One of comic book Kickstarter campaign to keep an eye for in early 2021 is The Hostage, by Sal Abbinanti. A passion project for the writer-artist, the original graphic novel blends real-world facts and figures about the favelas of Brazil with supernatural sensibilities. There is no book like The Hostage on the stands as it pushes the conventional boundaries and storytelling expectations for the medium. And with a searing vision of the South American country, the graphic novel explores what the true spirit of Brazil really is in a hauntingly stunning tale.

The Hostage explores the favelas and poverty-stricken neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro, with children facing neglect from society as they struggle to survive every day in the face of devastating gang violence that results in scores of deaths on a tragically regular basis. Beset by lethal adversity from all sides, the children summon an avenging spirit known as the Hostage to protect them from harm and wreak vengeance on those that would prey on them and their friends without justice or impunity. And as this spirit rises from the heart of the favelas, the darker side of Brazilian history is explored, with Sal Abbinanti backing up his story with cited facts and figures to add more real-world gravitas to his narrative.

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While Abbinanti has certainly worked in comics before, The Hostage marks his first, full-length original graphic novel. Inspired by a stay in Brazil he made years ago, it's clear that the less privileged elements of the country left a mark on him, as he establishes how dire this persecuted part of the population is before adding more heightened elements to the story. And Abbinanti unveils his narrative partially like an exploration of the actual real-world issues facing Brazil's young and destitute and partially like a surreal, dream-like horror story as the eponymous presence makes itself known with unrelenting aplomb.

Abbinanti's art style with this graphic novel is The Hostage's most striking feature, with every page and panel looking like a full-on painted mural. Even the more grounded evils present in the story are rendered as garish, grotesque monsters while the visuals come off as a cross between raw street art and psychedelic, swirling comic book storytelling. Abbinanti's innovative paneling and refusal to be constrained by conventional genre boundaries help underscore how personal and close this story cuts to the bone; this has the feeling of danger and DIY energy of a pre-Image indie comic in the best possible way. This artistic approach isn't for everyone, to be sure, but for the style of comic book storytelling and presentation it provides, Abbinanti's graphic novel delivers in full, reminding readers what comics are capable of on a visceral level.

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Deeply personal and informative as it is darkly entertaining and psychedelically surreal, Abbinanti's The Hostage is a breathtakingly original graphic novel. Searing in its portrayal of Brazil's most vulnerable communities and wholly cathartic in the narrative that Abbinanti is weaving, The Hostage showcases the wider possibilities of the medium in full. Abbinanti's scripting and artwork will stay with readers long after the final page, with the comic book creator including an art gallery following the narrative's conclusion to close out the graphic novel on a final, haunting note. Challenging readers as it invites them deeper into its harsh world, The Hostage won't be everyone's cup of tea, but for those looking for a gripping, medium-bucking read, it cannot be missed.

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