COMIC BOOK REVIEW: The White Lama

[JessHorsley]

Jodorowsky And Bess Bring To Life An Engaging Spiritual Exploration...

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Before there was the fan-favorite Heavy Metal Magazine, which began in 1977, there was the French publication Métal Hurlant. First published in 1974 by Les Humanoïdes Associés, the sci-fi and fantasy magazine's success inspired the publisher to continues to bring hard-hitting, gritty, and violent comics to the marketplace. Now, thanks to the publisher's American counterpart, Humanoids, fans of original sci-fi, fantasy, and hardcore comics can pick up a variety of graphic novels.

In an American comic market that's seemingly flooded with capes and crooks, foreign comics tend to focus on the darker, more violent and dirty realms of medieval, sci-fi, horror and crime...and fans in America have started to take notice. Over the last decade, the American comic market has seen more medieval, sci-fi, horror and crime than ever before. I have to believe this is in no small part due to the quality of the amazing comic writers and artists working overseas.

If you've read any of my previous reviews of Humanoids past publications - Son of the Gun, Megalex, The Technopriests, The Incal and The Metabarons - you know how much I enjoy the work of Chilean filmmaker and comic writer Alexandro Jodorowsky. Earlier this week, I posted a review of another of Humanoids' most recent Jodorowsky releases - Metabarons Genesis: Castaka. Now, from writer Alexandro Jodorowsky and illustrator Georges Bess, the same creative team who brought readers Son of the Gun, comes another amazing piece of work - The White Lama.

The official description of The White Lama could go something like this: In the late 19th century Tibet, upon the death of Grand Lama Mipam, corruption takes root and the land and people begin to suffer. However, the young orphan of a white missionary couple, Gabriel, is born and chosen as the reincarnation of the Grand Lama. Much to the disdain of other leaders, the young boy matures and grows as he endures both the world of his white birth parents and the world of his adopted people. Along the way, Gabriel is tortured, suffers hate, hunger, anger, and temptation and encounters warrior monks, spirit animals, yetis as well as undergoes a spiritual awakening that will change not only him, but the entire land and all of its people.

To some, The White Lama might read like a fictitious story filled with grandiose ideas, plot twists and somewhat intriguing characters; to others, the tome might read like an action drama, exploring the story of an orphaned boy seeking maturity in a land not his own; to still others, The White Lama might read like a religious gospel, a message of a religious teacher that readers are encouraged to learn from and put into personal practice. However you read the story, The White Lama gives an interesting if not entertaining look at Jorodowsky’s unique storytelling using both Christianity and Buddism as well as the hypocrisy, corruption, hate and anger that might arise from humanity, no matter their belief, and how these can only be overcome with hope, grace, love and faith, no matter one’s beliefs.

The story itself tells the intriguing tale of Gabriel, a young boy who finds himself orphaned after his white Christian parents, acting as missionaries in Tibet, are murdered. Never knowing his parents, the young white boy is raised to be a part of the Tibetan tribe and experiences all the ritual and traditional of boys his own age. As he grows, it’s discovered he is the reincarnation of the Great Lama and, thus, he’s ostracized, made fun of, beaten, abused and treated with disdain by those corrupt monks who would do what they can to retain as much power and control as possible.

Like all great tales of all great heroes and leaders – no matter their race, religion, era or locale, Gabriel’s story tells of what he endures, experiences, learns and ultimately teaches others about how to live a better life. Gabriel’s story provides readers with a glimpse of an enduring spirit unlike a majority of other comic heroes, those caped courageous fighters found in a majority of comics today. Instead, Gabriel isn’t so much a fighter as a spirit of tolerance, able to accept others for who they are and patiently hope, others will grow into the better person they’re spiritually called to be. Of course, this doesn’t stop Gabriel from – when necessary – using his spiritual powers to violently change those who simply won’t allow others to peacefully exist. It is often during these violent confrontations we, the reader, are reminded of how no matter how noble or wise one is, all fall short of perfection and total enlightenment.

The story as whole tells a life-long narrative which provides readers with insight into not only Gabriel’s own life, but the lives of those around him and specifically, their spiritual or religious beliefs and how the characters, Gabriel included, live out those beliefs. One could find cause to believe Jorodowsky is belittling Christianity as he make one of the early Christian missionaries not only crass and violent, but absurdly so. Likewise, throughout the book, one of the cruelest characters is a young Tibetan boy who grows up with Gabriel. As this young boy’s grandfather was one of the first Tibetans to become Christian, the young boy is called “Little Jesus.” And "Little Jesus" is not a nice boy…at all. He’s violent and mean, torturing Gabriel often. One could read into this the writer’s view of the Christian faith. However, the Buddhist monks likewise are ruled by a deceitful and destructive leader who forces them to ultimately become less than their faith calls them to be. Here too one could assume Jodorowsky finding fault with the Buddist religion. And yet, it’s neither of these and, instead, Jorodowsky's view is something most of us – in our hearts – fully understand: it’s not about any one faith or religious belief specifically, it's all in how one puts into practice the love, grace and holiness that each faith teaches that really matters.

The fact Gabriel is white is a major plot point – the book is entitled The White Lama after all. However, little in the book hinges on the fact Gabriel is white. In fact, Gabriel could have been any race – including native Tibetan – and the story would unfold all the same. One could at first assume writer Jorodowsky is making a statement about the need for a white man to be in the position of power, but quite the opposite is happening here. Because Gabriel’s race matters none-what-so-ever, we can assume the main character’s race – and ultimately, the reader’s own race as well – has little to do with being heroic and, instead, it’s what one endures, what one learns and, ultimately, what one teachers others to positively change the world that matters.

Bess, who would later collaborate with writer Jorodowsky on Son of the Gun, brings to life the writer’s words brilliantly here with a style that’s seemingly unique to many a European illustrators from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In the same vein as the famous Moebius and other Europeans, Bess beautifully uses a variety of panel sizes and shapes in order to best capture the story as it unfolds, frame-by-frame. Maybe most impressive is Bess’ use of color, which contains many a shades of yellow, red, browns as well as the use of negative space in white, highlighting specific characters and actions throughout.

Be it the human characters and the variety of unique body sizes, shapes and clothing styles he draws or the dynamic use of spirit animals and vivid line work during storms, earthquakes and spiritual fights, Bess’ lines and gorgeous and demonstrate a master’s work on every page.

While sharing similarities with Jodorowsky’s other works – and specifically The Incal and Son of the Gun (regarding the spiritual quest story), The White Lama is unlike most other comics out there. It’s unique in telling a story that’s less about the battle and more about the journey; the endurance of one boy whose quest to be a man and become who he’s destined to be is all but impossible without failing over and over again. And it’s in this story that most every reader anywhere will draw similarities to The White Lama as we too fail to live up to who we are called to be on a daily basis…and yet, should we take to heart what The White Lama has to say, we know we too can become more than what we are now should we simply continue to seek peace, hope, grace, love and an understanding that we’re one small part in a much greater and more amazing world.

If you’re a fan of Jodorowsky's other works or spiritual stories, I highly recommend The White Lama. Likewise, if you’re simply looking for something with more spirit, heart and soul and less spandex and capes, check out The White Lama – or anything from Humanoids Inc for that fact – you won’t be disappointed!

The White Lama is on sale now wherever fine comics and graphic novels are sold.

- Jess C. Horsley