The Knights of Heliopolis

Alchemical wonder and arcane magic invigorate this dramatically illustrated synthesis of history and mysticism. Presented as a secret history of the world, the tale’s chronology spans the Age of Versailles to Blitz-era London and is told through the eyes of Asiamar—the hermaphrodite Dauphin and true Louis XVII of France. Aided by the Knights of Heliopolis—a legion of extraordinary alchemists from across history that includes Lao Tzu, Imhotep, St. John, Nostradamus, and a talking gorilla—Asiamar battles enemies and becomes a master warrior and strategist. The plot’s shot through with provocative spins on historical figures—an immortal Napoleon, a female Jack the Ripper. The Knights scheme behind the scenes of history to keep sacred knowledge out of the hands of despots like Napoleon, and Asiamar wages an unending battle, which will be won not by violence but through love—and the conversion of so-called villains to the Knights’ cause. Asiamar utilizes both male and female identities, traversing a timely subtext around gender identity. The art of Jérémy (the Barracuda series) is classic and wildly expressive realistic cartooning; every panel zooms in on exaggerated character expressions or swashbuckling high adventure in the Dumas tradition. This transcendent if bloody tale of duplicity and redemption takes adventure comics fans on an appealing and entertaining voyage. [em](Apr.) [/em]