B. Traven: Portrait of a Famous Unknown

by Golo, Donald Nicholson-Smith (translator)

B. Portrait of a Famous Unknown is a graphic biography that tells the larger-than-life story of the German revolutionary, actor, and writer known as B. Traven (18821969). Despite his commercial success as a best-selling writer, Traven managed to keep his identity a secret during his lifetime. It is now generally accepted that Traven was in fact 'Ret Marut' (another psudonym), a German stage actor and editor of an anarchist newspaper in Germany called Der Ziegelbrenner (The Brick Burner). As Marut he was a major participant in the short-lived Bavarian council (or soviet) republic of 1919-20. Barely escaping execution, he fled Germany and lived incognito for the remainder of his life. His entire literary work, a great commercial success in its day, combines lively and often humorous storytelling with a radically critical attitude towards capitalism and nationalism. His best-known work is The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, from 1927. This novel was adapted for film in 1948 by John Huston, winning three Oscars. Golo's stunning artwork and enthralling account of Traven's life begins and ends with his ashes being dropped from a plane over the Lacandon jungle in Chiapas, Mexico, just a quarter-century before the explosive uprising of the Zapatistas seemed to echo his deepest wishes.

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 5, 2024

About the author

Guy Nadaud dessine, sous le pseudonyme de Golo, dans le magazine Best entre 1971 et 1975. Entre 1978 et 1991, il apparaît au sommaire de divers journaux : Hara-Kiri, Charlie Mensuel, Charlie Hebdo, L'Écho des savanes, Libération, Politis, Actuel, Zoulou, Pilote, (À suivre). Il collabore aussi au Cairo Times.

Il joue comme acteur très brièvement au cinéma en 1985 en participant en tant qu'acteur à L'amour propre ne le reste jamais très longtemps, film que réalise son collègue Martin Veyron.

Reviews

[Micah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The death ships have not disappeared. When identity papers are more important than human beings, those without them have no right to live. . . ."

[Sugarpunksattack Mick · Rating 5 out of 5]

B Traven: Portrait of a Famous Unknown by Golo is an absolutely incredible biography and comic exploring the mysterious life of a man who didn't want to be known. B. Traven is a strange and enigmatic 'character' that tried to obscure his own existence believing his work should speak for itself. He really only wanted to be 'known' through his work and he was actually quite successful on that account. People tried to meet him at various points and he was able to either have someone go in his stead or he pretended to be someone else that was acting as a go between.
On the one hand, his shadowy smoke and mirrors game was actually out of necessity given he narrowly escaped execution in Germany following the uprising of 1919. He managed to flee to Germany and spend a majority of his life in Mexico. He may have continued to be an obscure figure fearing that he might arouse authorities there given the political nature of his work.
On the other hand, his personal struggle with identity (having vs not having proper papers and identification) and political principles account for him wishing to remain a shadow.
Golo's book and art are a great history and introduction to many of B Traven's works. I honestly would love for Golo to illustrate Traven's entire work because the illustrations are so good and imaginitive!

[Michael Norwitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic biography of anarchist novelist and journalist B Traven, translated by Donald Nicholson-Smith. There is a great deal of fascinating information here, both about the writer as well as the political spheres in which he operated (and frequently attempted to avoid operating). However, I found the narrative often confusing and rarely all that compelling. This would probably make a very exciting film, but I can't recommend the book other than for research purposes.