Golem tells the story of Steno Critone, a young boy living with his mother in Italy in the year 2030. It begins with the Italian President speaking about how Italy has become a utopian state by making healthcare and food affordable for everyone. Granted, it is all highly branded and there seems to be a definite monopoly within these areas: all medicine comes from one company. Meanwhile, Steno has been having nightmares and he is supposed to be taking pills to help his bad dreams and sleep more peacefully. His mother is worried about him because he does not seem to have many friends, except for a girl from his class. But when asked about her, Steno states she is nice but she is out of his league, because her father is rich and important.
At school, Steno is bullied by some of the older kids, when they find out about his medication to help with his nightmares. That is when Rosabella, his friend, steps in and insults the bullies before the school principal has a chance to intervene. During lunch, Rosabella and Steno go to the roof of the school to eat, where she confides that she is afraid that her father is in trouble of some kind.
Golem is written and drawn by Italian design icon Lorenzo Ceccotti, or as he goes by: LRNZ. LRNZ’s art is incredible. It seems to be bigger than the page it is on; it will overflow and encompass much more than the format it is. You are just going to have to take a look at the included images in order to really get the feel for it. The writing is also well done; everything flows and seems very realistic.
Golem has been released in its entirety in Italy, and is only now being translated and released in English. So if you can read Italian and want to get the whole story, you can find it online. Only the first issue is out in print, but the next three are already out digitally. I have already read them, because I could not wait to get further into the story, and I was not disappointed (well, when I got the end of the fourth one I was…only because the next issue is not out yet digitally or in print). I am highly anticipating the next issue, and excited to see where this story will go next.
Title: Golem
Issue No. 1
Publisher: Magnetic Press
Release Date: Feb 17, 2016
Rating: 15+