A few days ago, we blogged on a new comic book called The Flying Friar. Here’s a review, written by Vatican Watcher Jacob, who didn’t think comic book reviews quite fit on his own blog!

The Flying Friar by Rich Johnston and Thomas Nachlik is a graphic novella loosely based on the life of Saint Joseph of Copertino.  The novella’s primary concern is with Joseph’s relationship with Lux Luther and his father, both descendants of Martin Luther; however, both are avowed atheists who look to science rather than the Catholic faith for answers.

Lux and Joseph meet as boys and Lux’s father takes an interest in Joseph after his strange powers of vision are revealed.  The Luthers, despite their disbelief, take Joseph under their wing and help him enter the Church as a Franciscan friar.  In the meantime, Lux has taken upon himself to build a device so that he can fly.  His first attempts lead to broken legs that leave him forever crippled.  Joseph has manifested powers of healing, but his attempts to help his friend fail.  Joseph blame’s Lux’s disbelief, but this only leaves Lux more disillusioned.  Then, in a parade of friars, Joseph levitates and Lux’s hostility toward the friend who can now do what he cannot blooms into hate.

The novella is an interesting crossing of hagiography and superhero storytelling.  The relationship of the two friends is full of contrasts, including atheist/devout believer, Protestant/Catholic and rich kid/poor kid.  While Joseph readily professes that his powers are God-given, Lux makes references to Galileo and the motion of the planets around the Sun.  Lux’s drawings and flying machines call to mind Da Vinci.  The entire story is told in black and white, which both helps and hinders the storytellers, as the richness of color of the Renaissance is unavailable to the artist.

The principal problem with The Flying Friar is that it is told in one issue.  In order to fit its allotted space, the plot moves right along, racing to a climax and conclusion that is both expected but not fulfilling.  One would think that a saint’s triumph would be well… a triumph.  The tale of Joseph and Lux would be far more at home in a three-part story arc where characters and situations can be developed.

All in all, The Flying Friar is an interesting take on the story of a saint and its creators have chosen to mine a source of lore that is largely forgotten in the early twenty-first century.  It just needs some more space to grow and develop to its full potential.