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Atar Gull
From the award-winning writer of best sellers Tyler Cross and The Death of Stalin, illustrated by award-winning artist Bruno!
Atar Gull is a prince among his people – until he is kidnapped by the ruthless Captain Brulart. Shipped to Jamaica and sold like livestock, he endures pain and loss – but Atul Gull is a patient man, and his revenge will be served cold.
“Dark and devastating… a masterful, must-read account of the ways slavery degrades and dehumanizes, with Bruno’s gorgeous art perfectly reflecting each character’s demons.” – Comicverse
“The writing is powerful and compelling. The art is a brilliant style… so many subtle details.” – Comic Bastards
“Nury is one of our modern generation’s greatest writers, and Bruno’s style always captivates. This story is dark and brutal and real, with a sense of historical significance and backbone.” – Coverless Reviews
Atar Gull is a prince among his people – until he is kidnapped by the ruthless Captain Brulart. Shipped to Jamaica and sold like livestock, he endures pain and loss – but Atul Gull is a patient man, and his revenge will be served cold.
“Dark and devastating… a masterful, must-read account of the ways slavery degrades and dehumanizes, with Bruno’s gorgeous art perfectly reflecting each character’s demons.” – Comicverse
“The writing is powerful and compelling. The art is a brilliant style… so many subtle details.” – Comic Bastards
“Nury is one of our modern generation’s greatest writers, and Bruno’s style always captivates. This story is dark and brutal and real, with a sense of historical significance and backbone.” – Coverless Reviews
90 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2011
2 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Fabien Nury
117 books112 followersBorn in 1976, Fabien Nury began his career by co-writing with Xavier Dorison the script of W.E.S.T (Dargaud), a hit series illustrated by Christian Rossi (six volumes between 2003 and 2011). Nury independently wrote Je suis Légion (2004-2007, Humanoids Associés), a trilogy illustrated by the American John Cassaday. Translated into eight languages, the series continues with several other illustrators under the title Les chroniques de Légion (Glénat). In 2007 he also started working on Le maître de Benson Gate (Dargaud) with Renaud Garreta. From 2007 to 2012, Nury wrote the script for the six volumes of Il était une fois en France (Glénat). The historical series, illustrated by Sylvain Vallée, received wide critical and public acclaim (850,000 copies sold). Amongst other achievements, in 2011 he received an award for best international series at the Angoulême Comics Festival. Since then Fabien Nury has been gaining success in various genres: Mort de Staline (The Death of Stalin, Dargaud/Europe Comics, forthcoming), in historical narrative; Steve Rowland, volume 5 of the XIII Mystery series (Dargaud, art by Richard Guérineau) in thriller; Corey Silas ( Glénat, art by Pierre Alary) in detective series; and Atar Gull (Dargaud, art by Brüno) in literary adaptation, based on the novel by Eugène Sue. In 2013, he created Tyler Cross with Brüno, (Tyler Cross, Dargaud/Europe Comics, 2015) a noir graphic novel. The album was praised by both critics and readers (over 50,000 copies sold) with volume two in August 2015. In 2014, Fabien Nury published the fourth and final volume of L'or et le sang (Glénat), the script by Maurin Defrance and art by Merwan and Fabien Bedouel. With Tierry Robin he created the two-part series Mort au Tsar (Death to the Tsar, Dargaud/Europe Comics, 2015). In 2014, with Eric Henninot he also published Fils du soleil (Dargaud), an adventure album adapted from two novels by Jack London. As for audiovisual, Fabien Nury co-wrote with Dorison the scripts to a feature film Les brigades du Tigre (directed by Jérôme Cornuau, 2006) and a TV movie Pour toi, j'ai tué (directed by Laurent Heynemann, 2012).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 28, 2018
Humanity at its worst. Adapted from a XIX century novel, while slaves were loaded from Africa to the markets. Brutal tale of greed and hypocrisy, with a harsh irony narrate the journey, the men in the traffic, and the deaths. Later, continue with the crude life in a plantation. And with Atar Gull, the slave, displaying all his vengeance without any commiseration.
The art is simple lines and soft colors; not really my cuppa.
Adaptación de la novela de Eugene Sue, una historia de esclavitud muy realista, donde un jefe africano llega en cadenas hasta Jamaica sobreviviendo un viaje infernal ( 17 vivos de 100), y donde la venganza no conoce límites.
+Digital ARC gently provided by Netgalley and publishers for an honest review+
The art is simple lines and soft colors; not really my cuppa.
Adaptación de la novela de Eugene Sue, una historia de esclavitud muy realista, donde un jefe africano llega en cadenas hasta Jamaica sobreviviendo un viaje infernal ( 17 vivos de 100), y donde la venganza no conoce límites.
+Digital ARC gently provided by Netgalley and publishers for an honest review+
April 22, 2018
In a similar style to Mike Mignola’s (who Alan Moore once famously described as, “German expressionism meets Jack Kirby”) Atar Gull flares forth with its own powerfully understated modulations. Trading in those sharp angulations for more rounded choices, a warmer veneer is achieved. A further stylistic exchange is made here as well, the stock characters of Mignola’s nightmare world – werewolves, demons, and vampires, are substituted with something far more sinister and heinous, the depths of human nature. Just as the book cover would well foreshadow, it’s slavery.
While reflecting some of the worst excesses of human nastiness, in particular by focusing on a singularly awful institution, it manages to paint a thoroughly complex picture. Not content to accept a simplistic black and white view that would fit in line with of our currently shitty political climate, Atar Gull reaches far back into history to uncover a firmly human picture in all its detail. As well researched as the comic appears, so to is it deeply laden with the traditions and transformations of its own European heritage, for better and for worse.
While, Mignola appears to be riffed off of at prima facie, a deeper viewing will reveal tints, tones, and influences ranging from Herge’s Tintin to Jason Arne’s unadorned illustrations. There might be a lower volume of details but an immensely wide depth of emotion and inter/intra-personal complexity is well alive within and behind the scenes. Littered with well applied references that beg for further research, an extraordinarily enjoyable work is the result.
While reflecting some of the worst excesses of human nastiness, in particular by focusing on a singularly awful institution, it manages to paint a thoroughly complex picture. Not content to accept a simplistic black and white view that would fit in line with of our currently shitty political climate, Atar Gull reaches far back into history to uncover a firmly human picture in all its detail. As well researched as the comic appears, so to is it deeply laden with the traditions and transformations of its own European heritage, for better and for worse.
While, Mignola appears to be riffed off of at prima facie, a deeper viewing will reveal tints, tones, and influences ranging from Herge’s Tintin to Jason Arne’s unadorned illustrations. There might be a lower volume of details but an immensely wide depth of emotion and inter/intra-personal complexity is well alive within and behind the scenes. Littered with well applied references that beg for further research, an extraordinarily enjoyable work is the result.
June 28, 2018
An adaptation of a 19th century novel. Atar Gull is the son of an African chief, sold into slavery. For the first half of the book, Atar is a minor character only really appearing in the background. Instead it focuses on the brutal slavers taking the people to Jamaica. Once Atar is sold to a plantation owner, the book focuses on Atar and his quest for revenge at all costs. I found the stylistic, cartoony art at odds with the brutal and harrowing story of a whole lot of awful people. Not really my bag.
March 9, 2018
This is a graphic novel based on a story written in 1831, a year after the story was supposed to have taken place. The slave trade was a very real thing, and this shows it in all is horridness.
I feel, however, reading the book, though, that it feels as though there was no research done. It is not clear if the tribe that Atar Gull comes from existed, or if the people did mark their skin the way he has, or anything that would identify this as based on anything.
The pictures are very dark, and depressing, but that is to be expected since this is supposed to put down the whole slave trade.
It is a quick graphic novel, though a bit on the gorey side, but then, this is during the times of slavery, and you don’t want o be sympathetic to white slave traders, even though, one of the slave traders is black.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
I feel, however, reading the book, though, that it feels as though there was no research done. It is not clear if the tribe that Atar Gull comes from existed, or if the people did mark their skin the way he has, or anything that would identify this as based on anything.
The pictures are very dark, and depressing, but that is to be expected since this is supposed to put down the whole slave trade.
It is a quick graphic novel, though a bit on the gorey side, but then, this is during the times of slavery, and you don’t want o be sympathetic to white slave traders, even though, one of the slave traders is black.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
May 21, 2020
This adaptation of a French anti-slavery novel from 1831 is a mix of Uncle Tom's Cabin and blaxploitation movies. The original author and the adapters all appear to be European white guys, and as well done as the book is, it is as problematic as Quentin Tarantino's Django film.
In the end, it's a bleak piece about awful people doing awful things to each other.
In the end, it's a bleak piece about awful people doing awful things to each other.
July 21, 2022
Strong & heavy story of vengeance, good art reminding of Mignola, but the story itself, leaves much to be desired...
September 19, 2023
Una potente denuncia de la brutalidad de la esclavitud que evoluciona a un brillante relato de venganza. Muy bien narrado y con un dibujo y color excelente.
March 4, 2018
'Atar Gull' or 'The Slave's Revenge' was originally written in 1831 by Marie-Joseph "Eugène" Sue. This graphic novel is a re-telling of the original story.
It is a story of how a slave takes revenge upon his owner and why. I don't normally read fiction about slavery. It is just too horrific to imagine, but this caught my eyes on Netgalley and after much dithering, I decided with some trepidation, to read it.
It is a violent story, obviously. It shows the brutality and inhumanity of the Transatlantic slave trade, but this isn't simply a story about slavery, it is a story about revenge. In the midst of all this inhumanity and brutality a slave seeks revenge, and the why and how of this unfold in the story.
It is a truly shocking story, but also quite powerful and frightening. Atar Gull is a slave who never cries but at the very end he does weep and not for the reasons we would think. The slave owner is a good man but is he really? He thinks he is a caring slave owner and uses this to justify himself but as the story develops we get to see his blindness. Atar Gull the 'model slave' is a dutiful and obedient slave, a good slave according to his owner but by the end we realise that there is no such thing as goodness. There are no heroes here. Revenge is truly destructive.
The artwork is brilliant and manages to convey the horror of slavery without glorifying it, if that makes sense. The graphic novel also manages to strike a good balance between prose and pictures, and the artwork tells the story with all it's twists and complexities.
I don't know if I will ever have the courage to read Eugene Sue's original story but I am glad I read this graphic novel version.
Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
It is a story of how a slave takes revenge upon his owner and why. I don't normally read fiction about slavery. It is just too horrific to imagine, but this caught my eyes on Netgalley and after much dithering, I decided with some trepidation, to read it.
It is a violent story, obviously. It shows the brutality and inhumanity of the Transatlantic slave trade, but this isn't simply a story about slavery, it is a story about revenge. In the midst of all this inhumanity and brutality a slave seeks revenge, and the why and how of this unfold in the story.
It is a truly shocking story, but also quite powerful and frightening. Atar Gull is a slave who never cries but at the very end he does weep and not for the reasons we would think. The slave owner is a good man but is he really? He thinks he is a caring slave owner and uses this to justify himself but as the story develops we get to see his blindness. Atar Gull the 'model slave' is a dutiful and obedient slave, a good slave according to his owner but by the end we realise that there is no such thing as goodness. There are no heroes here. Revenge is truly destructive.
The artwork is brilliant and manages to convey the horror of slavery without glorifying it, if that makes sense. The graphic novel also manages to strike a good balance between prose and pictures, and the artwork tells the story with all it's twists and complexities.
I don't know if I will ever have the courage to read Eugene Sue's original story but I am glad I read this graphic novel version.
Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
July 18, 2022
Cruda y oscura historia de esclavitud y venganza. El dibujo poco detallado creo que ayuda al ambiente de la trama.
June 7, 2023
"Long Courrier" Grand Format = D.L. 10/2011 = 16,95€ = eo
The epilogue is deep- especially the last two pages that will wow you with his reaction to the totality of it all!
The epilogue is deep- especially the last two pages that will wow you with his reaction to the totality of it all!
March 9, 2018
Revenge is a dish best served cold. Like, glacially so.
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley. Trigger warning for racist violence, including rape.)
Based on a novel of the same name, penned by the French writer Eugène Sue and published in 1831, Atar Gull is a story of revenge - of the "dish best served cold" variety. Taken prisoner by Taroo, chief of the Great Namaquas, Atar Gull finds himself on a slave ship bound for the West Indies. During the voyage, the Catherine is attacked and ultimately boarded by a band of ruthless pirates, led by Captain Brulart. A ruse, a sacrifice, and a ship chase later, Atar Gull is one of the few surviving captives when the vessel finally docks in Jamaica. Here, he's sold to plantation owner Tom Will; part of a lot of "Negroes and Negresses" to serve as a dowry for his daughter Jenny.
While all these horrors are certainly just cause for what comes later (or some of it, anyway), the breaking point comes when Atar Gull learns the fate of his father, the chief of the Little Namaquas before him. If the previous pages didn't completely dispel with the myth of the "benevolent slaveowner" (an oxymoron if ever there was one), then certainly this calculating and heartless scheme will do the trick.
Gazing upon his father's lifeless face, Atar Gull hatches a plan of revenge that's slow to unravel, yet destroys everything in its path.
Usually I love revenge stories that center members of oppressed groups as anti-/heroes, but my feelings were a little more conflicted here. It's hard to root for Atar Gull without restraint, since so many innocents suffer under his wrath: Will's human captives and nonhuman chattel chief among them. Consequently, Atar Gull's revenge felt a little empty and ... unsatisfying. The final panels, though? Chilling AF.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2018/05/29/...
(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley. Trigger warning for racist violence, including rape.)
Based on a novel of the same name, penned by the French writer Eugène Sue and published in 1831, Atar Gull is a story of revenge - of the "dish best served cold" variety. Taken prisoner by Taroo, chief of the Great Namaquas, Atar Gull finds himself on a slave ship bound for the West Indies. During the voyage, the Catherine is attacked and ultimately boarded by a band of ruthless pirates, led by Captain Brulart. A ruse, a sacrifice, and a ship chase later, Atar Gull is one of the few surviving captives when the vessel finally docks in Jamaica. Here, he's sold to plantation owner Tom Will; part of a lot of "Negroes and Negresses" to serve as a dowry for his daughter Jenny.
While all these horrors are certainly just cause for what comes later (or some of it, anyway), the breaking point comes when Atar Gull learns the fate of his father, the chief of the Little Namaquas before him. If the previous pages didn't completely dispel with the myth of the "benevolent slaveowner" (an oxymoron if ever there was one), then certainly this calculating and heartless scheme will do the trick.
Gazing upon his father's lifeless face, Atar Gull hatches a plan of revenge that's slow to unravel, yet destroys everything in its path.
Usually I love revenge stories that center members of oppressed groups as anti-/heroes, but my feelings were a little more conflicted here. It's hard to root for Atar Gull without restraint, since so many innocents suffer under his wrath: Will's human captives and nonhuman chattel chief among them. Consequently, Atar Gull's revenge felt a little empty and ... unsatisfying. The final panels, though? Chilling AF.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2018/05/29/...
March 9, 2014
Estupenda adaptación de una novela por entregas de Eugene Sue. No conozco el original pero resulta sorprendente como denuncia crítica del esclavismo en la que un príncipe negro convertido en esclavo se transforma en un animal de venganza. Cruda e intensa, el dibujo (a la sombra de Blain) es fabuloso, y el color de Croix sencillamente impresionante.
February 13, 2017
Adaptation of a 1831 novel by Eugene Sue, this is a dark history of revenge.
Captured and sent to Jamaica as a slave, Atar Gull will exact the most ruthless vengeance against his owner, mediocre bourgeois convinced to be humane with his slaves when he's just preoccupied with maximizing the profit of his "flock".
In this somber tale no one is innocent, no one is good or justified. For if Atar Gull's thirst for vengeance is understandable, the means he'll use to get it go far beyond reason. As hard-edged, cynical and indefensible as his toturers he can hardly be recognized the moral advantage his situation would naturally entitle him.
I don't know what were Sue's intentions at a time when slavery was still legal in France's colonies, though more and more contested). Certainly he denounces the "peculiar institution" but the moral ambiguity of Atar Gull's revenge is somewhat disconcerting.
Anyway, this is a very good adaptation in comic form by Fabien Nury (script), Brüno (pencils), and Laurence Croix (colors)
Br��no's style is more indie than mainstream and might surprise some readers but I've know his work for some years now and I'm still enthused by his apparent simplicity coupled with a classic and reliable storytelling. I'm also very fond of Laurence Croix's (Brüno's usual partner) pastel colors.
Captured and sent to Jamaica as a slave, Atar Gull will exact the most ruthless vengeance against his owner, mediocre bourgeois convinced to be humane with his slaves when he's just preoccupied with maximizing the profit of his "flock".
In this somber tale no one is innocent, no one is good or justified. For if Atar Gull's thirst for vengeance is understandable, the means he'll use to get it go far beyond reason. As hard-edged, cynical and indefensible as his toturers he can hardly be recognized the moral advantage his situation would naturally entitle him.
I don't know what were Sue's intentions at a time when slavery was still legal in France's colonies, though more and more contested). Certainly he denounces the "peculiar institution" but the moral ambiguity of Atar Gull's revenge is somewhat disconcerting.
Anyway, this is a very good adaptation in comic form by Fabien Nury (script), Brüno (pencils), and Laurence Croix (colors)
Br��no's style is more indie than mainstream and might surprise some readers but I've know his work for some years now and I'm still enthused by his apparent simplicity coupled with a classic and reliable storytelling. I'm also very fond of Laurence Croix's (Brüno's usual partner) pastel colors.
November 8, 2022
Un libro crudo que no es de mi estilo. Igualmente, trata los temas de la esclavitud y el racismo en la época colonial de manera muy verosimil y en cierto modo cautivadora
February 1, 2026
A short but beautifully illustrated revenge story that's mostly about the buildup to said revenge, and like all revenge stories, about how it's ultimately never satisfying enough
March 30, 2018
This review is also posted in my blog :
https://onewordtoomuch.wordpress.com/...
Thank you to Europe Comics and Net Galley for a free copy of this book in trade for an honest review.
Well, this sure is a grim read. It’s a tragic story of survival with a tinge of revenge and love thrown in together. Each character is swept either by faith or sheer bad luck into this entire turn of events. You will find that each of them has their own reason on why they become who they were in the story.
Set in the time of slavery, it sure makes it not a cheerful read. It reminds us on one of the darkest ages of human history. It’s the time when families are ripped apart by war and consumed by human greed. It’s when humanity is lost and only money and profit takes over.
The story is quite simple, but there’s a plot twist and it’s quite surprising. I might not understand what makes Atar Gull loves his father more than his son. His plan is cunning and a bit complicated, but he achieved his goal. However, the end comes in full circle.
Illustration is ok, a bit simple, not too much detail, especially on the faces and eyes. It comes in solid black lines and solid coloring style. For the black skin character especially the main characters, the eyes are only pictured as white color, makes it look creepy. It’s a contrast between a very dark skin with a white eye. It also shows the strength of character. From the side of coloring, brown hue, red, dark blue and black dominates the illustration. It’s quite suitable for the story setting in Africa and Jamaica.
https://onewordtoomuch.wordpress.com/...
Thank you to Europe Comics and Net Galley for a free copy of this book in trade for an honest review.
Well, this sure is a grim read. It’s a tragic story of survival with a tinge of revenge and love thrown in together. Each character is swept either by faith or sheer bad luck into this entire turn of events. You will find that each of them has their own reason on why they become who they were in the story.
Set in the time of slavery, it sure makes it not a cheerful read. It reminds us on one of the darkest ages of human history. It’s the time when families are ripped apart by war and consumed by human greed. It’s when humanity is lost and only money and profit takes over.
The story is quite simple, but there’s a plot twist and it’s quite surprising. I might not understand what makes Atar Gull loves his father more than his son. His plan is cunning and a bit complicated, but he achieved his goal. However, the end comes in full circle.
Illustration is ok, a bit simple, not too much detail, especially on the faces and eyes. It comes in solid black lines and solid coloring style. For the black skin character especially the main characters, the eyes are only pictured as white color, makes it look creepy. It’s a contrast between a very dark skin with a white eye. It also shows the strength of character. From the side of coloring, brown hue, red, dark blue and black dominates the illustration. It’s quite suitable for the story setting in Africa and Jamaica.
Recommend for those who like a historical fiction set around slavery time. There’s a bit of blood, violence and nudity shown.
March 9, 2018
'Atar Gull' by Fabien Nury with art by Brüno is an adaptation of an 1831 novel. It's a story of slow but certain revenge.
Atar Gull is the son of a king living his own life when he and many others are taken as slaves. When they original slave ship he is on is taken by pirates, Atar is spared because he is large and will fetch a decent price.
He ends up on a plantation in Jamaica. His owner appears to be decent, but beneath the surface he is not. Atar begins his plot of revenge. A plot that will take a long time for the unsuspecting to figure out.
I liked this story of revenge although it's odd to read a fictionalized story of slavery. What I did like is how the story stayed away from the typical stereotypes of this kind of story. The characters come across as pretty human. The art is unusual and works really well in the story. It doesn't sensationalize the horrors, but it doesn't shy away from them either.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Atar Gull is the son of a king living his own life when he and many others are taken as slaves. When they original slave ship he is on is taken by pirates, Atar is spared because he is large and will fetch a decent price.
He ends up on a plantation in Jamaica. His owner appears to be decent, but beneath the surface he is not. Atar begins his plot of revenge. A plot that will take a long time for the unsuspecting to figure out.
I liked this story of revenge although it's odd to read a fictionalized story of slavery. What I did like is how the story stayed away from the typical stereotypes of this kind of story. The characters come across as pretty human. The art is unusual and works really well in the story. It doesn't sensationalize the horrors, but it doesn't shy away from them either.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
December 18, 2023
J'aimé le dessin, l'ironie et le cynisme : le gentilhomme amoureux cocufié, l'attaque du forban, la nuance : le puni est plutôt un "bon" maitre, on rappelle que les africains se mangeaient et se vendaient entre eux, notre héro n'hésite pas à empoisonner son propre bébé et abandonner sa femme ainsi que le rythme du récit et sa capacité à donner de l'importance à différents personnages. Une réussite
August 31, 2020
This is an interesting graphic novel, one that deals thoughtfully with the issue of slavery. Admittedly, this book tells the sort of lurid tale that would be very easily made into an anime movie, but if it is taken at least somewhat seriously it betrays a certain view of slavery that would be very familiar to many people. And without giving away too many spoilers about the story it is hard to discuss the book in a great of detail. That said, it is worthwhile to note that at the heart of this particular book is vengeance, a vengeance that in one way at least is a striking success but in another way is a failure. And it is the failure, of course, that is more profound, while it is the success that will make this book somewhat popular and easy to enjoy by a great many people who may overlook the importance of its failure. The failure of the revenge plot of this book is that those who long for revenge suffer a great deal because of the wrongs that they feel and their efforts to obtain what they view of justice, and even if they should manage to execute their schemes of revenge, others often fail to suffer as much, thus making the revenge unsatisfactory.
Indeed, the revenge aspects of this book are the main thing tying together its various episodes in a variety of places. And those who would see Atar Gull as a hero and someone worth emulating would do well to consider his fate. His inability to forgive and let go and his decision to try to avenge himself on a slave owner who is viewed by others as being a decent person, slave owners considered, leads to the loss of everything he could hold deal and any relationship he had with others. Those who devote themselves to revenge in the name of justice would do well to consider this cruel fate, as they might find themselves wrestling with the same losses as a result of a ill-advised devotion to avenging justice. The fact that the titular avenger appears to others to be a person of deep faith even as he pursues diabolic purposes is a reminder to us that we judge in error when we judge by surface appearances. And when a graphic novel manages to be so subversive when it comes to matters of appearance, that is certainly considerable achievement.
Indeed, the revenge aspects of this book are the main thing tying together its various episodes in a variety of places. And those who would see Atar Gull as a hero and someone worth emulating would do well to consider his fate. His inability to forgive and let go and his decision to try to avenge himself on a slave owner who is viewed by others as being a decent person, slave owners considered, leads to the loss of everything he could hold deal and any relationship he had with others. Those who devote themselves to revenge in the name of justice would do well to consider this cruel fate, as they might find themselves wrestling with the same losses as a result of a ill-advised devotion to avenging justice. The fact that the titular avenger appears to others to be a person of deep faith even as he pursues diabolic purposes is a reminder to us that we judge in error when we judge by surface appearances. And when a graphic novel manages to be so subversive when it comes to matters of appearance, that is certainly considerable achievement.
May 5, 2024
Yine, yeni, yeniden bir edebiyat uyarlaması çizgi roman. Bu kez, orijinal metni okumadığım için yazdıklarımın tamamı, bu çizgi roman ve bu çizgi romanda anlatılanlar üzerine olacak.
Hikaye üç bölümde aktarılıyor ama bu bölümlere tam olarak serim-düğüm-çözüm demek biraz güç. İlk bölümün çoğunda aslında hikayenin kalanında fazla bir yeri olmayan, anlatıya katkısı devede kulak Kaptan Benoit'in karısına olan aşkı/sadakati, denizde atlattığı fırtına ve kölelik ticareti ile ilgisini görerek geçiriyoruz. Arada karısının aslında onu aldattığını falan görüyoruz ama bu bilgilerin hikayeye katkısı -köle tüccarlığı ve köle tüccarı zenci ile yaptığı pazarlığın etkisini saymazsak- sıfır. Orijinal hikayede etkisi ya da yeri nedir bilemiyorum ama çizgi romandaki mevcudiyeti yer işgalinden fazlası değil.
Ana karakterimiz Atar Gull, güçlü kuvvetli yağız bir "zenci". İki kabile arasındaki şahit olamadığımız bir savaş neticesinde kaybeden tarafta yer alıyor ve -kabilesinden babası dahil bir çok erkek gibi- kazananlar tarafından beyazlara köle olarak satılıyor. Bu serüvenin bir özgürlüğe kaçış ya da devrimci mücadele ile devam edeceğini düşünürken hikaye bize çokça sorgulamalı, girift bir senaryo veriyor. Ve hikayenin sonuna geldiğimizde yoğun bir nefret, intikam isteği, tiksinti gibi bir çok "şeyle" ortada kalmış, kendimizi sorgularken buluyoruz.
Özellikle köle tüccarlarının da tıpkı köleler gibi "zenci" olması detayının vurgulanması ama yine de tüm ihalenin çiftlik sahibine kalması, garip bir ahlaki ikileme düşürüyor okuyucuyu. Ben kendimi finalde "ulan hırsızın hiç mi suçu yok" derken buldum açıkçası.
Çizimler konusunda, hikayenin sertliğine ters oranda daha yumuşak ve cartoon bir tarz var. Elbette kötü değil ama gözlerim daha bıçkın bir çizim stili aramadı değil.
Ezcümle, Çinlilere ait olduğu rivayet edilen bir söz var:
"İntikam peşinde koşan, en az iki mezar kazmalı. Biri düşmanı, biri kendisi için." Hikaye, bu cümleyi tasdik eder nitelikte.
Burada yorumu yazarken fark ettim ki, kitabı okurken sıcağı sıcağına verdiğim 4-5 puan biraz aceleci olmuş. Hikaye işlenişi ve atlamaları bakımından daha 3 puanlık bir işleyişe sahip ama geri vites yapıp puanımı alacak da değilim.
Hikaye üç bölümde aktarılıyor ama bu bölümlere tam olarak serim-düğüm-çözüm demek biraz güç. İlk bölümün çoğunda aslında hikayenin kalanında fazla bir yeri olmayan, anlatıya katkısı devede kulak Kaptan Benoit'in karısına olan aşkı/sadakati, denizde atlattığı fırtına ve kölelik ticareti ile ilgisini görerek geçiriyoruz. Arada karısının aslında onu aldattığını falan görüyoruz ama bu bilgilerin hikayeye katkısı -köle tüccarlığı ve köle tüccarı zenci ile yaptığı pazarlığın etkisini saymazsak- sıfır. Orijinal hikayede etkisi ya da yeri nedir bilemiyorum ama çizgi romandaki mevcudiyeti yer işgalinden fazlası değil.
Ana karakterimiz Atar Gull, güçlü kuvvetli yağız bir "zenci". İki kabile arasındaki şahit olamadığımız bir savaş neticesinde kaybeden tarafta yer alıyor ve -kabilesinden babası dahil bir çok erkek gibi- kazananlar tarafından beyazlara köle olarak satılıyor. Bu serüvenin bir özgürlüğe kaçış ya da devrimci mücadele ile devam edeceğini düşünürken hikaye bize çokça sorgulamalı, girift bir senaryo veriyor. Ve hikayenin sonuna geldiğimizde yoğun bir nefret, intikam isteği, tiksinti gibi bir çok "şeyle" ortada kalmış, kendimizi sorgularken buluyoruz.
Özellikle köle tüccarlarının da tıpkı köleler gibi "zenci" olması detayının vurgulanması ama yine de tüm ihalenin çiftlik sahibine kalması, garip bir ahlaki ikileme düşürüyor okuyucuyu. Ben kendimi finalde "ulan hırsızın hiç mi suçu yok" derken buldum açıkçası.
Çizimler konusunda, hikayenin sertliğine ters oranda daha yumuşak ve cartoon bir tarz var. Elbette kötü değil ama gözlerim daha bıçkın bir çizim stili aramadı değil.
Ezcümle, Çinlilere ait olduğu rivayet edilen bir söz var:
"İntikam peşinde koşan, en az iki mezar kazmalı. Biri düşmanı, biri kendisi için." Hikaye, bu cümleyi tasdik eder nitelikte.
Burada yorumu yazarken fark ettim ki, kitabı okurken sıcağı sıcağına verdiğim 4-5 puan biraz aceleci olmuş. Hikaye işlenişi ve atlamaları bakımından daha 3 puanlık bir işleyişe sahip ama geri vites yapıp puanımı alacak da değilim.
October 6, 2020
Based on the 1831 novel of the same name by the French romantic novelist Marie-Joseph "Eugène" Sue, this graphic novel traces the titular enslaved king of the "Lesser Namaquas" people (more commonly called "Nama") as he is sold to a Caribbean plantation and plots his revenge. Sue was a naval surgeon early in his life, and that comes out in the first half of the book ("The Crossing"), which takes place mainly at sea.
There we meet a French merchant captain who knows trading in slaves is evil, but continues nonetheless to do business with a wealthy Dutch slave broker (somewhere in present day Namibia or South Africa). We learn of the capture of one tribe by another, and the sale thereof, and how the evil of slavery corrupts beyond the European colonists. There's then a long bit where a pirate ship battles with the merchant and takes over the slave cargo, and various depredations ensue. I gather from the French reviewers that this is all quite faithful to the novel, but it felt overly complicated to me when there are only 80 pages to work with.
The second half of the book is "The Plantation", where the surviving slaves, including the hulking Atar Gul, are all sold to an English sugar-cane plantation owner in Jamaica. Familiar scenes of cruelty ensue, and eventually Atar Gul schemes his way into the confidence of the plantation owner and earns his trust. What follows is quite dark and should leave readers questioning whether the cost of total revenge is worth the results.
The artwork is excellent -- Bruno uses very clean lines and lots of brooding shadows. However, the coloring by Laurence Croix deserves special mention, because it is outstanding. The tone and mood of each scene is completely conveyed by the palette without being showy or distracting. Should probably mention that in addition to the overall disturbing themes, the artwork includes plenty of graphic violence, so take a look before giving it to a kid to read. All in all, interesting and definitely worth checking out if you tend to enjoy European comics.
There we meet a French merchant captain who knows trading in slaves is evil, but continues nonetheless to do business with a wealthy Dutch slave broker (somewhere in present day Namibia or South Africa). We learn of the capture of one tribe by another, and the sale thereof, and how the evil of slavery corrupts beyond the European colonists. There's then a long bit where a pirate ship battles with the merchant and takes over the slave cargo, and various depredations ensue. I gather from the French reviewers that this is all quite faithful to the novel, but it felt overly complicated to me when there are only 80 pages to work with.
The second half of the book is "The Plantation", where the surviving slaves, including the hulking Atar Gul, are all sold to an English sugar-cane plantation owner in Jamaica. Familiar scenes of cruelty ensue, and eventually Atar Gul schemes his way into the confidence of the plantation owner and earns his trust. What follows is quite dark and should leave readers questioning whether the cost of total revenge is worth the results.
The artwork is excellent -- Bruno uses very clean lines and lots of brooding shadows. However, the coloring by Laurence Croix deserves special mention, because it is outstanding. The tone and mood of each scene is completely conveyed by the palette without being showy or distracting. Should probably mention that in addition to the overall disturbing themes, the artwork includes plenty of graphic violence, so take a look before giving it to a kid to read. All in all, interesting and definitely worth checking out if you tend to enjoy European comics.
September 9, 2023
Au XIXe siècle, le commerce d'esclaves demeure une entreprise florissante. Un bourgeois de Nantes qui cherche à amasser une fortune pour pouvoir épouser la femme qu'il aime affrète un navire pour aller acheter des esclaves en Afrique. Sur le chemin du retour, il est intercepté par Brulart, un criminel particulièrement cruel qui vend le bourgeois à une autre tribune échange d'autres esclaves. Parmi la cargaison initiale se trouve Atar Gull qui a promis de ne jamais verser une larme. Fort de son imposante stature, il fascine et finit par être acheté en Jamaïque par un propriétaire de plantation. Sous couvert de loyauté, il n'aura de cesse de mener son propriétaire à la ruine.
Comme bien souvent avec Nury, l'histoire est passionnante mais guère réjouissante. Le scénariste est expert pour nous offrir des personnages aux qualités paradoxales et qu'il devient alors difficile d'exécrer tout en ayant du mal à éprouver de la sympathie pour eux. Ou au contraire, on les haï et les adore en même temps. Un tour de force qui se répète souvent dans ses oeuvres, notamment Il était une fois en France. Ici, c'est exactement le cas avec un esclave prêt à tout pour gagner la confiance de son maître pour mieux le faire tomber. A travers l'histoire, on découvre le commerce de l'esclavage dans toute son horreur et toute sa complexité: les marchands, européens maus aussi africains,qui viennent acheter en Afrique les prisonniers des tribus dont certaines ont recours à l'anthropophagie, les maîtres de plantation qui se donnent bonne conscience en étant moins cruels que leurs compères envers leurs esclaves, les autorités qui traquent les criminels les plus infâmes mais qui tolère l'esclavage. En bref, c'est la nature humaine dans toute sa complexité qui est dépeinte, le tout grâce à un dessin relativement simple que l'on imaginerait pas pour un récit comme ça mais qui est en réalité fort bien vu car un dessin trop réaliste aurait sans doute rendu la lecture de cet album insoutenable de par les horreurs qui s'y déroulent. Âmes sensibles, s'abstenir tout de même
Comme bien souvent avec Nury, l'histoire est passionnante mais guère réjouissante. Le scénariste est expert pour nous offrir des personnages aux qualités paradoxales et qu'il devient alors difficile d'exécrer tout en ayant du mal à éprouver de la sympathie pour eux. Ou au contraire, on les haï et les adore en même temps. Un tour de force qui se répète souvent dans ses oeuvres, notamment Il était une fois en France. Ici, c'est exactement le cas avec un esclave prêt à tout pour gagner la confiance de son maître pour mieux le faire tomber. A travers l'histoire, on découvre le commerce de l'esclavage dans toute son horreur et toute sa complexité: les marchands, européens maus aussi africains,qui viennent acheter en Afrique les prisonniers des tribus dont certaines ont recours à l'anthropophagie, les maîtres de plantation qui se donnent bonne conscience en étant moins cruels que leurs compères envers leurs esclaves, les autorités qui traquent les criminels les plus infâmes mais qui tolère l'esclavage. En bref, c'est la nature humaine dans toute sa complexité qui est dépeinte, le tout grâce à un dessin relativement simple que l'on imaginerait pas pour un récit comme ça mais qui est en réalité fort bien vu car un dessin trop réaliste aurait sans doute rendu la lecture de cet album insoutenable de par les horreurs qui s'y déroulent. Âmes sensibles, s'abstenir tout de même
August 8, 2018
Acho que nunca li algo que me deixasse tão puto da vida... A qualidade da hq em geral é boa, mas tenho que dizer: que história horrível! Conta basicamente a história de um negro que para causar sofrimento a seu dono por ter, de forma suja, matado seu pai, mata todos os escravos que trabalhavam com ele, inclusive seu filho bebê, todo o gado e a filha do dono, enfim destrói todo o patrimônio do cracker, inclusive membros da sua própria raça, tudo isso representado de uma forma nefasta e satânica em todo a história o que quase nos faz pensar que os brancos são mais inocentes que ele, cara, não sei se por causa das minhas origens ou sei lá o quê: que sensação ruim que isso me causou. Tem uma cena em que a futura mulher dele prende o braço numa máquina e para salvá-la, ele pega um Machado e lhe decepa o braço, essa cena é representada de tal forma, que eu tive que ler umas cinco vezes pra entender a lógica humana do ato, pq o texto que precede trás uma tensão que nos faz esperar um ato gratuito e violento. Vale lembrar que essa hq é inspirada num livro escrito por um autor francês, branco, boêmio e dono de terras do séc. XIX, que não me parece nenhum castro Alves da vida, o que pra mim fundamenta uma quase tendenciosidade por parte dele. Essa é a primeira vez que deixo de gostar de algo tanto na literatura quanto em quadrinhos por causa do mal gosto e intensão da história contada.
April 16, 2018
I got a copy of this graphic novel through NetGalley as it looked interesting enough, and I always enjoy reading a good Bande Dessinée as the art never lets me down, even if the plot does. And safe to say that this was not the case. Both the plot AND art held up!
This is adapted from a 19th century novel about the life of a slave, and it does not skimp on the horrid and traumatic lives that black men and women had after being captured and sold into slavery. But as it is from a novel from the mid 1800s, it seems like there's not much research done so we have no idea really where Atar Gull was from, or how much of the tale is true. Apart from what we already know of the slave trade.
It's a relatively quick but depressing read, and the art seems to go quite well with the subject matter. All in all it was a good read of a book I have never heard of, but if you're looking for a book that accurately depicts the slave trade of the early 1800s, then this is probably not what you want.
https://hercommonplaceblog.wordpress.com
This is adapted from a 19th century novel about the life of a slave, and it does not skimp on the horrid and traumatic lives that black men and women had after being captured and sold into slavery. But as it is from a novel from the mid 1800s, it seems like there's not much research done so we have no idea really where Atar Gull was from, or how much of the tale is true. Apart from what we already know of the slave trade.
It's a relatively quick but depressing read, and the art seems to go quite well with the subject matter. All in all it was a good read of a book I have never heard of, but if you're looking for a book that accurately depicts the slave trade of the early 1800s, then this is probably not what you want.
https://hercommonplaceblog.wordpress.com
February 8, 2020
Don't let the beautiful colour palette and striking artwork deceive you, this is a black-hearted tale of revenge.
While the storytelling structure took me by surprise (a fair few characters come and go suddenly throughout), this tale of slavery is authentically furious. Passed from white man to white man, Atar Gull's silent rage builds up to a cunning crescendo which shows him to be just as coldly calculating as his slavers. While his cause is just, the way he goes about achieving his vengeance leaves a hell of a lot of destruction in his wake.
This is my first experience of Nury's and Brüno's work and I applaud it. It's use of shadow reminds me a lot of Mignola's drawing style as does its brutally honest characterisations. Nevertheless this plot is very much fixed in real world monstrosity.
I recommend Atar Gull to avid readers of revenge tales and graphic tragedies.
While the storytelling structure took me by surprise (a fair few characters come and go suddenly throughout), this tale of slavery is authentically furious. Passed from white man to white man, Atar Gull's silent rage builds up to a cunning crescendo which shows him to be just as coldly calculating as his slavers. While his cause is just, the way he goes about achieving his vengeance leaves a hell of a lot of destruction in his wake.
This is my first experience of Nury's and Brüno's work and I applaud it. It's use of shadow reminds me a lot of Mignola's drawing style as does its brutally honest characterisations. Nevertheless this plot is very much fixed in real world monstrosity.
I recommend Atar Gull to avid readers of revenge tales and graphic tragedies.
February 27, 2018
A very commendable saga, adapted from someone else's novel with a fine deftness by the chap who wrote the original 'Death of Stalin' graphic novel. A pair of warring tribes in Africa allows for double the amount of prisoners of war to be sold to slavers, and double the amount for one piratical nasty to ship to the colonies, where revenge is slowly seeded under the plantation sun. For once the artwork's unattractiveness (all sunken eyes and blubber lips) actually works with the all-round, pervasive nastiness and unsavouriness, and the story works as a kind of Count of Monte Cristo only a thousand pages shorter. In a world where slavery stories hardly stand out from one another, this one has a distinctive quality I enjoyed. Four and a half stars.
March 17, 2018
It’s sometimes hard to read history - even when it is historical fiction.
When I told my son I was reading a comic book about slavery he asked me why anyone would do that. I told him that it was important to understand what happened in the past - even if it wasn’t something entertaining to read.
This book paints the harsh realities of having to live without agency, without worth, as a slave in the New World, against the backdrop of a fictionalized hero.
Well-written with art to match, but it is a dark story with very little light and little redemption.
But it is powerful and emotional.
Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for a copy in return for an honest review.
When I told my son I was reading a comic book about slavery he asked me why anyone would do that. I told him that it was important to understand what happened in the past - even if it wasn’t something entertaining to read.
This book paints the harsh realities of having to live without agency, without worth, as a slave in the New World, against the backdrop of a fictionalized hero.
Well-written with art to match, but it is a dark story with very little light and little redemption.
But it is powerful and emotional.
Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for a copy in return for an honest review.
March 25, 2024
Brutal from start to finish. Really no other way to describe it. This book doesn't pull any punches at all. The opening pages especially remind you how cruel the slave trade was. As a story I thought the ending was a bit rushed. I could have used a bit more to flesh out the emotions behind the ending, but also this story will be circling in my brain for days so it'll be with me still.
Art was great. A perfect mix of graphic and straightforward. European comics are just next level.
Art was great. A perfect mix of graphic and straightforward. European comics are just next level.
December 15, 2025
Antes de Katanga Nury ya había estado en África.
Historia pequeña pero intensa en la que caben piratas, negreros, guerras entre tribus y venganza.
De colores planos y pocos diálogos a priori, pero que se demuestra que no necesita más para funcionar. La narración visual de Brüno es excelente, y el guión de Nury nunca defrauda.
Quizás se quede un poco corto el final, cerrando en muy pocas viñetas tanta carga dramática, pero como obra ha superado mis expectativas.
Historia pequeña pero intensa en la que caben piratas, negreros, guerras entre tribus y venganza.
De colores planos y pocos diálogos a priori, pero que se demuestra que no necesita más para funcionar. La narración visual de Brüno es excelente, y el guión de Nury nunca defrauda.
Quizás se quede un poco corto el final, cerrando en muy pocas viñetas tanta carga dramática, pero como obra ha superado mis expectativas.
April 3, 2024
A estos dos los tengo por su gran saga Tyler Cross (policial del bueno) y aquí adaptan una novela de un tercero, Eugéne Sue. Un librazo, en una palabra, la aventura del rey esclavo del título, una odisea cargada de crueldad, odio y desesperanza. Una patada en el pecho, pero que recomiendo fervorosamente.
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