Sobre todo si te gusta la novela negra. Me ha parecido muy especial.

[J.M. (Joe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nabiel's art is very simple, very organic, with broad strokes that present in stark contrasts of black and white. His strengths are in his pacing.

The Drowners reminds me a bit of Stray Bullets by David Lapham, peopled with very few characters of redeeming quality. In fact, no one in The Drowners was very likable to me. The few "innocent" folks in the story (by this, I mean junkies and shoe salesmen) are all preyed upon by the London trash, meaning deviant socialites, cheaters, drug dealers, and doctors. Yes, I said doctors. The story is tragic, and I suppose I would have liked a different ending than what Nabiel gives us.

All that said, it was nevertheless an enjoyable read. I recommend it to indy comic fans and David Lapham fans. I would even read a sequel, if one happens to be out there.

I give The Drowners three stars.

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