Aminoacid Boy and the Chaos Order is a unique self-published graphic novel written and illustrated by Italian animator Diego Lazzarin. The imagery surrounding this complex story of discovery by a naïve alien creature is catapulted into the bizarre and seemingly insane landscape of vivid colors and texture. This is not your typical comic book adventure and its highly unlikely that you will find anything like it on the market today.
Our hero is an alien named Amino, a charming little character who comes from a distant unnamed planet ruled by a “bio-architectural-metal-meat-machine” overlord who discovers a little planet inhabited by a strange species capable of illogical traits such as desire, will, and self-accomplishment. In order to infiltrate this strange society and understand the people, Amino is given the ability to assimilate the genetic code of its hosts, which turns out to be any living organism he comes in contact with.
Amino’s charm comes from his child-like naivety and otherworldly observations of the human condition. But a darker side arises from the violence and gore that seems to have no effect on a being unaccustomed to such emotional drama or pain. Many of these senses are compartmentalized in chapters focusing on the stages of childhood growth. But when Amino experiences human adulthood in a chapter dedicated to what Lazzarin titles The Chaos Order, existence is represented by grotesque full-page illustrations bordering on the macabre without any dialog, giving readers the sense that Amino sees humanity as a twisted reality that words cannot describe. Though a dark overall theme, the story does question the evolution of humanity by seeing it through an alien perspective.
Lazzarin’s imagery is the obvious core of this book. Sure, it tells a story, but the artwork is what inspired this endeavor and it is the obvious driving force behind its completion. Comprised of over 500 hand painted panels, each individual image stands alone as piece of art representative of the creator’s style. Though many readers may find the imagery chaotic if not disturbing, the artwork will appeal to fans of hand painted illustrations utilizing contrasting colors and raw imagery.
The English translation of the text was provided by Elisabetta Leni and final editing is credited to Ricky Lima. Printing was provided by Tipografia Negri Bologna, July 2015.
Aminoacid Boy and the Chaos Order by Diego Lazzarin is an adult-oriented graphic novel that select younger readers may enjoy, but the “graphic” element may be too disturbing for some. This book is definitely geared toward a select fanbase, but those familiar with Lazzarin’s work will feel right at home.
