A horror graphic novel that will please fans of the genre and newcomers alike.
Disclaimer: This review may contain minor spoilers and descriptions of gore. Read at your own discretion.
Hello and welcome to Conductor Pat's Perspective. Today we'll be taking a look at "Abbott." I saw Abbott on display at my local library as part of a shelf display for books in and about the Midwest and decided to give it a read.
I'm not a big horror fan, due to my sheltered upbringing. Recently I've been exploring the genre more (see my last review, Ravenous Things, for more details). Abbott's cover stuck out amongst the written novels, and after reading the back, I was hooked. (Since I spent time working for my college's paper, I can't resist a good story about a reporter).
Credits
Abbot is a historical horror graphic novel written by Saladin Ahmed (add other works) and illustrated with Sami Kivelä Lettering was done by Jim Campbell, and colors by Jason Wordie. "Abbot" was published as single issues and a collected volume by Boom! Studios.
Synopsis
In 1972 Detroit, reporter Elena Abbott investigates crimes the police choose to ignore, including police brutality. Abbott quickly discovers the crimes are done by members of the occult, who killed her husband, and must fight the occult and discrimination of her workplace to find the truth.
There's a lot to like about this book, so I'll break them down and go into a bit more detail.
Characters
There's a lot of great characters in this book, though for the sake of time (and to not spoil the entire novel), I'll focus mainly on Elena Abbott
Elena Abbott (called the 'Black Lois Lane' and 'Black Brenda Starr' by characters in the book) is a strong protagonist. Early on you can tell Elena has a past that's shaped her unqiue lifestyle of strict routine. We see hints of the secrets Elena's hiding, enough to keep reader's interest and develop the mystery, without distracting from the main story. Elena has human struggles, she's experienced loss and sticks to a vigouros routine to make sense of her life, and must overcome her routine and beliefs to figure out the crimes.
The supporting characters are also enjoyable. I particularly liked Fred, her editor and an example of grizzled editor (he's most comparable to Perry White from Superman). Fred (who is white) pushes against the board who are upset over a recent police brutality story Elena wrote. He's also shown to be trying, though not always getting, Elena's lived experienced as a Black woman, though tries his best to learn and always stands behind Elena's work.
The rest of the characters build up the gritty era of Detroit, and show multiple facets of communities. For example (name), Elena's ex-husband who's trying to reform the police system by working in it, Detroit's Asian community, and the older generation of the Black community and the changing language. We also have references to the Black Panther Party (seen with their free breakfast program), and references to/representation of the LGBTQ+ community.
The creative team behind "Abbott" did their homework on 1970's Detroit, and it shows. Detroit's decline is shown in the struggle for jobs amid a changing world and white flight. All of the real world history builds up the world just enough to make Abbott's Detroit feel real, to then throw in the horror elements to surprise. The details ground the story that makes this horror story almost feel like a neo-noir novel, with supernatural horror.
Abbott's struggles while doing her job will be relatable to Black readers, and offer a window (see the American Indians in Children's Literature blog for an in depth explanation of the "Mirror and Window" analogy) for white readers such as myself. Abbott faces an intersectionality of anti-Black racism, sexism and microaggressions wherever she goes, from the white publishers of the newspaper she works for, to the female police officer she speaks to who assume's she's there to bail someone out.
Abbott pushes back against the cultural racism and sexism, and continues to pursue the truth regarding the gory crimes. Even though she receives several setbacks, by the end of the story Abbott comes up victorious and stronger, with the support of her community and friends who aid her on her journey.
Artwork
The artwork in Abbott doesn't disappoint. The coloring and and lettering are beautiful. I love the mixture of newspaper clippings of stories by Elena to add context to the scene, instead of having an exposition or narrator box.
In a visual format such as comics/graphic novels, it's important to follow the rule of "Show Don't Tell." And the newspaper clippings are a stellar example of this, or perhaps breaking it. Not only do they tell us information about the story, they show that Elena is a reporter, and we get to see examples of her writing. I'm not sure if that would be possible in another format.
Another part of the artwork worth hightlign is the paneling. "Abbott"'s team use the comic medium to display movement in a 2D space. When Elena walks through a bar to meet a source, the team uses a mixture of small panels of Elena walking, over a larger photo showing Elena lighting a cigarette.
Monsters/Horror
If the horror monster isn't scary, a horror story falls apart. That's not the case in Abbott, as they work really well. The monsters, a mixture of occult and greek inspired Frankenstein-esque creatures, are grotesque enough to make you feel afraid for the character, and not so graphic as to be indulgent and push the reader from the story. Though the real monster of the story isn't the monsters themselves, arguably, it's white supremacy and the main antagonist who uses it to bring about his inhumane plan.
Do I recommend Abbott? Yes, it's well worth the read. I'd love to to see more of the story/world the creators have made, and will be sure to see if Abbott's journey has continued in other projects. Abbott is a horror graphic novel that will please fans of the genre and newcomers alike.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post and would like to read more, please consider checking out my other reviews and posts. You can follow me on social media feeds at Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Comments