Broken Frontier

These days, I’ve been getting my comic book kicks from the small press/creator-owned arena – the independents, so to speak. Whatever label you want to apply to them, these original, often singular properties evoke the unique potential of the medium, pushing the boundaries of theme, plot, and character in directions major publishers shy away from. It’s refreshing then, in this age of spectacle over substance, when a publisher such as Arcana offers up a book like Nikola Jajic’s Devil’s Island.

A historical thriller set on the notorious French penal colony, during the reign of Napoleon III, Devil’s Island is not only unique for its period setting and exotic locale but also for its decidedly metaphysical underpinnings. While Jajic definitely keeps the plot moving with loads of action, danger, and political intrigue, there’s a certain introspective tone to the book, evident in frequent, introverted pauses in both action and dialogue.

Chronicling the fates of a small crew of “hunters,” who help ensure the island’s already impregnable security by bringing in escaped fellow prisoners, Devil’s Island ably balances both action and exposition. Jajic’s protagonists ruminate on their fates and sordid pasts, even as they fight for survival against insurmountable odds. The writer easily flashes back and forth between the past and present, intercutting relevant moments in his characters’ lives with fast-paced chase sequences and protracted fight scenes in the present.  

Period and setting are intrinsic to Devil’s Island’s success, as Jajic is well aware. Although set during a tumultuous era in French history, he never lets his plot become overwhelmed by his setting, instead allowing his characters to determine the course of their stories. This too, is of utmost importance as much of the book’s introspection revolves around the profound impact freedom of choice and our past decisions have on the present and eventually our future.  

Jajic’s collaborator Josef Kage valiantly attempts to meet the dual challenges of action and introspection in the story but falls a little short achieving the latter. Although his storytelling is clear, concise, and in the case of the action sequences in particular, dynamic in places, the quieter moments scattered throughout the plot seem a little beyond him. His facial expressions, so important in scenes without dialogue or overt physical movement, feel static, lacking a certain liveliness or glint in the eye. At the end of the day, Kage’s art is missing that timeless feel essential to a successful period piece and instead appears typical of modern comics aesthetics. His style wouldn’t be out of place in any 21st century superhero blockbuster, a problem when the story is set a century or so prior.

This is a relatively minor gripe, though. Overall, Devil’s Island is an engrossing, thoughtful read full of danger, intrigue, and thematic twists and turns. If the art is lacking some of the maturity of Jajic’s script, it’s not distracting enough to warrant a pass on this beautifully written graphic novel.

Devil's Island hits shelves this winter but if you can't wait to get your hands on a copy, Nikola Jajic will be signing advanced copies at this year’s SDCC at the Arcana booth.