“Sailor Twain or the Mermaid in the Hudson” by Mark Sigel (First Second, 2012)

With the catchy title and the entrancing book cover (be it the hardcover or recently released paperback), one might think this an interesting graphic novel involving one Mark Twain, but in fact it is about a relative of the author who is a captain on a riverboat on the Hudson River.

Captain Twain is recounting his story aboard his ship the Lorelei involving a mythological tale of a mermaid that he ends up meeting and secreting away in his cabin for some time – even though he is a married man. At the same time a reclusive author who has something to say about these mythological creatures reveals herself to the world in a shocking fashion. And a French nobleman is seeking a way to turn around a curse he believes is befalling him.

An interesting tale that at times becomes a little too convoluted and perhaps loses the reader, the artwork is nevertheless impressive, and the story has elements of both Twain and Poe, enshrouding it in an interesting mythology during a time over a hundred years ago.

Originally written on April 18, 2014 ©Alex C. Telander.

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