Totalitarianism always at a price – review of the comic book “Walizka”

War stories and those of an oppressed people fighting for freedom are almost as popular as fantasy stories. But what will happen after combining it all and adding a fairy-tale graphic design? The Suitcase comic book will be created !

The head of state, building a huge wall around the city, saved the inhabitants from the deadly plague. Years passed, and his subjects lived in relative prosperity and health, paying the price of freedom. Every step was controlled, every deviation was punished. A handful of rebels called Wall Breakers are firmly convinced that on the other side of the fence there is already peace and that the barrier itself is only intended to control people. They are helped in the fight against oppression by a mysterious witch who – belonging to the privileged sphere – may leave the city. With the help of a magic suitcase, she safely smuggles both things and people. She bypasses the Warden’s minions’ checks, but her services come at a price. Quite a lot of it.

What’s going on here?

The story invented by Diana Ranville and Morgana Schmitt Giordano combines the story in the style of 1984 by George Welles with elements of esotericism. Politics mixes with magic here, and the main roles are played not so much by the heroes as the fate of mankind. The authors show that the government almost always corrupts, and most of the government elites, being convinced of their reasons and even trying to act on behalf of the people, at some point begin to exert more and more pressure and stop paying attention to protests. Suitcasepresents both sides of the conflict, although it focuses more on ordinary citizens. In a simple and quick way, it shows the mechanism of the formation of totalitarianism and makes it clear that it does not matter who rules others – the effect will always be the same. The only drawback of the comic is its shortness. The plot rushes at breakneck speed – a few pages are devoted to presenting the world, a few more to the characters, then action and the inevitable solution. It gave the story a concise form that made it a consistent, closed and thoughtful whole, but it made you want to know the deeper motivations of the actors in the drama. Without it, they give the impression of ordinary pawns on the chessboard of history.

What does totalitarianism look like?

One of the scriptwriters – Morgane Schmitt Giordano was responsible for the graphics, who, in cooperation with Gabriel Amalric and Jaf, created a very atmospheric setting for her story. The cards are dominated by blacks and understatements. The shadows contrasting with the phosphorescent colors give depth to the drawings and make the Suitcase a work that stands out from other similar stories. They are usually depicted with realistic lines, but here the artists chose emotions – the characters are presented in a slightly symbolic way, and their world looks like it was torn out of the Grimm Brothers’ Fairy Tales. fans. Adding to this the high quality of the Polish edition, we get a complete work.

What should you know about Suitcases ?

The comic, presented by the young publisher Lost in Time, is a very good middle story. The serious content is combined with the airiness of its presentation. In addition, the lack of focus on details and motivations allowed for the creation of a quick, neat and closed story. These features can please many fans. On the other hand, those who prefer a solid emotional and psychological foundation may be missing something here. The plot is a quick shortcut from a certain stage of the story, devoid of penetrating into the previous conditions. Nevertheless, the comic book is worth attention.