Metax

By Antoine Cosse. Published by Fantagraphics.

Hardcover, 300 Pages, B&W, 2022.

A society, greedily dependent on a mysterious natural resource, meets a force indifferent to social or class status in this graphic novel.

In the dystopian city-state of Kronin, the chief engineer is in charge of all mining of Metax — a precious material that has become indispensable to survival because of its extraordinary qualities. Meanwhile, a police officer investigates the mysterious killing of royal horses, suspecting a terrorist insurrection. Sabrina, the engineer's daughter, is a member of this resistance group, which appears to be comprised of children. Meanwhile, the King's hidden hand sets in motion a power play that will change the destiny of the kingdom forever, and all of these characters get caught up together in a whirlwind of violence and faith.

This lusciously illustrated, science fiction fantasy by French cartoonist Antoine Cossé moves with the grace of a swan. Dark, romantic, and compassionate, it is an exploration of greed, its consequences, and the possibility of escape.