- Written and Illustrated by Gipi
- Published by Fantagraphics
- Hardcover
Two pre-adolescent brothers scavenge a post-apocalyptic landscape for anything that might help each other and their father exist for one more day. Although their survival hangs in the balance, the boys are obsessed with only one thing — the diary their father keeps. They’ve never been taught to read or write, but they have a hunch that the scribbles might answer their questions. When their father suddenly dies, the brothers set out to find someone who can finally decipher the notebook’s secrets.
Land of the Sons is Gipi’s most artistically accomplished work to date, juxtaposing the stark savagery of the narrative with the Italian master’s dense and expressive line work. While similar tonally, Sons, unlike Lord of the Flies, lays the groundwork for humanity overcoming sheer brutality and personal desires, while commenting on the fragile state of masculinity and human nature itself.