The story of a wealthy American man and his son who is running for president. When his son is shot, he has to look back through his history to determine who wants his entire family dead, from the Irish mobster he used to work for to his wife's ex-fiancee to many more I presume as this is 8 volumes long. Desberg does write some interesting stories. The art is in the European "house" style.

Was not able to read since the arc expired and I have not been able to locate another digital copy of the graphic novel to read and I do not have the interest to purchase the book.

Jay Sherman is the embodiment of success in post-war America. He has risen above his Dickensian roots to a position of wealth and power. His son, Robert Sherman, is poised to become the next President of the United States. Life is just about perfect for Jay Sherman...

Until a mysterious gunman shoots young Robert and it all begins to spiral out of control. Someone from Jay's past is out to get him. Taking away everything thing he loves and values one piece at a time. Forcing Jay Sherman to look back at his life, a life that has not always been clean, shiny, and respectable.

Robert Sherman, a rising star on the road to The White House, is sort of a compilation of JFK and his brother Robert. Jay Sherman is a wealthy man with a shady past that he relates in flashback as he tries to determine who wants to destroy him and for what reason.

It's not the most original story but it's entertaining. The artwork is good and captures the feeling of the young Jay as a kid hustling on the streets of the big city. Since this is only one chapter in an ongoing story arc it's difficult to say how well it all will come together but so far so good.

I'm interested in how it all works out but I'm not really obsessing over the next chapter. There's just no real "gotcha!" factor. It's not bad but it's also not exceptional. Not sure I'll be following up on the rest of it.

There's some violence, nudity and sexual situations.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Another great graphic novel from Europa Comics.

This is definitely for the more mature reader due to violence and nudity but it is by no means explicit.

The illustrations are very in keeping with the storyline of gangsters and corrupt business men with secrets in their past.

I am keen to find out what happens next!!

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

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Sherman, Volume 1: The Promise: New York, by Stephen Desberg
★★★☆☆
50 Pages
Content Warning: sex/nudity, violence


I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one for the simple fact that it was so short, but there was a heck of a lot of story told in those few pages. While the story of the poor-kid-dun-good and the all American dream coming true for Sherman was interesting, I'm not so keen on the execution.

The illustrations were just right, for the mobster 1920s feel of the story, a little gritty and angular. But there were a lot of flashbacks, that took us out of the main story and left the story feeling clumpy and disjointed. I do appreciate that the flashbacks were drawn in a slightly different style, so you could visually differentiate between them.

I'm undecided as to whether I'd read more. On one hand, I want to know who has a grudge against him, but on the other, it was quite slow going with a lot of back story. I'm thinking it will take a while to get to the big reveal and I'm not sure I have the patience. It was nicely presented and intriguing, but left far too many questions unanswered.

This is book one of a seven part graphic novel series. Both thriller and mystery, this first book has an explosive beginning with the assassination of a US presidential candidate. Robert Sherman is shot and killed just as he begins his presidential campaign.

When his father, Jay Sherman, receives a threatening message saying "The bill always comes due…” it is clear that Robert's assassination is linked to his father's past.

Jay Sherman is a man who has come from nothing and is living the American Dream of success through hard work, but the assassination and following events show that there is a deep darkness in Jay's past and the darkness has come calling.

I thought this was a great beginning to what seems as if it will be a good thriller and mystery series. The art work is good and it looks as if there will be plenty of surprising twists and thrilling turns ahead. This first part of the series sets the scene in a really explosive way, setting up the reader for more thrills to come. I do wish it had been longer and I am eagerly waiting for part two!

Copy provided by Europe Comics via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

An interesting series opener, but not a brilliant book. We're in New York, immediately post war, and the father of a potential president is being protected by the FBI now his son has been shot and he's faced death threats himself. This allows him to spill copious flashbacks to the agent looking after him, where we learn that no, he was not at all squeaky clean, and has copious debts that this action against him might be designed to help pay off. All eight books are in English through Europe Comics (well, it seems it was a series of six, with two pointlessly tacked on afterwards), but I don't know I'd rush to come back. It's very much a story you need to have all of in your possession before tackling, and you'll still struggle with the artwork making everyone look the same – same suits, same hats, same sharp American masculinity… There's just about enough here to make a fan of someone who likes this genre of historical crime saga, but not quite enough for me.

'Sherman 1: The Promise of New York' by Stephen Desberg with art by Griffo is a story about a prominent American family and how they got there.

Jay Sherman started with nothing and now his son Robert Sherman is a candidate for president. When Robert is shot and Jay is threatened, he has to figure out who in his past might have it in for him. One suspect is the Irish mobster he worked for, but there are probably more than a few in Sherman's past.

I liked this story of a family's rise and possible fall. The art is decent. I wouldn't mind reading more of this story.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

Jay Sherman is the American Dream personified. He started his life as a nobody and now he's risen to the top. The son of a drifter, orphaned when his father is shot and killed, Jay is barely able to escape with his life. With his dying breath, his father extracts a promise that either Jay himself or his son will rise up in the ranks and become president one day.

His hard work has paid off and everything has turned out just so that he can fulfill his promise. He's wealthy; connected; his son is close to being elected as president, but everything falls to piece. His son is shot and killed by an unknown man, an accomplice in a much bigger scheme. Sherman must comes to terms with the fact that there is someone out there with a vendetta against him, determined to hurt Sherman in everyway they can. Who could hold such a powerful grudge against him that they are willing to go to such lengths to get their revenge? Sherman must look back into his past if he hopes to find an enemy with the proper motive before he looses everything.

I loved the art work in this graphic novel. The premise was very intruiging and the storyline is engaging. Jay Sherman, I'm sure, is a man with many enemies, that we've only begun to learn of the skeletons in his closet. But I'm not fully pulled into the storyline yet, there was quite a bit of back story we needed outlined in this first installment to set the scene. Once we get a bit more information and we are closer to finding some answers, I'm sure I'll be hooked. I love a good murder mystery and the mafia vibe with this one holds a lot of promises. Hoping the story will pick up a bit more in the second installment.

Many thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley, this is my honest review.

Sherman is yet another polished graphic novel from Europe Comics, this time focused on a gritty crime story. The art is detailed and realistic. Recommended for mature readers.

The ingredients for Sherman to be a memorable mafia story are definitely in there, but don't seem to amount to anything within this volume at least. The artwork was nice to look at, but it didn't feel there was much outside the very-paint-by-numbers storyline. That being said, there's probably enough classic mob plot points amongst the pages to keep fans of the genre satisfied.

With thanks to Netgalley and Europe comics for the ARC.