Rebetiko (SelfMadeHero)
In the mid-1930s, the Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas’ censorship measures included a crackdown on rebetiko, a style of music that incorporated supposedly degenerate Turkish elements. This graphic novel by French cartoonist Prudhomme recounts a day and a night in the life of a group of rebetiko musicians as they stumble across Athens, gabbing in cafés, performing in clubs, and dodging the police. The hashish-fueled ramblings of the band members—based loosely on actual musicians—evoke the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle of a later generation. Prudhomme’s naturalistic drawings enhance the authenticity of the tale. However, his low-key visual style—along with a muted, almost monochromatic color scheme—fails to convey the excitement of the musical performances that lie at the crux of the story; a more expressive approach might have better served the material. Shortcomings aside, Rebetiko, the recipient of several prestigious awards at European graphic-novel festivals, is a convincing portrayal of the pressures and pleasures faced by artistic and political outsiders. --Gordon Flagg