“Carthago”

With summer rolling in and people everywhere pining for some beach fun, what better time to read a book about Megalodons! If you’re like me and Shark Week doesn’t put that icy chill down your spine like it used to, pick up “Carthago,” by Christophe Bec, Eric Henninot, and Milan Jovanovic for some good old fashioned shark-related gore.

Cover by Henninot & Jovanovic

Written by Christophe Bec
Illustrated and colored by Eric Henninot, and Milan Jovanovic

The megalodon, the prehistoric ancestor of the great white shark was the most ferocious predator of the seas, an 80-foot killing machine extinct for millions of years… But when divers drilling in an underwater cave are attacked by this living fossil, oceanographer Kim Melville discovers that this creature may not only have survived, but thrived, and is reclaiming its place at the top of the food chain.

While enjoyable and reasonably thrilling, if you’re looking for an action-packed epic pitting man versus the ultimate shark, you might be disappointed with “Carthago.” There’s a lot of things going on in this graphic novel and that is partially one of its downfalls. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s look at the book for what it is.

Judging “Carthago” strictly on its merits as a graphic novel, there is very little to complain about. The writing and dialogue are brisk and clean, bringing with it a clear sense of the characters at play. Bec does an admirable job of weaving together a story with a multitude of threads that coalesce seamlessly to tell one all-encompassing arc. Additionally, the artwork is nothing short of spectacular. Henninot and Jovanovic’s work is truly the star of the book. Each time a prehistoric creature graces the pages of the book it feels like they come to life. Done in a crisp style, the simple line work pairs beautifully with the moody shading. The book is stunning in every sense of the word. It is a visual treat for the reader. You are taken from the Australian desert to the deepest depths of the ocean, and more. Utilizing scenic panels, the book gives you a sense more akin to a cinematographic masterpiece.

Given that praise, where exactly does the book fall short? There’s a promise being made by the book’s artwork and tagline and unfortunately, that promise is not truly kept. As the story unravels we see that the hunt for a Megalodon was never the purpose of the story. It wasn’t even a pronounced motivation for the story. The Megalodon and its prehistoric counterparts are simply a B-plot. An establishing plot point to get to the book’s true purpose. It is as if you sat down to watch Alien and, after the face sucker scene, the movie focused on finding out the origin of the birthing pods while only occasionally showing the Xenomorph. To exemplify this, a competing group in the book actually captures a Megalodon, and it happens completely off panel.

All that isn’t to say that the book isn’t enjoyable. It’s a perfectly fun read. The problem is that the Megalodon scenes are the best parts of the book. Every time you see a giant shark you want to see more. The attacks are swift and beautifully detailed. The mear prospect of capturing a behemoth of that size would be near impossible, so that’s exactly what I wanted to see. Instead, you get a multi-tiered plot where the ultimate focus is on an Atlantis style discovery and on the way there you are peppered with corporate backstabbing, environmental activists, an old Russian with communist sympathies, and an adolescent female version of Kevin Costner in Waterworld. Is it bad? No. Clearly not. Yet it never truly captured my attention. For a book with a giant shark on the cover, there just isn’t enough giant shark in it.

So where does that leave “Carthago?” It’s a beautiful book that is well written with an engrossing story arc that leaves the door open for further adventures. Additionally, I’d be interested in reading the spinoff, “Carthago Adventures,” as it appears to be more self-contained. Ultimately, my hope is not to turn anyone away who was looking forward to reading “Carthago” after its recent English translation release. However, the truth is that what attracted me to the book wasn’t truly what it delivered.