Intermediality and historical (re)construction in the graphic novel Independência ou mortos

Abstract

Based on the studies on intermediality and on historical fiction, this article looks at the fictional reconstruction of the historical character D. Pedro I of Brazil in the graphic novel Independência ou Mortos (2012), by Abu Fobiya (scriptwriter, pseudonym of Fabio Abu) and Harald Stricker (illustrator and scriptwriter). Using a mix of verbal and visual language, this novel narrates the time from the coming of the Portuguese Royal Family to Brazil (1808) until the proclamation and fight for Brazilian Independence (1822). Nevertheless, in order to rebuild an alternative past, known historical events are intertwined with a supernatural element: zombies that eat human flesh. Furthermore, we intend to evidence how the intertextual and intermediatic relations that operates in the novel are crucial to the production of emotions based on the re-staging of History. This work is grounded on the studies of Claus Clüver (2006) and Irina Rajewsky (2012a, 2012b) in order to deal with the concepts of intermediality, as well as intermidiatic relations and references.