For many people, World War II doesn’t seem that long ago. Countless lives were lost and plenty of stories have been told that cover Hitler’s evil and Nazi tyranny. You’d think there wouldn’t be any new ways to tell a story revolving around Nazis. Anthony Del Col and Geoff Moore’s Son Of Hitler will prove you wrong. The graphic novel is set in an alternate reality where the British secret service look to stop Hitler by sending his own son to kill him. Violent, entertaining and creative, Son Of Hitler goes off like a firecracker from the very first page. Del Col sent a copy of the graphic novel to The Comic Vault in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins with British spy Cora Brown interrogating German officers. Cora is presented as strong-willed and capable, getting the necessary information out of the officers. She learns that Hitler’s son is living in France and plans to use him as the instrument of the Fuhrer’s destruction.
In France, Pierre Moreau is working as a baker’s assistant, making a living with macaroons and madeleines. After his mentor is murdered by Nazi officers, Pierre goes on a rampage, killing as many German soldiers as he can find. This puts him in Cora’s crosshairs and the two of them form a shaky alliance. Cora reveals Pierre’s parentage, to which the young man is reluctant to accept.
I found myself enjoying Pierre’s struggle to accept who his father could be. His violent nature stems from wanting to protect the honour of his mother, who was forced into prostitution to provide for her son. Pierre’s attitude also makes him impulsive, launching himself into situations that undermine what Cora is trying to achieve.
The action comes to a head when Pierre is put into contact with Hitler’s personal physician, Doctor Morell. The real-life Morell was an unsavoury character and Del Col and Moore stay true to history. Morell is one of the most unrepentant bastards I’ve ever read in a graphic novel and wanted him to get what was coming to him. Obviously, the writers enjoyed messing with my expectations and the story was a lot stronger for it. The twists come as fast and brutally as artillery fire.
I went from believing Pierre was going to be the main character to seeing Cora take over again. She’s forced to live with the weight of her decisions going horribly wrong. Although Hitler is dispatched, there’s the suggestion that an even bigger evil has been unleashed on the world. Cora looks to clean up her mess by facing the evil head on in a high-octane confrontation.
The action is one of Son Of Hitler’s greatest strengths. Once the ball gets rolling, you can’t look away, even when blood is pouring. The violence is paired with complicated characters who are working to end the war. Cora and Pierre are sympathetic leads, but Moore and Del Col don’t shy away from revealing their flaws either. I also enjoyed the recurring theme of madeleines. The French cakes play a big part in Pierre’s childhood and adulthood. I got the feeling they represented a sliver of peace, as if food was the only thing that could unite everyone that was fighting against each other.
Jeff McComsey’s art is moody and grey, featuring no colour. I thought it worked with the savage themes of World War II. The lack of colour enhanced gory scenes, with characters and landscapes being captured in great detail.
Son Of Hitler does an excellent job of blending fact and fiction into a bloody tale of family revenge. You can buy it now on Amazon.
The Comic Vault 
Reblogged this on Alessandria today.
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Sounds interesting. I’ve not read many of these types of novels but might try this one.
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