A comiXologist Recommends
Part alternate history part crime thriller, the incredibly engrossing series Metropolis from French publisher Delcourt, is now available in English for the first time. Set in 1936, it takes place in a seemingly utopian European capital city of Interland, a country created following a Franco-German peace agreement. Although Metropolis appears to be a bustling center of scientific and artistic advancement, as is so often the case with a shiny exterior, darkness and malice lie beneath.
The debut issue introduces us to the young Inspector Gabriel Faun, the sort of adopted son of the city, as he sits outside a café writing in his journal. Recently he has noticed strange phenomena occurring around him: objects appearing out of nowhere, statues and façades of buildings changing. It’s unclear whether these transformations are reality or some kind of hallucination, tied to a psychological trauma. As the issue continues, writer Serge Lehman gives us tantalizing clues to Faun’s past and its relation to the future of Metropolis. Murder, espionage, and Freudian theory are all at play!
Artist Stéphane De Caneva’s realist style is extremely satisfying and compliments perfectly the noir crime plot line. Making use of muted tones and shadows, he creates really interesting urban landscapes and captures skillfully everyday life in Metropolis.
I really love the cinematic, hard-boiled atmosphere of Metropolis. It’s a smart, action-packed series that draws on history and psychology without being hampered down by it. I recommend checking it out along with two other newly translated series from Delcourt: Alice Matheson and Promethee.
Karrie Larsson is an International Production Coordinator at comiXology living in Brooklyn. She is not afreud of anything (wocka wocka wocka).
