''Shutter Island'' is a

graphic novel A graphic novel is a self-contained, book-length form of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and Anthology, anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comics sc ...

adaptation of

novel of the same name A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of '' ...

Dennis Lehane Dennis Lehane (born August 4, 1965) is an American author and screenwriter. He has published more than a dozen novels; the first several were a series of mysteries featuring recurring characters, including '' A Drink Before the War''. Four of hi ...

, published by

TOKYOPOP Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licens ...

and William Morrow. It was written by Lehane himself with art by

Christian De Metter Christian De Metter (born 1968) is a French comic book artist Biography De Metter was born in a parisian area, he studied advertisements for a short period of time while pursuing his career, De Metter also took a variety of jobs, including mode ...

Synopsis

In 1954, U.S.

Marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...

Teddy Daniels and his partner, Chuck Aule, are sent to Shutter Island to find a mass murderer who has escaped from Ashecliffe Hospital, a fortress-like federal institution for the criminally insane. As an intense

hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its ...

bears relentlessly down on the island, the marshals are forced to piece together clues to a shocking puzzle hidden within Shutter Island, taking them on a dark, twisted journey, where paranoia assumes an air of cool rationality and the line between sanity and madness disappears.Browse inside Shutter Island's graphic novel, Harpercollins
/ref>

Plot

In 1954, U.S. Marshal Edward "Teddy" Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule travel to the Ashecliffe Hospital, a federal institution for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, to investigate the disappearance of a patient, Rachel Solando, incarcerated for drowning her three children. She has escaped the hospital and apparently the island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant supervision. Chief psychiatrist Dr. John Cawley refuses to hand over records of the hospital staff, and Daniels and Aule are barred from searching Ward C and told that the

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

on the island has already been searched. The only clue is a note, which reads: "The law of 4; I am 47; They are 80; + you are 3; But who is 67?". Daniels believes that the note is a code that points to a 67th patient, when there are only 66. Shortly after their arrival, a hurricane hits and the hospital goes into lockdown, prevents the Marshals from returning to the mainland. Daniels, starts having

migraine Migraine (, ) is a complex neurological disorder characterized by episodes of moderate-to-severe headache, most often unilateral and generally associated with nausea, and light and sound sensitivity. Other characterizing symptoms may includ ...

s, visions and disturbing dreams of his wife, Dolores Chanal, who was murdered in a fire set by a local

arsonist Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, waterc ...

named Andrew Laeddis, an

inmate A prisoner, also known as an inmate or detainee, is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement or captivity in a prison or physical restraint. The term usually applies to one serving a sentence in pr ...

at Ashecliffe Hospital. Daniels reveals to Aule that locating Laeddis was an ulterior motive for taking the case, so he is there to avenge the death of his wife. Suddenly, Solando has been found by the staff with no explanation. While Daniels is questioning Dr. Cawley on how they found Solando, he starts having a migraine. Dr. Cawley gives him pills and invite him to take a nap. Daniels has disturbing dreams of his wife again. Daniels and Aule decide to break into Ward C. While Daniels is searching for Laeddis, a patient in a

solitary confinement Solitary confinement (also shortened to solitary) is a form of imprisonment in which an incarcerated person lives in a single Prison cell, cell with little or no contact with other people. It is a punitive tool used within the prison system to ...

calls him by the name of Laeddis. Daniels realizes the patient is his friend, George Noyce, and questions him to find Laeddis. Noyce tells him that it is a setup and he has to accept that his wife is dead and let her go, or else he will never leave the island. He finally tells him that Laeddis has been moved from ward C, and Daniels deduces that he is at the lighthouse. While Daniels and Aule are searching for the lighthouse, Aule disappears and Daniels finds no sign of him. He returns to the hospital to ask Dr. Cawley if he has seen his partner. Dr. Cawley tells him that he has no partner and claims that he arrived alone. During the night, Daniels tries to escape, but he finds the lighthouse, breaks into it and finds Dr. Cawley waiting for him. Cawley explains that Andrew Laeddis is actually Daniels himself. He explains that Andrew Laeddis is an

anagram An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase, typically using all the original letters exactly once. For example, the word ''anagram'' itself can be rearranged into the phrase "nag a ram"; which ...

of Edward Daniels and that he murdered his wife, Dolores Chanal (an anagram of Rachel Solando), two years before after she drowned their three children during a

manic episode Mania, also known as manic syndrome, is a psychiatric behavioral syndrome defined as a state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy level. During a manic episode, an individual will experience rapidly changing emotions and moods, ...

. This is the answer of the code "the law of 4" and Laeddis is the 67th patient at Ashecliffe. Andrew refuses to believe it and shoots Dr. Cawley with what he thinks is his gun, but realizes it is a toy

water pistol A water gun (or water pistol, water blaster, or squirt gun) is a type of toy gun designed to shoot jets of water. Similar to water balloons, the primary purpose of the toy is to soak another person in a recreational game such as a water fight. ...

. Aule then enters and reveals that he is actually Andrew's

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...

, Dr. Sheehan. This setup has been designed to allow him to live out his elaborate

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

, in order to confront the truth and accept reality; if he doesn't, he will be

lobotomized A lobotomy () or leucotomy is a discredited form of Neurosurgery, neurosurgical treatment for mental disorder, psychiatric disorder or neurological disorder (e.g. epilepsy, Depression in childhood and adolescence, depression) that involves sev ...

. Andrew does not admit the truth. They hold him down and give him medicine. Laeddis awakes in the hospital, under Dr. Cawley's watch. When questioned, Laeddis admits to having killed his wife, which satisfies the doctors as a sign of progress. Nevertheless, Dr. Cawley notes that they had achieved this state a few months before, but he had a

regression Regression or regressions may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Regression'' (film), a 2015 horror film by Alejandro Amenábar, starring Ethan Hawke and Emma Watson * ''Regression'' (magazine), an Australian punk rock fanzine (1982–1984) * ...

and they cannot risk that again. Laeddis swears it will not happen again. The next morning Laeddis sits outside next to Dr. Sheehan and tells him he needs to find a way to get off the island and go home; he has regressed once again, meaning that he will be lobotomized.

Characters

Main characters

*Edward Daniels / Andrew Laeddis *Chuck Aule / Dr. Lester Sheehan

Secondary characters

*Dr. John Cawley *Rachel Solando / Dolores Chanal *Dr. Jeremiah Naehring *Bridget Kearns *Rachel Laeddis *George Noyce

Genre

''Shutter Island'' graphic novel is a psychological thriller with dramatic artwork, crafted in a noir, painterly styleCorporate Press Releases, TOKYOPOP & WILLIAM MORROW PRESENT: SHUTTER ISLAND Graphic Novel
/ref> presented in shades of iodine yellow and drowning-victim blue. There are only a few slashes of bright colors placed in the nightmares.Browse inside Shutter Island's graphic novel, Harpercollins
/ref>

Publication details and release

Originally published in France by Payot/Rivages et Casterman in September 2008, TOKYOPOP and William Morrow, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announce the release of the graphic novel in Los Angeles on September 25, 2009 TOKYOPOP.Browse inside Shutter Island's graphic novel, Harpercollins
/ref>Corporate Press Releases, TOKYOPOP & WILLIAM MORROW PRESENT: SHUTTER ISLAND Graphic Novel
/ref>

Awards

''Shutter Island ''(graphic novel) was an Official Selection at the 2009

Angoulême International Comics Festival The Angoulême International Comics Festival (AICF; ) is the second largest comics festival in Europe after the Lucca Comics & Games in Italy, and the third biggest in the world after Lucca Comics & Games and the Comiket of Japan. It has occur ...

, Europe's top comics exposition.Browse inside Shutter Island's graphic novel, Harpercollins
/ref>Shutter Island graphic novel, HarperCollins
/ref>

References

External links

Shutter Island graphic novel's page in HarperCollins' official Web siteShutter Island Graphic Novel Trailer, TOKYOPOP TV's Youtube channelInterview with Dennis Lehane about the graphic novel adaptation, TOKYOPOP TV's Youtube channelShutter Island novel page in HarperCollins official websiteTOKYOPOP's official Web site
*
BOOK REVIEW 'Shutter Island' graphic novel by Dennis Lehane, Los Angeles TimesGRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW, ‘Shutter Island’ is a different nightmare in graphic novel form, Hero Complex
{{Dennis Lehane 2008 graphic novels 2009 graphic novels Crime graphic novels American graphic novels French graphic novels Novels by Dennis Lehane American novels adapted into films American thriller novels American detective novels Fiction about mental health Novels set on fictional islands Novels set in hospitals Psychiatric hospitals in fiction Tokyopop titles William Morrow and Company books HarperCollins books Graphic novels set in the 1950s Graphic novels set on islands