Barrier: The Collected Edition by Brian K Vaughan, Marcos Martín & Munsta Vicente is a horizontal format graphic novel by Panel Syndicate that features themes of illegal immigration, something that’s extremely relevant to today’s time. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Image Comics, for the eARC.
I only discovered Brian K Vaughan’s work last year with Spectators (with Nico Henrichon) & The Private Eye (with Marcos Martín & Munsta Vicente), both of which I loved. I went into Barrier knowing only the briefest of details, trusting the writer and illustrators to take me on a thought-provoking journey as they had before.
However, Barrier ended up being the weakest of the three Brian K Vaughan graphic novels I’ve read so far. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Barrier: The Collected Edition by Brian K Vaughan, Marcos Martín & Munsta Vicente | Synopsis
From the Eisner Award-winning team behind The Private Eye, BARRIER is a shockingly prescient drama about violence, language, and illegal immigration…with a spectacular sci-fi twist.
When Texas rancher Liddy and Honduran immigrant Óscar collide on the U.S.–Mexico border, neither can understand the other’s words—but both are forced to rely on trust when they’re thrust into an unimaginable encounter. Told in English and Spanish without translation, Barrier is a visually stunning, genre-bending story that explores the walls we build between nations, cultures, and each other.
Collected for the first time in its original “widescreen” format—and perfectly complementing Image’s new softcover edition of THE PRIVATE EYE—this gorgeous new edition contains the entire Harvey Award-winning miniseries.
Barrier: The Collected Edition by Brian K Vaughan, Marcos Martín & Munsta Vicente | Review
What I Liked:
The illustrations in this one are some of the most surreal and beautiful visuals you could imagine. Given that this was published before, I can’t help but wonder if Scavenger’s Reign took inspiration from this graphic novel when designing their style and alien planet. Be it the grounded realities of Earth set in the barren lands of Pharr, Texas, or the vivid and mind-boggling alien environs of the ship, the artwork really immerses you in its setting. That one transition scene, where you follow both Liddy & Óscar for days, each page beautifully symmetrical, showing mirror images of their contrasting lives, was a stunning use of the medium. The landscape-oriented page further allows for interesting compositions and the use of space.
I won’t delve too deep into the politics of this graphic novel (because the novel, too, doesn’t do so overtly), but I will say that the way the theme plays out was as thought-provoking as you’d expect. You get to see Liddy’s very valid concerns about cartels using her land for passage. You also sympathise with Óscar’s attempts at illegally crossing the border, despite not being able to understand him (unless you use a Translator app like I did to read his dialogue). Which brings me to my next bit of praise.
The dialogues are multilingual. Liddy’s dialogues are in English, while Óscar’s are in Spanish. When the aliens talk, it’s just colors. All this to say, the graphic novel makes great use of the communication gap to tell this story of illegal immigration and the need for humanity to work together if they are to survive in this increasingly divided world. While I used a Translator app, I can’t help but wonder how the experience would be reading this without understanding half of the POVs. The visuals are enough to give you a gist, but the dialogues add to the characters’ struggles and motivations.
Overall, a pretty solid read. However, I do have a few major complaints with this one.
What I Didn’t Like:
Honestly, there’s not a lot to expound on what I didn’t like about this graphic novel. Very clearly, the characters and plot feel very much underdeveloped. The multi-lingual aspect of the dialogues further makes reading this one a little tedious. While I admit that the theme of illegal immigration feels very relevant, even its mirror with the aliens who’re abducting earth species for a specific reason, the overall story and plot didn’t seem to delve too deeply into the heart of the issues. The relatively surface-level exploration left a lot to be desired, with the plot feeling too simplistic.
Visually, it’s a beautiful experience. Narratively, not too much. For the visuals alone, I’d recommend giving it a read. In fact, if you’re up for it, give it a shot with and without a translator app. I’m sure the experience would be fascinating on both rounds.
All in all, a good and thought-provoking, albeit underwhelming read.
Conclusion:
Barrier: The Collected Edition by Brian K Vaughan, Marcos Martín & Munsta Vicente is a mind-boggling visual journey in alien environs & human psyche, you’ll lose yourself in the vivid, surreal imagery of Barrier, as well as its relevant themes.
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Have you read The Cutting Garden by Darcy Van Poelgeest, Erin Connally & Aditya Bidikar? What did you think about it? Let me know in the comments below.
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