Review Fix Exclusive: Dorvall Talks ‘Southern Cross’

Review Fix chats with comic book writer “Dorvall” who discusses his current graphic novel, “Southern Cross,” breaking down its inspirations, creative process and how he’d like the book to be remembered.

Review Fix: How did the inspiration for this project come about?

Dorvall: Well that’s a big question. My inspiration for the CSA Confederate States of America series came from many different sources. For one, sometimes people think it’s odd that a Frenchman like myself would write a book about this topic, but the American Civil War, what the French call the “War of Secession,” is well-known in my country. Many people there have seen the movies “Gone with the wind,” “North and South,” or “Glory.” There has even been some French graphic novel series inspired by this period, like “Les Tuniques Bleues” (“The Bluecoats”), “Blueberry,” or “Hauteville House.”

For me personally, this war fascinates me more than any other conflict of the nineteenth or even twentieth century. This is because the Civil War perfectly marks the transition between the old and new “art of war.” What I mean is that you can still see old strategic and tactical elements of the past like in-line formations, smaller battlefields, and fights that only last a few days. But, it’s also the beginning of modern warfare. Just think about the role of the railroad in transporting troops, the use of telegraph communications, or the introduction of trench warfare. There were many new technologies first employed during the Civil War: the first submarine, machine guns, repeating rifles … The list goes on and on, and this transition in warfare is reflective of the fact that the Civil War was also a fight between two different visions of America—one old and the other new.

Concerning the choice of a historic subject, there is actually a logical link between it and my studies. I have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in history as well as a DEA, which used to be a research qualification in France that precedes a doctorate. Studying history, I often wondered what would have happened if something changed during a battle or some historical event. One of my high school teachers told me once: “Don’t ask about something that didn’t happen. History is history.” Well, many years after, these questions still interest me. For me, history is more than just learning dates and names by heart; history is full of legends, good and bad characters, action and adventure, romance, treasons …

Finally, I would say that the movie “Gettysburg” inspired me a lot. I especially liked Tom Berenger’s performance as the Confederate General James Longstreet. In the film, there is a scene where Longstreet tries so hard to convince General Lee to choose another strategy during the battle of Gettysburg, and it gave me the impression that his advice would have maybe changed the course of the war. That’s how I got the idea for the beginning of the book, the initial point of divergence in CSA’s alternate history.

Review Fix: What comics did you read growing up? How do you think they affected this book?

Dorvall: I’m a big fan of graphic novels. I have over a thousand of them in my personal collection. Most of these are written in French. As a kid I read “Asterix” and “Lucky Luke” (I still have them), then I started to read more science fiction, historical, and historical fantasy graphic novels. Some of my favorites were the saga of “Den” by Richard Corben, as well as French titles like “Les Eaux de Mortelune” (Mortelune’s waters), “Le Cycle de Cyann” (Cycle of Cyann) and “Thorgal.” Today my choices are much more eclectic. I recently discovered such excellent graphic novel series as “Murena” and “Les Aigles de Rome” (Eagles of Rome), both historical fictions. But the graphic novels that probably inspired me the most were series like “Le Fléau de Dieu” (Scourge of God) and “Hauteville House.” Both are alternate, science fiction stories. The first is about the rise of Attila in a futuristic world, and the second one is more of a steampunk graphic novel where the French 2nd Empire finds an alien artifact that could give Napoleon III the power to control the world. Part of the action in this story takes place in America in 1864 during the Georgia campaign. These are a few of the books that had a big impact on me, but there are so many graphic novels I like that it would take hours to talk about them all.

Review Fix: What character in the story do you connect with the most? Why?

Dorvall: To the contrary of what readers may think, my favorite character is not Aymond, who a lot of people might assume I identify the most with simply because he is French. Actually, the one I connect most closely with is Erwin, a young Confederate officer. I like Erwin because of the conflict he’s going through. Like many others during that time, he has to make some difficult choices. He was born in a very wealthy family, the son of a radical slave owner from Arkansas, but he didn’t choose to follow in his father’s footsteps, which made him a pariah in his own family. He struggled with the decision as to whether he should fight for the Confederacy or not up until the very last moment. He could have chosen not to join the cause, but he realized that he wanted to fight for his state. Erwin really felt this war was an aggression toward the South more than anything else. He is very aware that slavery is something that needs to disappear, but he thinks it should be the states’ decision and not that of a minority of politicians and abolitionists.

I like Erwin because despite his allegiances he marches to the beat of his own drum. He is someone really sincere, upright, and reserved, but he is also impulsive and outspoken when he believes strongly in a cause. I think his clumsiness gives him an endearing side. He is strong and sensitive, and I like that.

Review Fix: How important is the art to the story?

Dorvall: I was looking for something different for this graphic novel, not a typical comic-style art, but something that would enhance the story, giving it a tragic and realistic side. Some of the pages are dark; some others have a symbolic meaning. The art of Philip Renne depicts perfectly the oppressive and terrible atmosphere of this war. I also wanted people who usually don’t read graphic novels to be able to pick it because of the more realistic style of illustrations. So, generally, the art was very important for setting the tone of the story and adding a symbolic depth to the script that couldn’t have been accomplished in any format other than a graphic novel.

Review Fix: How do you want this story to affect readers?

Dorvall: Well, the subject of the Civil War itself is still affecting many people in the USA. It’s interesting to see how difficult it still is to talk about sensitive subjects like the South, slavery, the causes of the war, and Confederate symbols such as the battle flag here in America.

Trying to answer the question “What would happen if the South had won the Civil War,” I of course had to touch on subjects like: slavery, gender issues, the condition of the Black population in the North, the plight of the American Indian (which will appear later in the series), and international relations. But, I didn’t want it to be a purely historical description. For those who don’t like history, I wanted them to be able to read this book as an action adventure, or a story about love and friendship. From the start of volume one, Southern Cross, I attempt to accomplish this by portraying four fictional characters who come from different origins and whose paths all eventually cross as they face the birth of a new nation and struggle to come to terms with their doubts and prejudices. For example, the story of Joe, a black Union sergeant captured a few weeks after the battle of Gettysburg, is particularly poignant. Being that CSA is a seven-volume series, though, it’s difficult to hit every note in volume one, but I think that by volume two, and then definitely as it moves on to subsequent volumes after that, the readers will start to get a real sense of the true heart of CSA’s story.

Review Fix: What are your goals for the book? How do you want it to be remembered?

Dorvall: I would like readers to take pleasure in a story where adventure, legendary figures, and romance all show themselves as part of American history, even if it’s an alternate history. I also wanted to show that today, like 150 years ago, we all live with a lot of prejudices, and my characters are just like many of us: not bad but not always good either. I hope that everyone that reads CSA comes away from it with a renewed interest in Civil War era, and that my graphic novels give readers a platform for discussion that can ease some of the tensions associated with this period.