In 2012 illustrator Tomer Hanuka released the art book ‘Overkill‘, a collection of his editorial illustrations, film posters, and graphic novel work. One piece was ‘From God’s Mountain IV,’ a piece that was titled as being part of the upcoming project ‘The Divine.’
The illustration is a flash of epic violence — a delicate take on the brutality of war, man unraveling at the skin.
‘From God’s Mountain IV’ from ‘The Divine’ illustrated by Asaf Hanuka and Tomer Hanuka | written by Boaz Lavie
‘The Divine‘ is a graphic novel illustrated by Tomer Hanuka and his brother Asaf Hanuka, from a script by Boaz Lavie that has seen it’s initial release earlier this January. The first version released is the French edition published by Dargaud, available as an ebook in the French Kindle store and as a hard cover edition. The English edition is available for pre-order on Amazon by First Second and will ship July 14th, 2015.
I don’t speak French. Not a word. Still, I bought the French ebook edition and pre-ordered the English version. With pure visual language as guidance, ‘The Divine’ is a sprawling adventure of war — a militarized government being taken on by an army of children and Gods.
Asaf Hanuka handled the sketching with Tomer at the coloring and inking. Even in the most abstract and magical moments of ‘The Divine’ you feel the strong tug of reality in their work. Similar to Asaf’s comic work in ‘The Realist‘ which finds true insight and magic in the everyday, ‘The Divine’ does the opposite in bringing truth to the magical.
Hanuka, Lavie, and Hanuka have created an environment in ‘The Divine’ with a sense of the universal known — the images are familiar because we’ve seen war. We’ve watched the news and have witnessed the violent crush of a foreign people. In this common ground they’ve constructed a stunning piece of heartbreaking fiction.
‘Le Divin’, French edition of ‘The Divine.’
From ‘The Divine’ illustrated by Asaf Hanuka & Tomer Hanuka | written by Boaz Lavie
From ‘The Divine’ illustrated by Asaf Hanuka & Tomer Hanuka | written by Boaz Lavie
From ‘The Divine’ illustrated by Asaf Hanuka & Tomer Hanuka | written by Boaz Lavie
From ‘The Divine’ illustrated by Asaf Hanuka & Tomer Hanuka | written by Boaz Lavie
From ‘The Divine’ illustrated by Asaf Hanuka & Tomer Hanuka | written by Boaz Lavie
From ‘The Divine’ illustrated by Asaf Hanuka & Tomer Hanuka | written by Boaz Lavie
‘The Divine’ illustrated by Asaf Hanuka & Tomer Hanuka | written by Boaz Lavie
Previously on Evil Tender — Interview: The Calm & Chaotic Art of Tomer Hanuka