Written by Rob Vollmar
and drawn by mpMann
Published by Archaia
Inanna's Tears is a political tragedy set in Sumeria circa 3000 BC. It serialized at ModernTales Strip Lounge from January through May, 2007. Hard cover edition published by Archaia in 2010.
...a tautly written, beautifully drawn period piece...
My impression of Marvin’s work from The Lone and Level Sands was that he was a very confident storyteller, and I endeavored to give him the leeway to tell the story the way that he saw fit. My own critical assessment of the work that he has done here is that he shows a lot of sensitivity to the human form that allows him to draw in a manner that is more evocative than representational. The colors also do more to reinforce the emotional timbre of the scene than merely inviting the reader to ponder the texture of a chair from the 30th century BCE. Those two factors in tandem are a constant reminder, in a way, that what we are seeing is speculation as it is otherwise unknowable by the historical mind.
Chris Beckett of For Your Consideration writes:
Inanna’s Tears, a five-issue bi-monthly series coming from Archaia Studios this August, is an amazing tour-de-force. These two creators understand the comic page and how to use the confines of that page to tell an exciting, emotional story. Originally serialized on the Modern Tales website, once I started reading it – which, sadly, is not a possibility now as Archaia prepares the book for print publication – I was hooked and found myself anxiously awaiting each weekly update.
Despite being set over four millennia in the past, Vollmar’s story is as topical today as ever. On its surface, Inanna’s Tears can be seen as a simple tale involving the conquest of one society by another, but when readers peel away that outer layer they discover so much more. Vollmar threads themes of sexual prejudice, personal growth, religious intolerance, and a resistance against change throughout the narrative. He deftly handles these multiple themes, allowing them to simmer just under the surface while adhering to the first rule of writing: tell an entertaining tale.
Marvin Mann, artist for the highly-acclaimed The Lone and Level Sands, turns in another wonderful job with this book. His storytelling is clear and fluid, and he grounds everything in a reality that lends itself well to a tale set in the dark recesses of the past. Mann’s line work reminds me a lot of Alex Toth. Using a minimal amount of lines to elicit emotion in his figures, the looseness of his inking imbues them with a feeling of movement that is difficult for many artists to achieve on the two-dimensional page. Mann inks his figures even more loosely when the timbre of the story demands it, such as a scene where those outside the city are overcome by panic as a fire spreads through the camp. The thought he puts into his artwork, utilizing any tools at his disposal, takes advantage of the unique workings of the comic story and adds depth to the tale conceived by these two artists.
...Mann also does the coloring for the book. Using a reserved palette that services the story well, he is able to “shock” readers with sudden bursts of color and layer an added emotional response onto an already moving story. Again, this is something that is almost unique to comics – some art house films have utilized color to similar effect – and it is a testament to these two creators that they examined the medium within which they work and sought best how to utilize the tools at their disposal.
Inanna’s Tears is an exciting book that I heartily recommend you seek out when it hits comic shops this August. A true collaboration between two consummate storytellers, this is one of those books all fans should have on their shelves.