Broken Frontier

When you first start looking at comics, with the intent to buy or collect, probably the biggest question is: where do I begin? This is a thorny problem as well, not easily overcome; on the one hand you have series with incredible runs and complex back-stories. On the other you have the shorter series that come in runs of four or six, but can be gone in a flash. Sometimes starting with that kind of baggage can be daunting and sometimes knowing nothing could be a real boon.

When it comes to the European market, things become increasingly complex as there is one element that constantly crops up which simply isn’t there in the American market, the language barrier. European comics come in many forms and shapes and in a plethora of dialects, from French, to Dutch, to German and more. Fortunately for us non-European language speaking folk, there are companies out there who provide us with a gateway to the wealth of reading that is out there to be delved into.

One such company I recently made some purchases from was NBM Publishing. From its humble beginnings as Flying Buttress Publications in 1979, founded by the publisher Terry Nantier whilst he was still studying at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications, NBM has grown into one of the more respected publishers of graphic novels, even garnering critical acclaim. NBM Publishing is amongst some of the first companies to offer quality graphic novels to an American audience, starting out offering books from such European artists as Bilal. Whilst the company didn’t really get off the ground in a big way till the mid eighties, since then it has been going from strength to strength with its diverse catalogue of top-notch books from a wide range of artists, both from North America and Europe.

What did impress me when I picked up my order was the great deal I got on my books. I selected four titles from their graphic novel range (as they also do a selection of magazines) and received FOUR additional books completely free, doubling my original order! Of course, for those who are just interested in the magazines or items that are in the sale, there will be disappointment but for those who are nibbling up the graphic novels, that is a pretty good investment

Of course, since these books were chosen at random by NBM, you could have been getting something completely out of touch with your personal tastes. I was utterly delighted to get some truly fascinating titles. Some of which I enjoyed more than my starting line-up. What a line-up I got as well, titles that were just staggering in their vision and scope, such as Schuiten and Peeters' Cities of the Fantastic: The Invisible Frontier. A part of the Cities of the Fantastic series, this is a string of graphic novels exploring strange cities in unusual or parallel universes. The Invisible Frontier is the first book I have picked up from the range and this taster has intrigued me enough to want to pick up the rest. The story is as languid as the life style of the characters of the plot. Young cartographer Roland is plucked from university even before completing his degree to work at the Centre for Cartography of Sodrovno-Voldachia. This secluded and isolated national research part of the Sodrovno-Voldachia Empire is rarely visited by anyone; even new employees are few and far between. With little competition and a flair for his job, Roland rapidly rises through the ranks but within this slow existence there is a blot on the landscape. A visit by Marshal Radisic, supreme leader of the country who is set on a grand expansion plan of Sodrovno, by any means possible.

What intrigued me about this book artistically was the fact that the artist isn’t an artist in the conventional sense, but an architect. As a result the backgrounds almost eclipse the characters but as a reader you are never upset about this interesting approach. With muted tones of soft amber, browns and light greys, you can almost feel the decay of the civilisation around the cartography centre. There is no greenery, it is a desert of rock formations and sand and wind. The cartography building is a sweeping dome that reaches for the sky in its immensity, with interiors so realistic you could quite easily step into the page and into the world that is so solid and three-dimensional it is breathtaking in its scope. Yet even amongst these sweeping vistas, the characters are strong and likeable, from Roland’s mentor at the institution, to his love interest Shkodra; there is an empathic quality to the characters and a level of human realism that engages you on so many layers. 

The writing is just as complex and involving, leaving the reader puzzled and intrigued. Intelligent and recondite, what on the face of it is not overly complicated swiftly develops into a plotline with intricacies that the reader is as yet unaware of. Luring the mind deeper into the world that has been created, leaving an air of mystery and the desire to unravel said enigmas in this crumbling, and decadent world. I say decadent, as no society of simple and humble origins would construct an edifice as magnificent yet unused as the Cartography Centre, a building where a life-sized model of Sodrovno is being constructed in graphic and intricate detail. I would agree that the argument hovering over my conclusions, that there are many great buildings in our own world, of which there seems no true point or meaning attached, is pertinent. However the biggest difference is we do not know of what significance these ancient monuments hold, history erasing the truth, where as this building has been marginalised and dismissed from modern thinking. The sudden exposure to the limelight from the intrusion of Marshal Radisic is a departure from the normal existence of the researchers.

Whilst you may be thinking that 4 free books seems too good an offer to be true and that the titles you are given are sub-par (or ‘lesser’ in some manner), think again. One of the more arresting titles that I received in the free pile was Rork: Passages the second issue of the title. Originally seen in Dark Horse’s Cheval Noir, this perplexing title was up on my list as a fascinating read. Even though I was missing the first part of the story told in Rork: Fragments, this tale was still extremely accessible and captivating. Detailing Rork’s extraordinary past, this issue lays the foundation of who Rork is and goes some way to explain some of the mysterious events that have occurred whenever he was around. Raffington Stevens is a private eye employed by a mysterious figure to investigate Rork for the sum of £500 a week, who is educated by Rork as to whom exactly Rork is. A singular science fiction story about the ability to traverse both time and space and a mysterious alien influence known only as The Stain, it is a first-rate translation from its native French.

Again, what strikes you about the comic and the story is the attention to detail. With meticulous attention to the background as well as the characters, an environment is created in which there is never a moment of unease or disquiet as the reader is taken on a fantastical journey through the imagination and pen of the creator Andreas.

One of the strangest labels that NBM Publishing has gathered is that of ‘alternative’ publisher. This is intriguing as they publish just about every genre bar one, Superheroes. I guess it is a little sad that a general interest publisher cannot be considered on its own merits rather than on whether it publishes superhero books. There are lots of high calibre titles available from NBM, of which I have run out of room on which to wax lyrical, such as the superbly bizarre Mister O, or the historical exploration of Uther Pendragon, entitled Uther the Half Dead King. It is reassuring to see great titles available from the European market translated and attainable in the US and that great story telling is not purely the domain of the superhero genre.

- Immelda Alty