Virgil

The cover of Virgil

I decided to start 2017 by writing about one of the best graphic novels of 2015. (Hey, I’ve never claimed to be timely.) As we face an uncertain future, it is good to remember how difficult it is to be LGBT in other countries, how art can elevate society, and of the necessity of having love in our lives. This may seem like a portentous and pretentious way to begin writing about a “queersploitation” graphic novel that many would wrongfully dismiss as a genre exercise, but this is why it should be taken seriously. I have no doubt Virgil will be discussed for years to come.

Virgil began as a Kickstarter-funded work in 2013 before being collected by Image in 2015. The plot is simple in its drive and description: cop thought dead takes revenge on those who wronged him and kidnapped the one he loves. What stands out is that the cop is thought dead because of a police-sanctioned gay bashing and the one he loves is his boyfriend. The novelty would be enough to make Virgil noteworthy, perhaps infamous if handled poorly, but the transcendent execution elevates it to a work of art. It may surprise many to read that Jamaica is one of the worst places in the world to be gay, yet it has been that way for a very long time. This was one of the reasons Steve Orlando decided to set Virgil in Kingston. It also dramatically raises the stakes for the main character, who has far fewer resources than if he lived in a more progressive location.

With a name that evokes both Dante and In the Heat of the Night, Virgil miraculously works his way through a personal and physical hell on both sides of the law to find the man he loves. The storytelling is economical and affecting. As David F. Walker writes in his introduction, “the best revenge fantasies are driven by raw humanity…we have to feel for the person who has been wronged.” We are invested in the character, but also in his transformation into a confident gay man. Mr. Orlando has said that it was important for Virgil to be a bottom, and that is a key element of his own self-actualization that strengthens him when he is at his most vulnerable.

The artwork by J.D. Faith is full of bold lines and well-choreographed action. The character designs are distinct, and help establish who the antagonists are in relation to Virgil and the story itself. The colors by Chris Beckett are evocative and gripping. We feel all the damage inflicted on everyone, and sense the relief and intimacy of friendlier environments. Every element of this book works toward an amazing whole.

Virgil is available for purchase at Amazon and the publisher’s website. It should be available at your local comic shop, and I highly recommend it.

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