Secrets of Jarrow
By Bill Slavin
Art by Bill Slavin
Published 2023, Renegade Arts Entertainment
While it may be an intangible observation, Secrets of Jarrow is exactly what I want in a graphic novel.
To start, as an artist, Bill Slavin’s work here hearkens back to an earlier era of comic book art. It is perhaps less detailed by current standards, but it strongly evokes a time more than half a century ago when I first fell in love with the medium. Digging through comic book racks at the local drugstore, convenience store, or small-town bookshop was always a highlight of any trip into town, and the artwork here captures that same feeling.
As a writer, Slavin earns even more praise from this reader.
In Secrets of Jarrow, Slavin delivers what is essentially a dual-layered storyline.
In part, and an important part, this is a post-apocalyptic tale. There are hints at the causes of the collapse, including a flawed leader, climate change, and even an internet-based catastrophe. These elements feel especially relevant in today’s world.
Slavin also incorporates thoughtful warnings about current concerns, such as corporations developing crops with so-called “terminator genes” to prevent natural reproduction.
At the same time, Slavin draws on familiar elements of the genre. Survivors have formed tribal societies, with some striving to preserve technology while others seek to destroy it. There are even cannibalistic groups. While these ideas are well-worn, they still feel believable, and perhaps even inevitable, in a true collapse scenario.
Reading Secrets of Jarrow shortly after finishing Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel gave Slavin’s work the feeling of a kind of unofficial sequel, even though it is not.
Layered on top of all this, Slavin weaves a murder mystery throughout the story. As a fan of the genre, this was a particularly welcome addition.
What stands out most is how seamlessly Slavin blends these two elements, the mystery and the post-apocalyptic setting, into a cohesive and engaging narrative.
This is about as strong a recommendation for a graphic novel as I can give. Find it. Read it. Love it.
And perhaps best of all, this is only the first book in the Mordecai Crow trilogy, which makes the prospect of what comes next even more exciting.
About Author
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
Secrets of Jarrow
By Bill Slavin
Art by Bill Slavin
Published 2023, Renegade Arts Entertainment
While it may be an intangible observation, Secrets of Jarrow is exactly what I want in a graphic novel.
To start, as an artist, Bill Slavin’s work here hearkens back to an earlier era of comic book art. It is perhaps less detailed by current standards, but it strongly evokes a time more than half a century ago when I first fell in love with the medium. Digging through comic book racks at the local drugstore, convenience store, or small-town bookshop was always a highlight of any trip into town, and the artwork here captures that same feeling.
As a writer, Slavin earns even more praise from this reader.
In Secrets of Jarrow, Slavin delivers what is essentially a dual-layered storyline.
In part, and an important part, this is a post-apocalyptic tale. There are hints at the causes of the collapse, including a flawed leader, climate change, and even an internet-based catastrophe. These elements feel especially relevant in today’s world.
Slavin also incorporates thoughtful warnings about current concerns, such as corporations developing crops with so-called “terminator genes” to prevent natural reproduction.
At the same time, Slavin draws on familiar elements of the genre. Survivors have formed tribal societies, with some striving to preserve technology while others seek to destroy it. There are even cannibalistic groups. While these ideas are well-worn, they still feel believable, and perhaps even inevitable, in a true collapse scenario.
Reading Secrets of Jarrow shortly after finishing Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel gave Slavin’s work the feeling of a kind of unofficial sequel, even though it is not.
Layered on top of all this, Slavin weaves a murder mystery throughout the story. As a fan of the genre, this was a particularly welcome addition.
What stands out most is how seamlessly Slavin blends these two elements, the mystery and the post-apocalyptic setting, into a cohesive and engaging narrative.
This is about as strong a recommendation for a graphic novel as I can give. Find it. Read it. Love it.
And perhaps best of all, this is only the first book in the Mordecai Crow trilogy, which makes the prospect of what comes next even more exciting.
About Author
Calvin Daniels
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
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