GRAPHIC NOVELS

Showman Killer

by Alejandro Jodorowsky
Nicolas Fructus (illus.). Vol. 1: Heartless Hero. Titan. Dec. 2015. 232p. tr. from French by Ivanka Hahnenberger. ISBN 9781782761396. $15.99. SF
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If a story about a mad scientist named Dr. Courcolian collecting the genetic material of a condemned prisoner in order to breed an unstoppable, emotionless killing machine with the ability to change shape when he screams the word "show," who then betrays his creator and goes on to become one of the most feared forces in the universe, eventually getting pulled into the complicated political machinations of an evil empire, appeals to you, then this is the title for you. Author/filmmaker Jodorowsky (The Incal) more than lives up to his reputation for far-out sex, violence, and psychedelic sf, and while illustrator Fructus doesn't quite nail smaller moments of drama, he more than makes up for that with his knack for epic carnage and bombastic battles.
VERDICT Fans of Jodorowsky's cult films (e.g., El Topo) and other comic work will be thrilled to see a new title from him; enthusiasts of sf and European translations will be delighted by this fantastical story, which isn't like much else out there.
Reviewed by Thomas L. Batten, Grafton, VA , Dec 18, 2015
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