Customer Reviews

Avigon: Gods And Demons

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Five years ago, I picked up a graphic novel titled _Avigon_ at my local bookstore, simply because the cover intrigued me. What was behind that cover turned out to be one of my favorite stories ever, about a robot girl who runs away from her master to the outside world, and the painful lesson she learns there. I thought the story was near-perfect, though the book had some spelling issues and one page printed out of order.

Now the author and illustrator, Che Gilson and Jimmie Robinson, respectively, have given us the complete story of Avigon. The original novella is included, so you don't need to go find it to be up to date.

The story is pretty much the same, but expanded. Avigon, a beautiful clockwork, runs away. The outside world treats her cruelly, though she also discovers much beauty and falls in love. I'm not sure if I understand the end completely, but it is an ending, not a cliffhanger. When all is said and done, while I like having the complete story, I feel that the first version had a more dream-like quality, and a lovely, sad ending.

Che Gilson's writing style is perfect for this story. And the art is lovely, all in black and white and greyscale, with simple, dramatic lines. It is a bit like manga, a bit like Tim Burton. I only wish that the book had been printed on glossy paper, like its predecessor. I find the matte paper looks less professional, but that's just my opinion.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fairy tales, manga, and science fiction with a heart.

Possibly, you might remember a one-shot prestige format one-shot comic from a while ago titled Avigon. It was a strange but wonderful sci-fi gothic fairytale. Now, its back in an all new extended graphic novel called Avigon: Gods & Demons.

Taking place in an alternate reality, mechanical creatures known as Clockworks are used for human amusement. One of the best makers of these is Pulsifer. One of her latest creations is the humanoid one Avigon. Although she sometimes makes creations which appear to be crossovers with animals like a sphinx, Pulsifer usually adds a hint of emotions and sometimes free will to her clockworks. She usually creates for the elite rich, and even her country's young empress.

Avigon though longs to be free on her own. She runs away from Pulsifer's castle, and heads for a nearby town. She meets a young student there who mistakes her for a human. But when Avigon asks him what he thinks of clockworks being truly alive, she becomes
disappointed, and runs away again. She ends up in a small town at the end of the tracks where a novice mechanic finds her and totally wound down. He forges a new key for her and revives her. This leads to an altercation between the two when he tries to force himself on her, and inadvertantly activates her self-defense program.

Avigon then runs back home, only to find that she's been sold by Pulsifer to the Empress herself. After a while though, Pulsifer's new creation Daemon challenges her to the right to be the Empress' personal clockwork. After loosing, Avigon is then given back to Pulsifer. Once back in her castle, Avigon then realizes she was truly happy to be there to begin with.

This comic is what Chobits would be like if it we done by Tim Burton. A fine moody piece that is an instant classic taking you to a new world of what it means to be human, and how someone can see themselves as being truly alive.

Beautiful, dreamy and dark tale about a clockwork girl (without the typical steampunk trappings) who wants more than being at the beck and call of her cold, ambitious maker.

Avigon is Pulsifer's greatest creation, a clockwork that can pass as human, who looks like she's built for pleasure, but is capable of much more. Pulsifer has others at the court of the Empress seeking status and power and wanting to take her position as Master Clockworker. She uses Avigon and her other creations to keep her office. But Avigon doesn't care about all that. She has the feelings of a real person and wants more out of life. So, Avigon runs away from the capital city to learn more about herself and life in general, even though she has been warned that a clockwork can never be considered a real person.

The artwork is strong and stark, with touches of manga-style, but overall, unique and well-suited to telling this story. The writing is spare, but also just right. It perfectly conveys Avigon's sweet longing as well as the harsher realities of her world.

I haven't enjoyed a graphic novel as much as this in a long time. I would highly recommend this beautiful story and art.