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Five hundred years ago Martin Luther confronted the most powerful institutions of his day, sparking the Protestant Reformation that marked one of the great turning points in history. His story comes vividly to life in this graphic novel.
Gold Medal Winner, 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards
Gold Medal Winner, 2017 Indies Awards, Foreword Reviews Magazine
Five hundred years ago a brash young monk single-handedly confronted the most powerful institutions of his day. His bold stand sparked the Protestant Reformation and marked one of the great turning points in history.
Martin Luther, a spiritual and historical giant, is loved and hated to this day – and for good reason. The anniversary of the revolution he helped start has produced a spate of doorstop-sized biographies. Luckily, today there exists a more accessible format that does justice to such a colorful, complex character and his tumultuous life and times – the graphic novel.
In a world of grinding poverty, plague, and religious superstitions, a child of laborers distinguishes himself at university – until a lightning-bolt conversion lands him in a monastery. There his personal battles with disillusionment and doubt culminate in a cry for freedom. The rest is the stuff of history and legend: Luther’s revolt against Rome with the nailing of ninety-five theses to the church door in Wittenberg; his time spent incognito at Wartburg Castle, where he famously throws an inkpot at the devil; his seditious translation and publication of the Bible in the language of the people; his scandalous marriage to former nun Katharina von Bora; and, in later years, his ugly tirades against peasants, Anabaptists, and Jews.
Each chapter of Luther’s life comes vividly to life thanks to cutting-edge graphic techniques, meticulous historical research, and compelling writing. This could be the biggest breakthrough for Martin Luther since the Gutenberg press.
As a minister in a protestant church I was interested to see how Luther's story was told. This is a quick read, summarizing the key points of the Protestant Reformation and the European wars of religion. The story is told as a graphic novel in fast-moving form, well drawn with intriguing details. Luther's anxious fear of hell comes across well, as does his recognition that salvation is a free gift of God, not bought by indulgences.
I give great credit to Andrew Grosso Ciponte and Dacia Palmerino for the ambition that it takes to put a different spin on the comic book/graphic novel medium. The art here is beautiful and fully realized… The real world of what must have been the Reformation comes through in stark detail, and the story is well-written, imaging the life of Luther. Of note here, as well, is the way the book uses its lettering. Words appear differently depending on context and purpose… A fascinating read and a fantastic, artistic depiction.
This year there are lots of books about Luther, [so] the book under review here has a great advantage because, unlike the others, this one presents such a strange and interesting format! If you are tired of reading same-old-same-old theology and history books about Luther, I recommend reading Renegade! The book's very format is a renegade type.
The stage is set in the dark times of the Black Death, the controversy over the purported sale of indulgences and power struggles between Church and crowns. Luther’s tale is told as beginning with a strict disciplinarian mother, a soul searching for God’s will, the lightning bolt that misses him and it continues into the discovery of new understandings of faith. The recognition of his status as a sinner dependent totally on the mercy of God for his salvation is shown as leading to many of his later tenets, such as the translation of the Bible into German, sola scriptura, his challenge to papal authority, and that priests and nuns should marry. His dismay at the politicization of his movement and his antisemitism are included in the saga. One thing I really like about this work is that I do not see it as advancing a particular agenda. From my Catholic (partly formed by Augustinians) viewpoint, I see an unfortunate soul driven by turbulent times into grave error with tragic consequences. I can see how a follower of Luther’s theology would see an enlightened scholar who arrives at truths that had eluded so many others. I recommend this as a first introduction to Martin Luther. After reading this you will have a general understanding of his life. If you choose to read on you can do so with a framework in which to organize the contents of more detailed biographies.
