Dragman

by Steven Appleby, Rubén Lardín (Translator)

¿Tienes una vida secreta? August Crimp sí: Steven Appleby ha forjado un personaje que combate el mal y sus propias inseguridades en una lucha interna sin cuartel. Dragman es el primer thriller de largo aliento que firma Steven Appleby, que es además el autor de la rotulación manual de la edición de Astiberri. Inspirado por los tebeos de superhéroes que leía de niño y basándose en su propia vida secreta como travesti, Steven Appleby ha creado una novela gráfica de múltiples capas, férrea en su trama y con una inteligente y adictiva estructura, en la que August, su protagonista, combate la codicia, el mal y sus propias inseguridades en una lucha interna por rescatarse a sí mismo, salvar su matrimonio y redimir el alma humana.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Queer, LGBT, Fantasy, Fiction, Superheroes

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2020

About the author

Steven Appleby is a British and Canadian cartoonist, illustrator, writer and visual artist based in London, whose comic strips are best known for their absurdist humour.
Appleby studied graphic design at Newcastle Polytechnic (1978–1981), then illustration at the Royal College of Art of London (1981–1984), where they met future major collaborators George Mole and Malcolm Garrett.
Appleby cartooning work first appeared in the magazine 'New Musical Express' in 1984 with the Rockets Passing Overhead comic strip about the character Captain Star, later featured also in 'The Observer', as well as other newspapers and comic magazines in Europe and America. Other comic strips followed in many publications, including 'The Times', the 'Sunday Telegraph' and 'The Guardian'. In particular, the strip series Steven Appleby's Normal Life made into a radio series for the BBC. Appleby's debut graphic novel Dragman (2020) was awarded the Jury Special Prize at the Angoulême Comic Festival, in 2021 and the award for Best International Comic Book at the Erlangen Comic Salon, Germany in 2022.
Appleby’s illustrations and paintings have appeared in numerous exhibitions and on a number of album covers for pop-rock bands, such as Duran Duran and Pixies.
In 2008 Appleby came out as transgender. In 2021, Appleby stated to be "relaxed about pronouns," going by both "Steven" & "he" and "Nancy" & "she."

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up from a library display and was surprised just how much I enjoyed this. At 330 pages it's quite long for a graphic novel and you can see that the creation of this must have taken so much work. I don't often like the style of graphic novel illustrations but these were really nice, they made me think of a modern day Edward Ardizzone and I thought it was a nice touch that they appear to have used my handwriting for the text.

If I had read reviews for this before I had picked it up and discovered it was about superheros in a dystopian version of our world with hints of Black Mirror I would have given it a miss thinking it wouldn't interest me and if I had known it was about a serial killer I would have thought it wouldn't be my thing. There is some lovely humour in this story, I loved Fly Paper Girls special power. There were some touching friendships and relationships. I loved the part where the doll returns and the reason why these dolls follow is lovely and sad.

There is some swearing, a couple of murders and one unpleasant description of a sexual nature that some readers might want to be aware of, but on the whole, I found it a very caring and touching story.

I'm so glad I didn't pass this by as the characters were so enjoyable and I found myself absorbed in the philosophical and slightly Dr Who style storyline and found myself flicking back to pages as the various twists and turns of the plot unfolded.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Appleby is a beloved London cartoonist who also writes among other things comedy tv, and has most of his life written bits about transvestitism. And as he reveals in an appendix, when he was a boy he thought he wanted to be a girl, but he became satisfied with just wearing clothes typically worn by girls and women. Then he kept it a secret for much of his life. He married, identifies as a man, has children, who all are supportive of his interest.

So Dragman is (64-year-old) Appleby's way coming-out comic to the world, in fictional guise, about a guy who marries and has kids but who has always become a superhero when he wears "women's clothes." Yeah, he can then fly, and Does Good Deeds on the sly with Dogboy (a woman who turns into a dog periodically) and with and against other crazy characters (The Fist, Goldfish Boy--some of the weird characters remind me of Jeff lemire's crazy fun Black Hammer world) as they take on people who actually have Sold Their Souls to the Devil. So Appleby is serious about transvestitism and being honest with yourself and others, and also light-hearted and funny.

The book, a graphic novel, was written and drawn by Appleby and attractively colored by Nicola Sherring. At 330 pages it overstays its welcome a bit, and the various plots--evil corporations, wacky antagonists--is over the top, a bit much for me. But overall its very good fun and unique. But some people in the comics world think it is better than very good, as it won the Prix du Festival d'Angoulême for Prix spécial du jury (2021)!

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Dragman is a superhero whose powers come from wearing women's clothing. Former superhero, perhaps, as he's retired and attempting to live what he perceives as a normal life. His wife has no knowledge of his alter ego.

But someone is killing transvestites, and it looks like Dragman may need to come out of retirement to solve the case. And some superheroes would prefer that he stay retired. Also, souls have been proven to exist, and it's possible to make a great deal of money by selling yours to the right buyer. Lacking a soul definitely changes a person …

Oh, and the comics are interspersed with short prose chapters, mostly from the killer's point of view.

If that all sounds completely crazy, well, that was my impression when I first started reading this. It felt like I had more pieces than could possibly fit into the final puzzle. But Steven Appleby definitely knows what he's doing, and everything eventually comes together in a memorable climax. In anyone else's hands this could have been a real mess. Appleby is juggling an impressive number of balls here, and it's a thrill to see him do it.

Dragman is possibly not to everyone's taste, but I found it both surprising and delightful. Recommended!

[Kevin Warman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully different, wild at times. Appleby's art and storyline offer something in between visceral and philosophical. As I read this, I had so many questions. Actually, I still do. Would recommend.

[Mira123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normalerweise bin ich kein Fan von Superheld:innen. Hört sich vielleicht schräg an, aber viele Held:innengeschichten langweilen mich. Als ich aber eine Rezension zu "Dragman" gelesen habe, war mir klar, dass ich das auch lesen möchte.

In dieser Geschichte folgen wir August Crimp. Er ist Familienvater, glücklich verheiratet und kann fliegen, wenn er Frauenkleidung trägt. Deswegen war er früher auch Superheld - bevor er seine Ehefrau kennengelernt hat. Sie hat panische Angst vor Superheld:innen, deswegen hat August seine Frauenkleidung versteckt und das Superheld:innentum aufgegeben. Als ihn aber die Tochter seiner Nachbarn um Hilfe bittet (ihre Eltern haben ihre Seele verkauft), beschließt er, noch einmal in diese Rolle zu schlüpfen - und muss sich damit auch gleichzeitig auch mit seiner Identität im Alltag auseinandersetzen... Und versuchen, seine Arbeit, die Kindererziehung und das Superheldentum unter einen Hut zu bringen. Was stellenweise wirklich witzig ist, zum Beispiel wenn August seinen Sohn bei einem Einsatz als Superheld mitbringt.

"Dragman" ist gleichzeitig auch eine Satire auf traditionelle Superheldencomics. Das habe ich recht schnell gemerkt und das hat mir sehr dabei geholfen, dieses Graphic Novel zu mögen. Die Geschichte nimmt sich selbst nicht ganz so ernst und das machte sie zu einem wirklich tollen Erlebnis. Hier werden Leute zum Beispiel einfach nicht gerettet, wenn sie keine Superheldenversicherung abgeschlossen haben. Das ganze Graphic Novel ist super absurd und das macht ihn lustig, auch wenn mir dabei immer bewusst war, dass das Ganze auch eine Kritik an der realen Welt ist.

Ich fand es außerdem spannend, mal eine queere Superheldin zu sehen. Denn darum geht es: August betreibt eigentlich nicht Drag, sondern ist trans. "Dragman" ist daher seiner Meinung nach auch eine ziemlich unpassende Bezeichnung, aber auf ihn hört ja keiner. Und ich habe auch lange überlegt, welches Pronomen ich denn für diese Rezension für August verwenden soll. Ich hab dann beschlossen mit "er/ihm" zu arbeiten, da August für den Großteil des Buchs vor den meisten Personen nicht geoutet ist und auch im Klappentext damit gearbeitet wird.

Bevor ihr euch jetzt auf dieses wirklich coole Graphic Novel stürzt, möchte ich aber noch eine Warnung aussprechen: Die Autorin behandelt in diesem Buch Transfeindlichkeit und Queerfeindlichkeit sowie Homophobie und teils wird das auch graphisch dargestellt - in Worten und in Bildern. Wenn das also auf euch triggernd wirken kann, dann seid bitte vorsichtig mit diesem Graphic Novel, okay?

Mein Fazit? Große Empfehlung. Ich habe dieses Graphic Novel an einem Vormittag durchgesuchtet und auf jeder Seite mit August mitgefiebert.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the surface, this is a pretty simple story of a retired superhero reluctantly donning his costume once more to help stop a serial killer and an evil corporation. (Shades of Watchmen!) Inevitably, there is some crossover between the two cases, but nothing a good slugfest shouldn't be able to sort out, right?

The originality factor here is that our hero August Crimp gets his super power of flight from donning women's clothing. In flashback scenes we are shown Crimp coming to terms privately with what this means to his identity and sexuality while publicly taking on the persona of Dragman to fight crime and transphobia.

It took me a while to warm up to the book because it is a tonally odd mix of cartoonish, slow-paced, and loopy alternative comix and slam-bang retro superheroics with a heavy reliance on coincidence and one-dimensional characters. And Crimp's feet are a little too deeply mired in clay in the present-day storyline. And the author indulges in a pet peeve of mine by repeatedly injecting pages of text into the graphic novel, providing the serial killer's point of view while concealing their identity.

In the end I was able to unclench, get wrapped up in the story and main character, and appreciate the unique perspective being offered.

[Malapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

En en un mundo en el que existen los superhéroes y se ha descubierto la existencia real del alma humana, que se ha convertido en un producto más de compra y venta, vive August Crimp, alias Dragman, un superhéroe que adquiría sus poderes al vestirse de mujer. Ahora August vive retirado, con un hijo, y casado con una mujer que ignora su pasado. Pero una serie de asesinatos de travestis acabará arrastrándole de vuelta a la acción.

Como podéis imaginar a partir de la descripción, Dragman no es una historia de superhéroes al uso. Junto con la trama principal de la investigación se desarrolla una paralela en el que August/Dragman debe enfrentarse a sí mismo y descubrir quién es o quién quiere acabar siendo. Esta segunda trama es la que en realidad da sentido a la historia y hace de Dragman un cómic especial.

El dibujo de Appleby es bastante sencillo, no esperéis composiciones arriesgadas o perspectivas llamativas. El autor se ha forjado dibujando tiras cómicas y la composición de página dominante es de viñetas distribuidas regularmente. También se nota su origen en una escritura que alterna escenas más interesantes con transiciones algo forzadas.

Quitando estos detalles, Dragman resultad un cómic muy disfrutable, con un puñado de personajes carismáticos (me encanta Chica Perro) y del que no podéis dejar de leer su epílogo.

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a weird but delightful comic. It follows August Crimp, who has a secret superhero identity as Dragman. When he is wearing women's clothes he can fly, and he fights crime with his side-kick Dog Girl. Or he did, until he retired, got married, and had a kid. But now more than ever the world is in need of saving, because an inventor has developed a device that can remove people's souls and store them on small disks. People without souls continue living- sort of. But they have no joy, no personality, no opinions, and often no will to live. In addition to this, trans women are being targeted by a serial killer. August is drawn out of retirement and into the case, which is complicated, as he has never revealed his secret identity to his wife. Drawn a loose, sketchy style, this story is told in a mix of color comics for present-day scenes, monotone comics for flash-back scenes, excerpts from "officially licenced character comics" and sections of prose that describe the most violent incidents without any illustrations. I've never read anything quite like this before, but it worked for me!

[grieshaber.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

A serial killer is on the loose and he/she is targeting the transgender community. Thank God Dog Girl is able to convince Dragman to come out of retirement to help protect the vulnerable and catch the murderer. Author and comic artist, Steven Appleby (according to the publisher, “Britain’s most beloved comic artist”), gives readers a compelling metaphor in August Crimp gaining his superpowers from donning women’s clothing. Although Dragman is an excellent exploration of the Search for Identity theme, I don’t think it will have a lot of appeal to the YA audience (August is married to a woman and he experiences the “normal” challenges of marriage on top of the unique challenges of being a closeted transgender man married to a cis woman). An easy rec to teens questioning their sexual identity, though. The art is gorgeous and the packaging of the book is of the highest quality (textured cover, red ribbon bookmark, heavy pages, etc.). It was a pleasure to hold this book in my hands.

[Marit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het superheldennarratief is blijkbaar toch niet helemaal aan mij besteed.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this one of the most creative graphic novels I've ever come across. The author makes it clear in his notes that he is NOT the model for the main character, but he created the character to open up more about his transvestism (Appleby makes it clear that neither he nor Dragman are transgender women, but he now dresses solely in women's clothes and is just happy living his truth and feeling free from a life of secret cross-dressing). The character of Dragman gets his power whenever he puts on women's clothes, but the powers that be in the superhero world (these jerks only help the people with superhero insurance, so they're clearly not role models) think he's a freak and refuse to give him his superhero license, forcing him to hide his past and reveal nothing of his life to his wife. But then when a close friend from his past goes missing and another friend needs help finding the souls her parents sold off (because people are selling souls to pay their debts and afford vacations, stripping people of their humanity), Dragman realizes his powers are needed once again.

I loved everything from the plot to the quirky art to the message of this book. It had a few features that vaguely made me think of "Watchmen" while I was reading (former superheroes coming back to solve a mystery concerning one of their own, secrets within the hero community, others I can't say bc spoilers), but this added so much more that pushed this into a realm beyond what most superhero comics ever reach.

[José Pascual · Rating 4 out of 5]

He aquí una obra honesta. Nos llenamos la boca con palabras como inclusión, respeto, aceptación o naturalidad, pero a menudo la representación de temáticas de índole identitaria gira hacia la vía forzada, rompiendo la credibilidad de la historia por intenciones tan respetables como mal implementadas. Dragman debiera ser el faro para todo el que quiera mostrar indiosincrasias difíciles, al construir una perfecta mezcolanza entre vida real y ficción que alimenta el relato interno con una coherencia y, sobre todo, un fondo, inmensos.

Steven Appleby lleva toda su vida creando tiras cómicas en las que, a menudo, traslada su propia experiencia como travesti. Porque, sí, Steven Appleby también lleva toda su vida vistiéndose con ropa de mujer. Dragman es su primera obra larga, y en ella el autor (o autora, ya que Appleby se define tanto hombre como mujer) vuelca algunos capítulos de su vida y los inmiscuye en una trama superheroica que va mucho más allá de lo que pueda parecer. La historia sigue a Dragman, un hombre que adquiere superpoderes cuando viste ropa de mujer. Pese a su intención de pasar desapercibido, una de sus acciones le hace acceder al mundillo interno de los superhéroes.

Reseña completa en «Dentro del Monolito»: https://dentrodelmonolito.com/2022/07...

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to rate this book. It's good, and it explores gender, friendship, and ethics. And it's a murder mystery. Also, people have souls that can be extracted and moved to other people, and there are companies that want to buy them. So a lot of people sell their souls for various reasons.

Dragman apparently identifies as female but still considers him/herself as a male crossdresser. (The afterword shows that he's modeled after the author.) Dressing in women's clothes gives him the power to fly. He was voted out of the transphobic and profit-oriented superheroes league (which will only rescue people who keep up their superhero insurance), so he puts away his women's clothes, falls in love, marries, and has a baby with a woman named Mary Mary, who knows nothing about his past. (I am having trouble with pronouns here, but I think he is living as male and doesn't seem to have a problem with that.)

Then his best superhero friend, Dog Girl, insists that he has to help solve a series of murders of trans women/crossdressers. And a family friend wants to sell his soul, and the parents of his teenage babysitter (the only non-superhero who knows his identity) have sold theirs and are not being good parents. Then his other superhero friend disappears. And Dragman is making lame excuses to his wife about where he's going, even though she's made it clear to him that lying is the only thing she won't tolerate.

The whole soul thing is interesting, and there's a cool plot twist about it at the end.

And the cover reminded me so much of the old Madeline children's book, I had to look it up...yup, that spire looks a bit like the Eiffel Tower, and the art style is similar. I like it.

[Owen Townend · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and heartfelt book about gender identity as a superpower.

Appleby's first graphic novel is about August Crimp, a husband and father who leads a double life as a transvestite who literally flies when adorned in women's clothing. Though it makes him feel complete, he still feels obligated to hide this part of himself from Mary Mary, his wife, who he fears would react badly to discovering that he is, in fact, Dragman.

On top of this human crisis story, Dragman the book is about a world of organised superheroes who will save lives depending on if the victim in question has kept up with their insurance. If they haven't, then they always have the option of selling their soul, which has been identified within the body and can be extracted for a healthy sum of money. However, once it's gone, life loses its lustre and the cash ultimately goes to waste.

Throw in a serial killer who targets trans women and steals their souls, and you have quite the vivid adventure. While I was interested to learn how crossdressing can start and its life-affirming quality, I was most engaged by the superhero society that Appleby creates. Some of my favourite characters other than Dragman and partner-in-crime Dog Girl, include Hindsight (hero of recent memory and finder of lost property) and The Believer (reality-warping optimist). The idea of club member superheroes is hilarious and their tendency to traumatise citizens with their thoughtless derring-do makes perfect sense.

Dragman had me alternating between light chuckles and comic book thrills. Appleby's art style may not be what one expects of high-octane superhero storytelling but it works very well. After all, these aren't your normal crimefighting crusaders. They are both symbolic of states of the human condition and credible characters in their own right.

In the afterword, Appleby explains how closely the themes of Dragman reflect his own coming to terms with his gender identity and I'm sure it helped him to write this fantastic version of his truth. While I cannot say what this graphic novel would mean to comic book fans of the trans community, I certainly found it a delightful page-turner worthy of its praise.

As such I recommend Dragman to fellow comic book enthusiasts who enjoy superhero stories that break social boundaries whilst generally kicking ass.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this on a whim at Big Bad Wolf 2024 in Alabang and was surprised by just how much I enjoyed it! Not gonna lie, I'm a little surpirsed at how few ratings it has here on Goodreads. It's such an excellent read with such an interesting plot and circumstances.

Dragman takes place in a dystopic version of London where superheroes exist and the soul has been proven to exist. Except that superheroes have to belong to an exclusive guild whose restrictive rules have to be followed to the letter, and people can sell their souls in exchange for car loans, housing loans, or cash (only to become callous, cruel shells of themselves in the process). Oh, and by the way, there's a serial killer on the loose targeting trans women and stealing their souls.

This story is told with such gentleness and care. I loved the art, the quirky and absurdist Watchmen vibes, and the warmth of the message and especially the ending. I'm so glad I picked it up and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a tender, incredibly queer story!

[All My Friends Are Fictional · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work is quite autofictional. And at the same time it's not. It would get 5 stars from me if it weren't for some unfinished/questionable/forgotten storylines (e. g. why were the trans* women targeted by the killer). Otherwise, the artwork is brilliant and the book offers a unique view on the exploration of one's identity.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is great. The concept and characters are compelling, and it also has a great story. I feel like I know this artist’s work from 90s magazines and stuff - his style feels familiar. Visually it’s really warm and approachable. I loved it - nice and meaty.

[Goatllama · Rating 5 out of 5]

God this was good. And so strange. But strange in a warm, friendly way (for the most part). It's like having another Watchmen, but more... esoteric? Honestly I'm having trouble describing it. But I enjoyed it very much, and it was nothing like what I expected. I was definitely expecting comedy, and there's that, but way more drama and intrigue and just downright interesting concepts. Great read.

P.S. In back of the book there's a picture of the author and they look so happy and genuine. It made me smile.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! Dragman has superheroes, evil corporations, Hell (and Heaven), hapless scientists, a very weird superhero club, and a serial killer on the loose. August Crimp is pulled back into his old superhero life as Dragman when a friend goes missing, a serial killer targets transwomen, and the babysitter needs his help to get back her parents' souls. Steven Appleby deftly brings it all together while leaving room for an emotional and complex transformation story. Crimp's story must be close to Appleby's heart (as mentioned in the Afterword), and rather painful at times to create, and I'm so thankful that Appleby did gift this tome to the world after eighteen years from inception.

The plot has a few coincidences that on their own are believable, but in culmination might bother some readers. I loved the art, the colors, and the individual threads, so I wasn't too bothered. I did wonder why the serial killer did not gain a conscience when he did what he did to the souls (trying not to give too much away here). Maybe because he was born without a soul? It wasn't clear.

Overall, Dragman was a dark, painful serial killer story with a lot of hope and some humorous moments. Recommended for those who like dogs, fabulous costumes, beach houses, and flypaper.

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully eccentric in that peculiarly English way. The artwork is reminiscent of Joann Sfar. The plot feels a bit clunky towards the end (it's quite absurd), but the work as a whole is very satisfying.

[Mehsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik vond dit een interessant boek op punten, maar op punten ook weer niet zo leuk. POV skippen, tijdskippen, het werkte gewoon niet. De tekststukken, die van de moordenaar, heb ik na 3 keer opgegeven omdat ik gewoon niet lekker werd, ik snap echt niet waarom mensen het POV van een psychopaat/moordenaar moeten geven. Laat dat maar lekker weg. Ik vond dat August eerlijker had moeten zijn tegen Mary. Ze is zijn vrouw, en ja ze is niet een fan van superhelden, maar in een relatie moet je eerlijk zijn. Doggirl was een tikje irritant op tijden. Hoe is de Fist een superheld?
Wat ik wel goed vond was het hele zielengebeuren en dat je die dus weg kon geven (al snap ik niet waarom je dat zou doen gegeven hoe je totaal veranderd), Cherry was een tof personage en ik vond het dapper wat ze allemaal deed in dit boek, er was een plottwist met een zeker persoon die ik niet zag komen en die ik heerlijk vond, ik vond de superhelden over het algemeen tof, ik vond het tof dat we een trans karakter (zo zou ik August noemen in ieder geval) als hoofdpersoon hadden die ook nog een een superheld is en de wereld redt in een geweldig outfit. De tekeningen pasten ook bij het verhaal. Het einde maakte me blij. En er waren nog wat andere kleine dingen die ik leuk vond. Dus 3 sterren is een goed rating voor dit boek.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Quite brilliant device used in this one-that this suburban husband and father discovers his ‘superpower’ strength when he allows himself to explore his transvestism.

While the book focuses on our hero August Crimp, you get the feeling that many of the superheroes in this town-and there are many- have also released some hidden or shameful life secret, unlocking shackles and granting them powers and freedom to explore. Then, there’s the ‘soulless’ people in town -also a well-developed metaphor. There are businesses who will allow people to mortgage their souls to possess other types of freedom that they see hopeless to achieve in other ways. You’d have to read to see what I mean…it’s a bit complicated but ultimately rewarding! Obviously, this one has a lot going on and it’s definitely PG-13, but it has depth, originality, and life lessons so it’s a worthwhile read. Plus, it’s funny-baby Gully is a hoot.

The art is charming and charged with a buzzy energy. Yet for all the talk of superheroes, it resembles more a New Yorker Roz Chast cartoon than anything Marvel-esque. I have to add that trying to review this one is like trying to write a paper. Again, there’s lots of themes to explore and unpack; I know I did not do it justice.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dragman is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Steven Appleby. August Crimp is keeping a lot of secrets from his wife: since his teen years he's been dressing in women's clothes, because when wearing them he has the ability to fly and he used to be the superhero Dragman.

This all takes place in a world in which superheroes only save those folks with the proper insurance coverage and human souls can be removed from the body and then bought, sold, or stored on tiny disks.

An unknown murderer is targeting transgendered women, stealing their souls and dumping their bodies. August, who thought he'd put his crime-fighting days behind him, gets dragged back by his old sidekick, Dog Girl, and Cherry, a girl he saved.

Dragman is written and constructed rather well. The complex plot plays out with spirited color scenes of present-day action mixed with multiple flashbacks, shown in monochrome, including a few excerpts of news clippings and comics about the exploits of their superhero milieu. Despite its many twists and turns, the graphic novel’s emotional heart lays with August's struggle to accept his identity and its full power.

All in all, Dragman is a wonderful graphic novel of poignant humanity and a wonderful reflection on identity – all done with a modicum of lightheartedness.

[Bram Peeters · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a proper graphic novel, bringing you a not-too-simple story, with souls being sold, sidekicks, evil corporations and enterprising superheroes dealing with the immoral ones...

Steven Appleby has a very nice sense of humour, light-weight and serious at the same time. It's not a simple book, it can be read as just an unusual superhero story, but then there is a lot more - for obvious reasons this novel comes close to the writer, the underlying theme of what it does to a person to like to dress in drag is an important part (well, it's DRAGMAN, so not really a surprise there), but then it's not about that in the first place.

Definitely worth the read, I do hope Mr. Appleby has more full graphic novels brewing, somewhere

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of a queer Watchmen, set in London, & with an aesthetic that is more comics page than comic book style. Dragman is much less bleak than Watchmen, despite dealing with the hate & violence directed at trans women. A major theme is the power of belief to remake the world & the future. Dragman exceeded all of my expectations, & is worth reading & re-reading. When I finished reading the 1st time, I re-read to try to figure out what August’s mom’s deal is, & I’ll probably re-read again to try to figure out what Dog-Girl’s deal is.

[Michael Bohli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Appleby mit "Dragman" geleistet hat, ist nicht bloss ein Comic. Es ist zugleich ein Roman, eine Verarbeitung autobiografischer Elemente und eine Vision für die Möglichkeiten des Mediums. Auf wunderbare Weise wird aufgezeigt, was im Feld der Comics alles machbar wäre, wenn man sich endlich von der konservativ binären Perspektive lossagen würde.

Superheldengeschichte, queere Ermächtigung, liebevolle Momente zu Familie und Freundschaft und ein toller Indie-Zeichnungsstil: Grosse Leseempfehlung.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to write a review that captures all the captivating layers in this outstanding graphic novel. A wonderful mashup of themes of identity, integrity, and social commentary woven throughout a really exciting superhero story. A remarkable achievement.

[Marvin Vingerhoed · Rating 5 out of 5]

In een treffende review gelezen: als ik van tevoren had geweten dat het over superhelden gaat die mensen redden , en 1 van die helden is een man in vrouwenkleren, had ik het boek nooit geleend.
Maar wat een leuk, humorvol verhaal met grappige teksten bij de tekeningen.
Een hoofdstuk begint met minstens één blz tekst, en daarna bladzijden met een soort striptekeningen. Zo mooi gedaan.
Overeenkomst met Black Mirror. Mensen die hun ziel verkopen, in het bankwezen.
Blijkt in het nawoord dat de auteur zelf ook graag vrouwenkleren draagt. Prachtig boek.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Nog een voordeel van geen ziel hebben, Dragman. Een moord voelt gewoon als het breken van een mooie vaas.’

[Björn Schagerström · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, warm and crazy but also dark and violent and a bit messy.