Virgil

Virgil, a graphic novel about an outed gay Jamaican cop, is a mediocre graphic novel in terms of art, narrative structure, and dialogue, but it is still worth reading because of the unusual issues raised by using the conventional narrative of a violent, hyper-masculine revenge thriller as a very simplistic bare-bones plot with one MAJOR exception: The main character is a gay man.I am led to an ethical conflict. On the one hand, this type of narrative bothers me because of how effective it is: This type of revenge fantasy invites us to cheer through one murder after another. I felt like I was watching an action movie and could not flip pages fast enough.On the other hand, my ethical concerns for the LGBT community find some satisfaction in seeing a gay male character placed in such a narrative, striking back at such a homophobic world.There is no simple resolution for me here because matters are complicated further because this book goes beyond the typical revenge fantasy of mainstream Hollywood and enters the realm of an irony that is very difficult to simply accept or dismiss: It is labeled by the creators and/or publishers as "queersploitation" to adapt the role blacksploitation films have played in U.S. culture. But a Tarintino parody/homage to this type of film does not communicate the same message as the original movies, and I think Virgil is supposed to function more on the level of a Tarintino movie (though not nearly as good).Overall, it is worth reading because of what it does, even if it lacks in artistic quality. But how much nuance do I really need to get the creators' point? And, as the best art should do, it gets us to think.Comic Book Comparison:There is one panel in which the main character says that being tough comes easy to him because he has had to be tough every day of his life. It reminded me of the comic The House of Mystery, in which a minor character struggles with homophobic abuse and loneliness. Eventually he battles a great warrior. In the end, he surprises his defeated foe who thought he was weak. This gay character makes the exact same point as Virgil does about his strength coming from his daily struggles. However, The House of Mystery is a 4.5/5 star work of art. In fact, some of the best issues earn an obvious 5-stars. The scene I am describing has much more emotional impact. It is also more emotionally realistic EVEN though the gay character I have been describing is a goblin. Some of the best writers can make fantasy feel more realistic and plausible than a narrative that takes place in our world.

Virgil is a Jamaican cop living in a country where gays are targeted and killed he and his boyfriend Erwan are deeply closeted for obvious reasons. That changes when police invade his home and kill his friends and kidnapping his boyfriend. At this point the story takes a dark turn as Virgil kills nearly everyone involved in an effort to free his lover.I thought Virgil and Erwans relationship was realistic and well portrayed. They were good together and seemed well suited. I thought the violence could've been toned down some and still be an effective narrative. The ending was a relief but tinged with sadness as I wasn't sure how Virgil and erwan would overcome Virgils vengeance spree to live together once more.

I purchased this with my grandson in mind but enjoyed reading it for myself. I liked the artist's style and the colorist's work particularly. Aside from that it is a revenge tale plain and simple but also a redemption story somewhat. One last item I wanted to mention is that is also a story about gay culture which I think is important to promote and one of the reasons I'll share it with my grandson so as to promote his developing an open mind.

I enjoyed the use of color in the book, although the art could be a little lackluster at times. I like what Virgil is trying to do, having a revenge story centered around a gay man trying to saving his boyfriend, but something about the writing makes it seem kind of meh to me. It could be because the story just isn't my cup of tea, considering I mostly purchased this to see a gay man in an action role (also because the cover looked nice) I'm at least pleased in that regard. Overall I did enjoy Virgil for it's representation and use of color, and would recommend you read it for yourself, especially if you are a fan of Tarantino films.

Steve Orlando is one of my favorite writers, so I'll give anything he writes a chance at wowing me. I first got into his writing by reading the New52 run of Midnighter and falling absolutely in love with his characterization of Midnighter. His writing is always engaging and definitely draws you in in a way that keeps the pages turning.This book has some very definite tones to it, things that - in my opinion - probably need to be tossed out there for people to see in such a way, just be prepared for that.Not in my top 5, but good read.

Great story that turns vengeful lover tropes on their heads, in a good way. Gorgeously and stylistically rendered, with a lush, rich setting that really brings your something fresh and new in the medium. Feel kinda proud to own this, tbh. Highly recommend.

Its for you!

Great art, and I love the setting and characters, but the story is pure mindless pulp revenge tale. It could've been so much more.

The writer doesn't have an ear for dialogue but a very good story, especially considering the subject matter