Clandestino, Volume 1

author: Amancay Nahuelpan
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/02/18
date added: 2018/02/18
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Clandestino Complete Collection' by Amancay Nahuelpan tells the story of a fictional country run by a dictator, and the one man that might be able to change things.

The South American country of Tairona has been overrun by a cruel dictator willing to torture and kill to maintain his version of order. When the coup happened in 1973, a young boy escaped with his life. He changed his name to Clandestino and taught himself the kind of violence he needed to survive. When we meet him, he is taking on thugs robbing a convenience store. Throughout the story, we get his life in flashbacks: the girl he grew up with, the boy who he left behind and now holds a grudge. It all builds to a final chance to overthrow the dictator, but Clandestino is feared dead. Can the people rise to overcome this hated leader?

I felt like the story lost something in translation. There were things I really liked, like the art. The problem is that the story goes from hyper-grotesque violence on the part of the protagonists, to a condemnation of violence on behalf of the villains. I felt like this diluted the message a bit, but perhaps extreme violence can only be fought with extreme violence. Also, this book feels like it's taking place in the 1980s, even though it takes the story up to 2016. There is a deus ex machina in the final chapter that is straight out of science fiction, that I found completely unbelievable. It's there to make the final fight more bombastic, but it adds an unrealistic element to a story that wasn't told that way up to this point. High marks for art, but the story had things that bothered me.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Black Mask Studios, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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