A poetry-based, somewhat abstract and metaphorical indie comic, Eleutheromania certainly doesn’t shy away from being an incredibly personal vision.

Both Acts in the comic are about the literal and metaphorical breaking of chains to try and get to a better place – then perhaps not knowing how to handle being without the familiarity of those painful, damaging shackles. The message is clear: we need to push forward, however uncomfortable it may make us, or we risk living our lives in chains until the end.

Both the cover and interior art are incredibly impressive, bringing a great range of depth and emotion to the somewhat abstract stories. Writer Anas Abdulhak – along with artists Anton Mozhegov and Mattia Monaco – have crafted a deeply affecting comic here, with the concept being deliberately abstract in order to bring a universality and sense of identification with the protagonists. It’s an incredibly smart and successful approach.

Abdulhak also provides an afterword which is well worth reading; for what its worth, I identified with much of what was said here, as well as the metaphorical bond-breaking of the comic itself. Overall, Eleutheromania is a striking and powerful debut comic from Abdulhak – and it’s one which lingers in the mind long after it ends.

You can purchase digital and physical editions of Eleutheromania here.