Review by C.J. Bunce
Remember when Hayao Miyazaki said he was done with making anime? Then a few years later he’s made an Oscar winning film, The Boy and the Heron? We’d thought we’d heard the last musical score from John Williams, too, then there was another Star Wars and another Indiana Jones. A fitting analogue can be found with legendary artist Alex Niño. Williams is in his nineties and Miyazaki and Niño are in their eighties and they are all three GOATs–the greatest of all time–in their fields. Thanks to fellow Filipino creator, moviemaker, and writer Jay Ignacio, Alex Niño returned for one final graphic novel project. Alandal is an impossible graphic novel because it seems inconceivable that something this exquisite could be created so late in anyone’s career. But isn’t it perfect when someone saves their best for last?
I came to Niño’s work late, in what would be one of my favorite series ever–his God the Dyslexic Dog, with writer Brian Phillipson. Niño combined elements of Hieronymus Bosch, Jack Kirby, Moebius and others to develop a singularly identifiable style. His imagination and skill is second to none–with the possible exception of Bill Sienkiewicz–and he frequently fills every inch of every page–telling stories in every corner to amplify the narrative, a master of light and shadow. And he does that in nearly one hundred incredible pages of Alandal, a black and white journey that feels every bit like a historical tale, thanks to the authority in Jay Ignacio’s storytelling. Make no mistake, this is historical fiction–the factions and setting are real, but the story is the kind of epic you’d find in A Thousand and One Nights. Combine that with the final artistic novel from the Mozart of comics and you have something special ahead of you.
Alandal is the story of Sevillano Rodriguez, an outcast in a pirate setting who seizes his baby daughter Sabina and is pursued for a decade. Rodriquez is a master of sword and fighting, but even the best can let their guard down. Several children are spirited away, including a girl who looks very much like her mother. Sabina is lost and he is rumored to have been jailed and lost as well.
Middle Eastern and European colonialism, and specifically Spanish rule in the 18th century presents the conflict that is the backdrop here, and Rodriguez is both a traitor and a hero of Manila. But who is the mysterious Alandal? For me he arises as a combination of Zorro and the Scarlet Pimpernel. A national hero? Yes, like a Captain America for Philippines history.
The writer describes in the Afterword both how he met Niño at San Diego Comic-Con 2013 and how his story idea was forged in his love for Filipino martial arts styles. Infusing the martial arts into an adventurous origin fantasy resulted in a resounding success.
The Afterword also provides a peek at Niño’s style, avoiding the box panels of typical comics, stretching his work into one long endless piece of artwork–his is the equivalent of filming a movie all in one continuous take. You can get lost in a page of the artist’s work–this is not something to be wasted on quick readers.
The book rightfully has been recognized with awards internationally. Niño would finally be awarded a long overdue Eisner Hall of Fame Award in 2022. He currently lives in California where he has resided most of his career. Keep an eye out for good things ahead from Jay Ignacio, too, who lives in the Philippines. I discussed the book with him, and he says he intends to produce a collector’s edition in the Filipino language Tagalog. He also is planning the second volume, as referenced in the Afterword–Niño has said the first volume would be his last book. This isn’t Ignacio and Niño’s first project together–Niño illustrated a short story by Ignacio called “The Merchant of Oltrarno.”
Pirates, a strong female heroine, historical action. It’s a triumph for both writer an artist. Get your own copy of the English translation of Alandal now at the online bookstore for publisher Komiket at komiket.com as well as hottropiks.com.
