Written By: Benoist Simmat
Illustrated By: Eldo Yoshimizu
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Comixology
Published By: Titan Comics, Hard Case Crime
Aiko Moriyama has been studying religious art at the Sorbonne University of Paris. This however is just a cover up for her true intentions, as in reality she is researching occultism. This will tie in to her family history and the steps needed for her initiation into her family’s religious sect. Perhaps its just by chance, but the professors and leading occult members to which she has encountered are now under attack. Mysterious as it may sound, each of them have suffered debilitating mental attacks that either kill them or leave them unconscious. The connection between each of these incidents is the use of a computer connected to the internet. Just how is Aiko and her family connected to these attacks and what exactly is the Esoteric Group?
This story takes place between France and Japan, as Aiko is studying the numerous occults through the centuries in preparations for her future role in the family sect. Although at times it was rather difficult to keep following the plot, it was still a good read. It reminded me in a way of The Da Vinci Code, which was the last book I read that dealt with any religious mysteries or corruptions. Whilst reading this story, I felt like this would have made a better live action TV series than a book. Simply for the amount of action that was going on, as well as the corruption, murders and detective work being carried on by the French police. It has all the makings of a decent live action adaptation.
‘Gamma Draconis’ was visually brought to life by Eldo Yoshimizu, the creator of epic Yakuza manga ‘Ryuko’. Bringing back a style of illustration that I haven’t seen in some time, with glimpses of similarities from mangas that came out from the early 2000’s including Nana. The story for Gamma Draconis was created by Benoist Simmat, a French author, journalist and wine critic.
For many, they may not enjoy this series as it is a tad niche. But for others, this will be a joy to own and pick from their book shelves for many years to come. It has intrigue, corruption, mystery, black magic and a search for eternal life. Throw in some unexpected plot twists and some interesting religious history, and you have a solid book right there. However it does have its downfalls, and that lies in the storytelling. Confusion sets in as the pace of the story becomes muddled, due to it being very dialogue heavy. The artwork tends to outshine the story on many occasions and I found it to be a story that even if you sat down and read it all in one sitting – it can be just as overwhelming, even if you managed to space it out.
This is definitely a series that is best suited towards fans of Dan Brown.
Overall: 7/10
