A review by morebedsidebooks
Djinn, Vol. 1, by Jean Dufaux

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

5.0

I’ll never forget the first time during a comics exhibition I saw an absolutely captivating illustration by Spanish artist Ana Miralles of a tattooed woman I would find out was a character named Jade. From the French comic series Djinn with writer Jean Dufaux, beginning at the turn of the millennium Djinn would run through three arcs for 15 years, eventually also translated to English by Noel Hynd. Set in two timelines winding like great rivers towards the ocean, travelling across Turkey, Africa and India the series is thrilling, mysterious, sensuous and violent. As Englishwoman Kim Nelson seeks to uncover the past of her grandmother Jade an amoral enigmatic figure, Sultan’s favorite in the last years of the Ottoman Empire spoken of as a djinn who also seems the key to an immense treasure. Fashioning itself into the vast and rich lore surrounding the djinn (including queer sexuality) and with awareness toward orientalism, colonisation and sexual politics Dufaux and Miralles have created a breathtaking and truly iconic comic to be savoured. The attentive, lush art of Miralles is such that can draw one in and is best experienced in print. A palpable texture to panels and even simple objects included in scenes similar to still life paintings found in museums. Though one can pour over the details digitally. Alas the English language publisher Insight Comics only released roughly a third of the series (into the African Cycle ending with The Black Pearl) in print the rest available digital only by Europe Comics and in three newer cycle collections with extras. Part of why, even though the original is something I can read, because I like consulting translated editions when available it has taken me so long to get to the end of the English edition to review it. But if you can, experience Djinn for yourself. 

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