The White Lama Book 4 - The Fourth Voice

The White Lama / Le Lama Blanc #4

by Alejandro Jodorowsky, Georges Bess (Illustrator), Justin Kelly (Translator)

"The White Lama Book 4 - The Fourth Voice" is the 4th book of the series of the mystical adventure that chronicles the physical, spiritual, and emotional journey of Gabriel Marpa. The child of white explorers who becomes the reincarnation of the Grand Lama of Tibet.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Bande Dessinée, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Asia

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 10, 1999

About the author

Also credited as Alexandro Jodorowsky

Better known for his surreal films El Topo and The Holy Mountain filmed in the early 1970s, Alejandro Jodorowsky is also an accomplished writer of graphic novels and a psychotherapist. He developed Psychomagic, a combination of psychotherapy and shamanic magic. His fans have included John Lennon and Marilyn Manson.

Reviews

[Nuno R.]

So far, the less satisfying of the series.

[James]

The boy learns some amazing mental powers and then leaves them behind when he's taken back by his birth race. He returns and takes his adoptive monther & daughter away from a horrible situation and then given an impossible quest.

[Vicky Hunt]

Listening to Many Voices Confounds Even the Wise-hearted

This 4th issue of 6 in The White Lama series sees young Gabriel taken back to live with the 'white man' where he is raised in 'civilizatuon' after being trained as a novice monk as a boy in Tibet. As he comes of age, he chooses to return to Tibet and fulfill what he sees as his life's mission there. His soul is Tibetan. But he finds himself torn by conflicting voices.

Before reading this issue, I reread the first three since it had been awhile between issues. I enjoyed revisiting, since the story and art are remarkable. After reading those again it struck me that the characters named Jesus in three generations are symbolic of the fact that the Villages will be Christian through three generations after the missionary's conversion. It's like a prophecy that the 'white lama' will turn them back to their gods.

If you have not seen my reviews of the earlier issues they are here: The First Step and Second Sight They contain more about the series as a whole.

Again the artwork here is excellent! I am anxious to read the final two issues tonight in this set. I've been reading them over time. It is definitely an intriguing comic concept.

[Sarospice]

The first thing I did for 2025 was wake up and read this. Perfect. The art and presentation in the hardcover is amazing. Gabriel learns how to transcend everything then how others may never be able to. It ends on a cliffhanger.

[Brian]

Excellent art by George Bess, wandering disjointed pseudo-spiritual story by Jodorowsky.