London's Dark: A Tale of Love and War, Life, Death

by James Robinson, Paul Johnson (Illustrator)

A wartime romantic thriller featuring the reality of life in London during the Blitz.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, London, Fiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

James Dale Robinson is a British writer of American comic books and screenplays.

Reviews

[Dara Naraghi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel from 1989 features some of James Robinson's earliest work (who went on to fame on DC's Starman series, and some would same infamy on the more recent Justice league: Cry for Justice mini-series). The art is provided by fellow Englishman Paul Johnson.

Set in London in 1940, this World War II story is a nice mix of war, romance, and the supernatural. Jack Brookes is a patriot denied entry into the army due to a bad heart, so he does what he can on the home front as an air-raid warden, enforcing blackouts. Circumstances bring him into contact with the beautiful Sophie, a psychic/medium, and the two are soon embroiled in a murder that exposes the profitable black markets of the war-torn city.

The storytelling is tight and confident, and experiments with different narrative devices such as multiple voices, flashbacks, and prose interludes. I felt that Robinson captured the bleak uncertainty of life during wartime quite well, while writing a story that's ultimately optimistic (no small feat). The black & white art is equally experimental, using techniques ranging from photo collages to expressive brushwork, but is really difficult to follow in some places. For example, telling the different antagonists apart was a problem, and some panels are just so dark and cluttered that following the action is somewhat of a chore. Johnson's later fully-painted color work in series such as The Books of Magic and Interface are amongst my favorites, but here I get the feeling he was still coming into his own. I felt that Robinson captured the bleak uncertainty of life during wartime quite well, while writing a story that's ultimately optimistic (no small feat).

Still, a good ready overall. It's always fun to see the early work of talented creators.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely little graphical novel set during the blitz in London. Part who-done-it, part supernatural thriller, the story revolves around a AR warden, who'd rather be on the front line, a medium, who's contacted by the spirit of a murdered man, and the criminal underbelly of the black market goods trade.

It is presented in black and white, which adds to the suspense and atmosphere, and the pace and tone is well judged. I'd thoroughly recommend it to all.

[Velocity RaZz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the art, decent love/revenge/paranormal story during the Blitz.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

London's Dark does that lovely thing of giving a small story about a handful of people the depth and detail of something larger than them all. A man's murder goes unnoticed except by his mother, who consults a psychic, who is confronted by another woman's son, who gets entangled with circumstances of the murder. One event leads easily into the next, even when things venture into the paranormal. Even with close study of the art (done in an older newsprint style), the story reads fast; it had concluded before I knew it. That's not a complaint, though. The story was as long as it needed to be.

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love story. Ghost story. Story of the Blitz. This short graphic novel from James Robinson (his first?) already displays the novelistic skill later to be seen in Starman, and a character-focused talent that initially introduces a small handful of characters before making us quickly fall in love with two of them. The art by Paul Johnson is in some places too muddy, too messy, but never confuses or distracts. It's back in print with an edition by Titan Books, so snap it up for an excellent afternoon read.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was lovely. I hadn't heard of it but found it on the sale shelf of forbidden planet for 99p. It was beautifully written and the illustrations were great for the story, dark and grim and realistic. The story was set during the Blitz in London but didn't have any of the "blitz spirit" rather it was just people living in fear and trying to get on with their lives with the horror that was happening around them. It was a love story with supernatural elements. One of the great examples of how comics don't need to be about super heros of fantastic.

[Kauther · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkably different depiction of life in WWII. You don’t even have to know who Hitler, Stalin, or Churchill are to enjoy this book. All you need know is there is a war, and real human being with feelings and experiences try to live through it.
It is short, superbly made, and highly enjoyable.