There is a blurred boundary between science and superstition, a barrier that rationally leads us to consider it an impassable wall, no matter which side we find ourselves on. History has taught us that science tends, slowly, to undermine a portion of those beliefs which religion and beliefs tend to regard as untouchable, but empiricism is not always able to understand the inexplicable phenomena which, in the absence of earthly explanations, result in Sufism. In this border region, Fabio Guaglione I wanted to build the second pillar of what we can now consider the Guaglioverse, Charisma: the science of the soul.
Having laid the foundations of this common universe with Quarantine prophetswhere Guaglione introduced a character reinterpretation of the superhero canon, with Charisma: the science of the soul Author look, supported by Maria Rita Burrito E Silvia Mercon, moves on to another topic dear to pop culture, which has recently also come back into vogue in the field of comics: possession. It became one of the cornerstones of horror cinema after cult ExorcistPossession, whether demonic or of some other nature, has become part of the contemporary cultural fabric, being rejected in various narrative keys, as we have seen with forsaken by kirkman or our own Samuel Stern. The very notion of possession is open to a series of interpretations, on the other hand, which, although starting from a common motivating element, give way to direction according to the author’s narrative choices, allowing us to move from stories in which possessions are the occurrence of predetermined or random vessels. entities of other levels of existence.
Charisma: the science of the soulBorder line
In the case of the volume published by Panini, this concept has been adapted for a new reading, giving readers the key to interpretation already in the title: The science of the soul. There are clearly two contradictory concepts, comparing provable empirical experience with the abstract and metaphysical concept, and the elements present, in charisma, must intertwine so much that the reader feels that the above-mentioned barrier is incredibly thin, if untouched by the cracks that allow For these two different worlds to merge together.
This is what you find to find out Clara De Martini, a woman scientist summoned by the Trieste Court as outside counsel in an alleged possession case. The usual practice, which states that before announcing a religious vision of an event, every aspect is scientifically analyzed, in order to rule out medical or psychological complications of the supposed property. Clara takes on this role as devil’s advocate, tasked with ruling out any clinical pathology that could logically explain the event, a task that leads her to team up with an exorcist, Father Jack, whose talents did not make him acceptable to church circles.
This duo perfectly embodies the contradiction between faith and science, poles of a narrative dynamic in which mutual suspicion finds a way to emerge through a well-managed satirical trajectory, a mirror of two angular characters, very similar even if moved by diametrically opposite impulses and experiences. Charisma: Souls specifically lives on this evolving paradox, which is driven by the human story in which the two protagonists are involved, an alleged possession case finally presented to a third actor, young Eric. A man with a mysterious past, welcomed by an exorcist under his protective wing, Eric appears to be gifted with the ability to interact with possessed people on a deeper level, as if in personal contact with them.
As one can guess, the most complicated part of a story like Charisma: The Science of the Soul is finding a functional collision between the scientific and spiritual components. If one can have a freer view, while remaining within an epistemological milieu accentuated by religious tradition, on a scientific level, the act of searching and checking facts to find a semblance of rationality in such a suggestive situation is anything but simple. In the dialogues between Clara and Father Jacques, this mad search for a narrative formula appears which gives full merit to both points of view, and the result, as said in the volume additions, is a setting in times of madness.
Regardless of this subtle narrative construction, no one can fail to appreciate the thrilling storyline that is given to the narrative. We don’t have a simple horror comedy, in fact this component seems almost scratched only to give more substance to the plot in which the thriller element prevails, especially in the second part of the volume, where the mystery behind the acquisition is also analyzed under the profiling light. The search for an intriguing cause for this event becomes an investigation, a journey into the victim’s past which, with an intriguing synergy game, becomes a way to unearth more details about the protagonists’ past.
A first chapter with rich introductions
From this latter point of view, the synergistic work between the text and the visual system is worthwhile. We can only advise paying special attention to the details of the tables, which hide a series of clues that not only reveal the sensitivity of the characters in dealing with stinging reality, but are fixed points that allow the reader to do so. Realize how in this story there are a series of most intimate secrets waiting to emerge. Lorenzo ZaggiThe author of the graphics interprets these tensions in the best possible way, through an anatomical image that is not realistic but functional of a snappy emotional expression which convincingly enhances the muscular tensions of a possessed person. Zaghi deserves the merit that he has found a happy synthesis between the characters and the setting, both in enclosed spaces and in the more open urban landscapes, where the sense of movement is formed drawing also on the teachings of the great masters of the comics.
For a story of this caliber, a colorist was needed that could interpret the various moments of the plot, moving from rare moments of calm to more disturbing situations. Francesco Segalasupported by Maria Letizia MirabellaWith a dynamic and rich color palette, we can appreciate the shades of a stunning sunset or feel the acidic air of a room as we witness a manifestation of inexplicable forces.
after, after Quarantine Prophets – EpiphanyPannini publishes the second chapter of what supposedly the tones of the narrative context are ready to soon enrich themselves with Carnival. charisma: science dell’Anima, published in a traditional paperback format with concrete section work, is the first chapter in a potential series, and is considered the final chapter that promises interesting future developments.
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