Martial arts with strict discipline – Pankat in our review of the graphic novel – ntower

In 2020, I was so excited about a graphic novel that I wasn’t expecting: Marwan’s Kylysteam Mechanics. To me, out of nowhere, this hardcover book appeared in the middle of the year by Schreiber & Leser and immediately cast a spell on the first few pages. Not only was I visually fascinated, but I also loved the story of Aster von Pan in this very dystopian future. The dodgeball action scenes are nicely orchestrated and dynamic and seem to jump right out of the book. So the tension was great when I found out that Schreiber & Lesser was about to publish a book by author and artist Merwan again this year: Pankat.

After some research and after reading it, it became clear to me that Pankat wasn’t created just over the last year. Marwan has been working on this project for more than 15 years, as evidenced by the original publications in the French original. The full story which previously appeared in 3 books is now available in German.

Young Mani is very passionate about the martial arts of Pankat, a very strict and strict discipline of the body and mind. The best schools for this martial art are located in the city of Irap. At the beginning of the book we experience how Mane gets there and first has to find his way, in the end the city waits for no more people. This means you need a place to stay and something to eat. Soon Mani had unpleasant experiences with the inhabitants there, who all struggled for their survival in Irap. In the tavern, he gets acquainted with Vasat, who does not tolerate anything or anyone. But he also treats Mane with coldness, something that will change in the course of history. It looks as if Visat is going to take Mane under his wing, but the crook is up to something…

Meanwhile, Mani is drawn to Grand Master Eiram, who founded and built one of the most famous Pankat schools in the city. Mani would like to study and find shelter here, and in his first fights he gains respect and is accepted into the Pankat team. A big tournament will be held soon, which can bring a lot of respect and honor to Iram Bankat school. But his best pupil Mane doesn’t allow himself to be distracted from his mission to become a good Punk fighter just once. Because his connection to VSAT still carries some risks and brings bad memories to light in Iram. What connects these two characters and why is it so important for Fessat to blow up the newly built arena?

Pankat scores with me, as Mechanica Caelestium, again with Marwan’s wonderful graphics and colors. I love this somewhat grotesque style of designing his characters, which in this case are by no means religious. The surroundings, particularly the design of Erap, draw you as a book reader directly into the designed world. However, the reader notes that the book is not written and designed in one piece, the graphics are not coherent enough for this. But the story is also deadlocked in the context of the book, there is no real tension and Marwan gets stuck in smaller situations and fights between Mani and other fighters.

The big plus point at Mechanica Caelestium was the great run of runs when the dodge ball really got to work. Marwan is very much taken in and can always understand any character who is here and anywhere and also to each other. Everything from the design of the panels and convenient arrangement. It is even more surprising that Marwan gets lost in ever smaller paintings in panchat, especially during pankat battles. Then the two fighters like to blend in and the reader cannot fully comprehend what should appear in the painting in question. All in all, this is also a high-level grumble, because thankfully the fights don’t take up most of the story. When the focus is on people or a scene from a distance, Marwan’s art of drawing and coloring can also score points with pankat and cast a spell on the reader.

If you want to have a picture of the punk artwork yourself, you will find it Here Few impressions on the publisher’s website.