Renegade should be commended for not shying away from the most disturbing parts of Luther’s career and for portraying his complexity…. This is an educational graphic novel, not a dense historical tome, and despite being unpolished, there is nevertheless a charm in such a quirky and unique effort…. Renegade is a read that, much like the man it portrays, is ultimately messy, complicated, and fascinating.

Captivating… Dramatic use of light in the renderings, gorgeous color, almost cinematic. Using visual quotes and metaphors drawn from great art, like Hironymous Bosch’s paintings, with their surrealistic imagery of hell, Renegade captures the psychological angst of the story… A great introduction to the man and his thought.

It may seem difficult to say anything new about Luther at this point, but this book manages to do it. First, there is the sheer power of the art. Ciponte and Palmerino get the look and feel of the 16th century, and give us dark garrets, sumptuous palaces, and simple taverns. Their sometimes-disturbing images humanize Luther like few other things I have read recently. The text incorporates a lot of 16th-century primary sources by Luther and others. The overall effect is contemplative, not triumphalistic…. In the “if you only read one book about Luther this year” category, this has got to be near the top of the list… you will definitely understand what all the fuss was about.

The six-time collaborators return to one of history’s most infamous rebels on the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, telling the story of the man behind the movement that shaped the world and made history. This is a great find for history and religion readers.

Palmerino’s text paints a clear chronological picture of how events may have transpired—but the art is what will pull in readers. At times it’s rough and jagged, at others dreamlike with biblical imagery floating around and intertwining with the dark age environment… A great addition to graphic novel collections. Protestantism unfolds with a compelling style that any history lover will enjoy.

Impressively informative and unreservedly recommended as an introduction to the life and work of one of the most influential leaders of the early years of the Protestant Movement and the founder of the Lutheran church.

Longtime Italian collaborators Ciponte and Palmerino present their first work in English with this earnest take on Luther’s life, wonderfully rendered through paintings and collages that dip into the biography at critical moments. YA and adult readers alike will find this work intriguing and informative.”

Renegade represents a fresh approach to creating interest in the career and contribution of Martin Luther, particularly among young people. Sumptuous art illustrates and punctuates the main matters in his life and career…. The book is generally well balanced and should inspire curiosity to seek further information among its readers, collectors and viewers. In addition, the somewhat edgy presentation will appeal to a demographic not normally reached by Luther studies.

Ciponte’s drawings make real the motto: ‘The book is cinematography.’ The realist imagery is interrupted occasionally by surreal elements that express moods and thoughts in plastic form.

Other Luther biographies need hundreds of pages of explanations. This graphic novel succeeds on the strength of its raw images and forceful dialogue.

Martin Luther as comic hero? It’s possible, as the Italian duo Andrea Grosso Ciponte and Dacia Palmerino prove… This graphic biography brings us up close to Luther the human being. Just its aesthetic appeal casts a spell on the reader – Ciponte’s pictures are breathtaking… A work of genius.

This is not the first attempt to portray the life and work of the reformer Martin Luther in the form of a comic. But thanks to its artistic richness and candid storytelling, it is certainly the most successful.