Persia Blues, Volume 1: Leaving Home

by Dara Naraghi, Brent Bowman (Illustrator)

Overview

Minoo Shirazi is a rebellious young Iranian woman struggling to define herself amid the strict social conventions of an oppressive regime and the wishes of an overbearing father. She is also a free-spirited adventurer in a fantasy world, a place where aspects of modern America and ancient Persia meld into a unique landscape. Blending Eastern and Western civilization with elements of ancient Persian mythology, Persia Blues explores the intersections of guilt and freedom, family and self, ancient myths and modern enigmas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561637065
Publisher:	N B M Publishing Company
Publication date:	07/01/2013
Series:	Persia Blues , #1
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Dara Naraghi is the author of the graphic novels Lifelike, Terminator: Salvation, and Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland. He is a founding member of the comic book writers/artists collective known as PANEL, with whom he has produced 20 volumes of their comics’ anthology. Brent Bowman is an illustrator whose work has appeared in publications by Image Comics and Caliber Press, as well as the collectible card game Age of Empires. They both live in Columbus, Ohio.

Editorial Reviews

Glamorous Persian legend is jammed against niggling Iranian reality in this volume—the first in a trilogy that was financed by Kickstarter. In a mythical world that contains odd echoes of Columbus, Ohio, female warrior/thief Minoo is skeptical of myths, until supernatural entities send her on a quest. Meanwhile, in contemporary Iran, Minoo Shirazi is a young student of architecture who rages at her sad, conformist father and dreams of escaping to pursue graduate studies at Ohio State University, since her homeland's brutal theocratic dictatorship seems to offer no hope for self-expression. Naraghi's script efficiently sets youthful energy against older people's acceptance of the status quo. Bowman's black-and-white art alternates between straight pen-and-ink line work for scenes with the real-world Minoo and washed, brushed panels depicting the lush, romantic realm of imagination. For the young creators, as for Minoo herself, this is a promising beginning. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"There are so many different visual styles here, and Naraghi is such a versatile storyteller, that they barely seem to be part of the same series, but there's something that links them together, a great storyteller's sensibility."  —Cory Doctorow, Nebula & Locus Award–winning novelist, Boinboing.net


"Naraghi's got a nice feel for detective stories and a good ear for unforced dialogue."  —Steven Grant, writer/columnist, ComicBookResources.com

"Both storylines are engaging and well-executed. It’s good — it’s very good."  —J. Caleb Mozocco, Comic Book Resources


"A huge treat. It’s difficult to select in which storyline Bowman’s artistry is better. In the fantasy story, his lush pencils are dark, swirled, majestic, full of portent. In short, they’re simply wonderful. But then again, how he captures Iran’s city of Shiraz, as well as simple scenes of a family at home or people interacting, is impressively subtle and evocative. This is the first book in a planned trilogy, and both storylines reach satisfactory cliffhangers that leave us eager for another volume."  —John Hogan, Graphic Novel Reporter


"A story with settings rare for an American adventure story. And that setting alone is enough for me to recommend this book." —Andrew Smith, Scripps Howard Papers


"A unique kind of adventure." —Kat Kan, VOYA

From the Publisher