Salamandre

by I.N.J. Culbard

Salamandre is a sweeping, evocative graphic novel from award-winning artist and writer I.N.J. Culbard (The Umbrella Academy: You Look Like Death, Everything, Brink, The New Deadwardians).

Kaspar Salamandre is a bereaved young artist who is sent to stay with his enigmatic grandfather in a land ruled under an oppressive regime, where there can be only one loved one: The Emperor.

In this land where flowers are contraband, music is illegal, and art is created in hiding, Kaspar discovers a world of art revolutionaries, espionage and the Secret Police.

His search for answers will bring him face to face with the meaning of sacrifice. But, will anything bring him closer to overcoming his loss?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fiction, Historical, Comics, Bande Dessinée, Graphic Novels Comics

152 pages, Paperback

First published November 22, 2022

About the author

I.N.J. Culbard is an artist and writer. In 2006, he surpassed thousands of other writers and had his work published in Dark Horse Comics’ New Recruits anthology. He has since appeared in the anthology series Dark Horse Presents, the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD.

Culbard is an acclaimed animation director with considerable experience in directing commercials, developing projects for television, and producing and directing short films. His collaborator at SelfMadeHero is writer Ian Edginton.

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A world that feels a lot like ours, including a long grinding cold war, including the paranoia and an oppressive and intrusive totalitarian government.

There's a lot of worldbuilding here, and it kind of feels like a story has been forced into it afterwards, so it doesn't completely cohere.

I'm a fan of I.N.J. Culbard's art, and it's excellent here - appropriately woozy and dreamlike.

3.5 stars

(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)

[Elizabeth A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This coming of age graphic novel explores family, grief, loss, and censorship.

After a tragic event, a young boy is sent to stay with this grandfather behind the iron curtain. Being a kid can be hard - you are at the total mercy of the adults around you. Young Kasper learns to navigate the complexities of trust, and how while art can give one a sense of personal freedom, it can also be a form of political resistance. Nice illustration and colors.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright! I thought the themes about art and flowers were really nice. A little nonsensical but also sad? Idk nice quick read though.

[J MaK · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.3) An obscure historical fiction surrounding the ideological divide between Eastern and Western Europe. To ease the pain of a father’s death, a young man is sent away to spend a summer with relatives. While navigating his grief, he is thrusted into a embracing resistance in a society of limited freedoms. The unusual narrative features a cast involved in espionage and intelligence gathering, drenched in symbolism. But this all but fizzles out in a daydream featuring the secret police and an unexpected natural disaster.

[Alex79uk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice artwork and an interesting story about a fictional country divided in half, loosely based upon the iron curtain which politically (and physically, in some cases) divided Europe between the Second World War and the Cold War. Our protagonist, a boy of around 11/12, visits his grandfather on the oppressed side of the divide, where art, creative thinking and protest is banished under the watchful eye of the glorious leader. A reasonably exciting story involving a reclusive and eccentric artist, the secret police and adventurous children ultimately fizzles out to a bit of an anticlimactic ending. I think this is worth reading, and I certainly enjoyed it, but I felt it could have done a little more at the end.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a dystopian fever dream about a boy visiting extended family who live in a more repressive region—picture somewhere behind the Iron Curtain would be my guess.

Or is it?!

Not a spoiler, since it’s all up for personal interpretation, but it makes you ask what parts were dreams or nightmares, and which were the boy’s bereavement over the loss of his beloved father?

While it started out strong, I basically found it too oblique while reading it, but it did speak to the healing power of art. After sleeping on it, I added a star. Pretty cover.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that makes you think about what you have and take for granted...

When Kasper Salamandre's father doesn't return home after a deep sea diving experiment, he is assumed dead. Upon learning this, Kasper sinks into a depression/funk that his artist-mom cannot help pull him out of. She puts him on a train and sends him to visit his grandfather who lives "behind the iron veil" (read: Iron Curtain, as he is going to a oppressed country that offers limited liberties and complete control of its people). He finds his grandfather, aunt, and cousin and her family to be a bit quirky and full of secrets they are not sharing. When Kasper confides in the wrong person, there is danger ahead for the family.

Culbard delivers an intriguing Euro-centric alternative world/fantasy filled to the gills with tension. Nothing is quite what it seems, yet it is more. There are many things left unsaid for the reader to fill in the blanks- for example, what is the meaning with the ticking of the watch? What happened to Beatrice? What will happen to his grandfather after Kasper returns home to his mother? While it gets a tidy ending, I hope there will be a sequel. I would like to know more about this world and Kasper's part in it.

With much of the story delivered via images, it is a speedy read. Colorful artwork with lots of action. Pay careful attention to faces and emotions and read their messages!

There is some mild violence, flash bangs, and threatening danger looming. Recommended appropriate for grades 7+.

[Eric Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kasper Salamandre lost his father in a tragic accident. After his father’s death, Kasper put down his pencil and quit the adventure drawing he did of his father. In his grief, Kasper was sent to live with his grandfather. Kasper’s papi lived on the other side of Iron Veil, a land devoid of art, music, celebration, and flowers. In the place of the missing culture existed a world of distrust and secret police. Kasper befriended his papi’s neighbors. While living under tyranny, Kasper and his new friends realized a life full of beauty is worth hoping and fighting for.

Salamandre is a new graphic novel by award-winning author and artist I.N.J. Culbard. Having experienced life in Cold War-era Poland and dedicating his book to the memory of his father, this seems like a very personal project for Culbard. This is an important story for today in the tensions of our current culture war of culture. With colorful and superb artwork to go with the exciting and touching narrative, this is a graphic novel for all who keep art and beauty alive within them. Art and beauty are worth fighting for. “Vive La Revolution!”
This Review was Originally Published at https://portlandbookreview.com/produc...

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 2 out of 5]

After an unexpected loss, a young man is sent to stay with his grandfather in a different country. In this country, there are very few freedoms. Its citizens can't write or create art.

As he adjusts to this new situation, Kasper Salamandre learns about trust- who should have it and who shouldn't. He also appreciates his home more as he discovers the price of not having the freedoms that he has come to take for granted.

This graphic novel delves into deep themes but then didn't adequately handle them. I wanted to know more about Kasper's family, the world he found himself in, and the ticking clock that comes back again and again.

Unfortunately, the reader discovers very little about any of that.

If you must read this graphic novel, you may want to consider borrowing it from your local library.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A warm, well-told tale of a boy struggling with the loss of his father. His journey to stay with extended family in an imperial/fascist police state is a subtle story, one involving a connection with characters both tragic and monstrous. Culbard's style is clean and sharp and accessible, with expressive and neatly rendered characters who are distinct without descending into caricature. The inking, tight and consistent, the color palette simple but effective, the paneling showing just enough variance to track with the narrative and keep the page visually interesting.

The writing is genuine, the voices well distinguished, and the story is both subtle and moving. An excellent visual tale of the peculiar joys of life that can be found in oppressive systems, and of the power of story and art to help endure times of loss.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m surprised to see this book has such low ratings. I found it rather lovely.
A semiautobiographical account of a young boy, who, following a tragic disappearance of his father, goes to visit his grandfather on the other side of the Iron Veil
Veil’s an obvious stand in for a curtain, things on the other side are much scarier and bleaker.
Using elements of fantasy or magical realism, the author finds a way to present both sides in a well-balanced and intelligent manner.
The end result is a coming-of-age story that also works as a sociopolitical commentary on the state of post-WWII Europe.
The art’s very nice, especially the portraiture.
All in all, a very good read. Recommended.

[Dave Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite different (and why not?) from Culbard's Lovecraft, Chambers and Wilde adaptations. This is set a parallel-history world where the Iron Curtain maybe runs through France, although the map at the start suggests a completely different world that might even be a flooded version of ours. Anyway, that's not important. It's about memories (painful and otherwise), imagination, survival, childhood, family, and life.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected, abstract journey into what it means to have heroes, navigate totalitarian regimes, fight Krakens and lament the loss and peculiarities of fine art. Adeptly told, well illustrated - a fine example of the potential of the medium of graphic novels to tell and show tales of depth that grab you. Author is apparently Polish, and during the Communist regime went back and forth to Poland from his residence of England when he was a kid. I love finding these unexpected gems.

[Yevgeniya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Salamandre is a short graphic novel but the story and art makes a strong point in its 150 pages. I enjoyed seeing a world of hypocrisy, confusion and grief through a child's eyes. There's so much that happens on every page. Pay attention to the colors, the facial expressions and definitely read every word!

[Ryan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Salamandre is an examination of grief and totalitarianism, and perhaps those two things are connected within a totalitarian world. There’s a mix of imagination and reality, and some questions of what is real and who can be trusted.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is a touching look at both grief and life in an alternate world reminiscent of life with the Iron Curtain. It's a great reminder to live our lives well and to pay attention to beauty every day.

[Aurora]

Gave up 100 pages in. Found none of it compelling.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This follows a boy who's family is on the other side of the Iron Curtain. It has some sci-fi elements to it, but it is more about who to trust and how individuals feel during political unrest.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was this translated into English? I'm not sure.

[Heather Howton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a quick, nice read. Nearly a year jerker. A perfect read for someone grieving.

[Jameson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars for decent artwork, but the story, meh...

[Anne Hayner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic novel - creative approach to tough issues of personal loss and political repression, from a child's view.

[Donne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the idea, but the character development was so shallow. I so just wanted MORE ... more story, more personality, more, more, more.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glad I got it from the library. Just didn’t get it. It engaging at all.

[Marge Shaffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It takes imagination to picture a better world and to want for a better future."

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just randomly picked this at the library, it was enjoyable.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars - there was a lot of unexpected action in this book (ex: gambling, art heists, government control), which kinda threw me off. The art was awesome, but I would've liked some more solidity throughout the story, as it had potential to be really emotional.