A fast-paced and highly readable tale of organized crime and homoerotic romance, Beyond the Sea is the Graphic Novel at one of its most mature and accomplished. Set in 1930s Chicago, the story unfolds in the saga of one Jules Tivoli, an Italian immigrant struggling in the dreck of poverty. Barely getting by in a dead-end job with awful people destiny chances an encounter when he meets Adam Czar, a local big shot hood who the luckless youth fancies. He casts his lot with the older and powerful man and the two share a path of sex, romance, crime and power through the twists and turns of fate. Along the way one is witness to the machinations of organized crime in the form of the American Mafia and Tivoli's struggles as a man of conscience in a world of violence and evil.

Writer, artist and colorist Anaïs Flogny shows her admirably well-rounded skills with her highly readable and emotive account of this offbeat take on a well-known plot and colorful art work. The gay scenes are icky to those who aren't of that persuasion but they're well-handled and not overdone while with the art the figures appear somewhat disappointingly of the stick-like kind but without bordering on the childlike and the bright well-balanced coloring and well-executed backgrounds are appealing eye candy.

A page-turner of contemplative profundity, Beyond the Sea tackles on personal challenges and life's choices impressively with its directness and simplicity. Come across some ignoramus who thinks comics are for children? Hand them this.