Gomont is a supremely talented visual story-teller who has created a fascinating tale, based on actual events, about the theft of Albert Einstein’s brain. It’s a hoot. Gomont is nothing short of brilliant.

enjoyed this graphic novel, it was a really interesting and fun read based on some real events. This is the first part, and already includes a lot of action, so obviously more to follow.
I liked the dynamic style in graphics and the characterization, but had a bit hard time reading the text in the Kindle app, it may be because of the font.

I enjoyed this graphic novel, it was a really interesting and fun read based on some real events. This is the first part, and already includes a lot of action, so obviously more to follow.
I liked the dynamic style in graphics and the characterization, but had a bit hard time reading the text in the Kindle app, it may be because of the font.

'Brain Drain, Part 1' by Pierre-Henry Gomont with translation by Edward Gauvin is a graphic novel based on a true event that then goes off the rails.

After Albert Einstein died, his autopsy was performed. After the autopsy, the famed scientist had specific instructions to be cremated. Thomas Stoltz Harvey, the pathologist, decides to disobey those rules and keeps the brain. Now he is on the run from his employer and shadowy government people. Meanwhile, he is having conversations with the deceased scientist, or perhaps he is losing his mind.

It's a pretty madcap adventure and only partially based in truth, but it's still a lot of fun. The art is a bit too 'editorial cartoonist' for me, but I still liked it.

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.

Brain Drain: Part 1 with script and art by Pierre-Henry Gomont, is a graphic novel. Certain details surrounding the death of Albert Einstein are so outlandish as to sound like urban legend: namely, the theft of his brain by Thomas Stoltz Harvey, the pathologist who performed the eminent physicist’s autopsy. From these historical events, Pierre-Henry Gomont concocts a picaresque road trip of a tale by turns farcical and moving, whimsical and melancholy, sweeping up in its narrative whirlwind the FBI, a sanatorium, neurobiology, hallucinogens, hospital bureaucracy, and romance. In his dissection of friendship and the forging of scientific reputation, the nimble cartoonist serves up a slice of lovingly rendered Americana for the ages.

Brain Drain taught me some weird history I somehow did not know and took me on a mad cap ride while still taking the time to explore the human condition. I might have heard about the theft of Einstein's brain, as I love weird history, but I never really considered it in context- the why's and hows surrounding it. While the author is clear that they have taken liberties with the details, I enjoyed the glimmer of truth the underlies the entire story. The desire to further understanding, knowledge, and science along side the desire to be recognized for the work is something that many people will recognize in themselves even if their passion is completely unrelated to science. The honest look at Stoltz's motivation, faults, and fears were just as interesting at the ideas about how Einstein though and might feel if he knew someone stole his brain. The art work was well dome, and really matched the mood and tenor of the story. It matched the emotions and fears of the characters, and the chaos that these kind of actions can bring on. My only disappointment is that the story is broken into two parts, because I want to know what happens next in this version of history. I believe I will be taking a look at part 2.

this graphic novel is based on the missing brain following Albert Einstein’s post-mortem. Pierre-Henry Gomont has form but this is my favorite work of his to date.

This is a laugh out loud read which looks at a serious subject but then reveals humor in moments of high drama.
Hounded in life as an almost lab specimen it seems the Professor wanted to just quietly slip away and avoiding further invasive research into his talent and IQ.

being a science student i found it very fun and enjoyable.

What scientist however would pass up the chance to study this man’s brain to gauge what made him so remarkable.

I just loved the various sound effects and the lack of backbone Dr Thomas Stolz had initially to realise his potential. He seems at the mercy of others and an unhappy felon.

He grows in this story as though his association with taking ownership of Einstein’s brain rubs off on him.
Thoroughly enjoyed this brief escape from reality but like any good writing it points the reader to wanting to learn more and question aspects of research and science

•Character development- 4☆
• Story Plot- 4☆
• Side characters- 3.5☆
• Flow of the story- 4☆
• Overall - 4☆

Brain Drain is a riveting and humorous crime caper. It is very, very, very loosely inspired by the bizarre true story of what happened to Albert Einstein brain he died.

Our protagonist is Thomas Stoltz Harvey, a fed-up pathologist who seizes the opportunity to steal Albert’s brain. His flimsy justification for this breach of the hypotactic oath is to make scientific discoveries about the nature of Einstein’s genius.

What follows is an exquisite and layered comedy caper. It is so funny. Gomont has a full bag of tricks from sight gags to snappy one-liners. I particularly enjoyed the whimsical Walter Mitty-esque flights sequences that are skewered in the next panel by the awful reality of the situation Stoltz has put himself in.

What I really like about Brain Drain is that it is prepared to go weird which in my opinion really heightens the farcical tension.

From the moment that Stoltz steals the brain, he is hiding or running away from the hospital administration, his family, Einstein’s executors, and the FBI. It’s rare for me to read a comic with my hands over my eyes due to cringe-inducing panels.

The cast of characters in Brain Drain is delightful. My favourite the no-nonsense Otto who berates everyone within earshot. Stoltz despite all his flaws is a character that you root for. Reading how he gets himself and out of jams was just a joy. I really enjoyed Brain Drain. Can’t wait for part 2.

2.5

Basado en la increible historia verídica del robo del cerebro de Einstein por quien realizó su autopsia, viene esta historia con ese absurdo gálico que conocemos por algunas cintas y otro poco de fantasía. Sin embargo, el personaje principal no consigue ganarse mi simpatía (y menos aun el verdadero doctor en que se inspira: Thomas Stoltz Harvey).

En abril de 1955, yendo en contra de los deseos de Einstein de cremar su cuerpo y enterrarlo en el anonimato lejos de los medios que le perseguian, un médico decide substraer el cerebro dice que 'por ciencia', aunque el trasfondo de conseguir fama y de impresionar a su amante de turno al parecer eran el verdadero motivo.

-No es autoconclusivo.

-La fuente (el lettering) le juega en contra. Mala elección.

-El dibujo es interesante.

1

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{This time in English:}

2.5 stars

Based on the incredible true story of the theft of Einstein's brain by who performed his autopsy, this story comes with that Gallic absurdity that we know from some tapes and another bit of fantasy. However, the main character fails to win my sympathy (and even less so the real doctor he draws inspiration from: Thomas Stoltz Harvey).

In April 1955, going against Einstein's wishes to cremate his body and bury it in anonymity away from the media that persecuted him, a doctor decides to remove the brain, he says that 'by science', although the background to achieve fame and To impress her lover on duty apparently were the real reason.

-It's not self-conclusive.

-The font (the lettering) plays against him. Bad selection.

-The drawing is interesting.


+Digital ARC gently provided by Netgalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review+

I really enjoyed both the artstyle and the story behind "Brain Drain"!

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty strange book, I must say. I really loved the art, it alone had some satirical vibe and the story was even kinda fun.

Brain Drain Script by Pierre-Henry Gomont is a very different graphic novel, part morgue humour, speculative, definitely absurd and completely strange. An odd little work from a creative mind.

The topic is so off-kilter I wanted to see where it all went. It feels a little like those funny conversations you have with a good friend that start with “What if….” then you add a whole lot of “and imagine that…” until it escalates into huge belly laughs. Though I did learn that the brain of Einstein was really stolen. What a strange world… This is obviously the place to discuss scientific reasoning, fame and recognition vs working for knowledge and lots of bizarre events and action.

The drawings are very nervous and personal, with scratchy lines full of movement from a hand with too much energy. I like the expressive style, the long silhouette of the hero always on the move. I enjoyed the analogies transforming him into a woodlice or the scene into a western set. This comic doesn’t slow down for anyone.

I think people who like buddy road trip films will love that graphic novel. It has all those odd encounters and hiccups and police chases we find in those. It brims with personality and energy and runs fast, sad it is only a first volume and leaves you in a cliffhanger.

Interested in learning more about Einstein? This graphic novel is a good, visual place, to start. I liked it. The art design overall did not resonate with me, though.

I found this in the Read Now section of Netgalley and had to check it out.
What a gem! The art is so brilliantly expressive,genuinely funny at times, and in a few frames, surprisingly emotional.
Based on the true story of, well, the theft of Einstein's brain, it's a wild ride. The storytelling is compelling (and funny without being stupid or silly), and it was obviously written with great affection for the subject matter.
The semi-corporeal Einstein is a delight, and the thieving pathologist i pretty great himself- a cad and a chancer, but not a totally despicable guy. He's impressively nuanced.
I need to know what happens next!
I feel extremely lucky to have been able to read this one. My thanks to the author/artist!

I had lots of fun reading this title. First of all... I didn't even know that Einstein's brain was stolen! A new fact that now i'll be sharing, that's for sure.

The art is really beautiful, everything is connected and yet... seems a little bit chaotic. I guess my first impression of this story is like when an old friend tells you a funny, ridiculous and maybe true story. For some moments it felt all over the place but in general it has a fast pacing.

Doctor Thomas Stolz is in charge of the authopsy of legendary professor Albert Einstein. While performing the authopsy he decides to keep the brain. Yes. He believes that- with proper research- a lot of information can be revealed about the genius of Einstein's brain. The first pages may feel a little bit slow but then the action kicks in.

Now the doctor must face all kind of troubles: a curious wife, authorities, and a ghost? Brain Drain really goes all the way to deliver a fun story. Recommended for those who enjoy some quirky buddy comedy. I'll be keeping tabs on this one. (ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley)

Brain Drain by Gomont Pierre-Henry is a unique graphic novel spin on Albert Einstein's brain being stolen.

This one kinda fell flat for me. It was definitely interesting but the illustration style mixed with the attempts humour just didn't work. I really wanted to like it but I couldn't keep engaged with it.

I can easily see other readers enjoying it because it is an interesting story though.

Two out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

One of the things I like most about the books that Europe Comics produce that intersect with true events is that I invariably end up learning something that I never knew before, and in this case it's that someone stole Albert Einstein's brain. Someone stole Albert Einstein's brain; how is that not one of the first things anyone learns about him? Why is it only now this amazing story is something I'm hearing about? Thankfully, Pierre-Henry Gomont is here to lead me along this story so crazy it shouldn't be true.

The story begins at the end of Einstein's life, the day he's found dead in his home and brought to Princeston Hospital for an autopsy, whilst crowds gather outside to learn how the smartest man in the world died. The autopsy falls to Thomas Stoltz, a beleaguered and harassed member of staff with a miserable home life and a desire to make an impact in the world of science somehow. After discovering that Einstein died of internal bleeding caused by a ruptured aneurysm the autopsy is supposed to come to an end, but Stoltz is driven by his desire to learn more about what creates a genius brain, and does the unthinkable. He steals Einstein's brain.

From here the story follows Stoltz as he attempts to sneak the stolen organ into his home, which seems to go well until he finds himself confronted by Albert Einstein in his basement office. Now, this is where the story starts to take a life of its own, goes in new and unexpected directions. From here Stoltz, through various mishaps, gets recognised as the man who stole Einstein's brain, and whilst attempting to find a way to convince the executor of Einstein's estate to legally sign the brain over to him for research purposes, ends up on the run from the FBI.

The story is a little ridiculous, especially as Stoltz seems to be aided in his mission by Einstein himself, who I at first thought was simply a hallucination, yet is able to be seen by other people, and interact with the world around him. It's something that I was truly never expecting from the story, and it adds a whole new level of anticipation for the next volume of the book. Not only am I looking forward to finding out what happens to Stoltz as he ends this volume on the run from the authorities, but I also want to know how they're going to explain this ghost, for lack of a better description, along on the journey.

It's obvious that Gomont has taken a lot of artistic license with this story, as from what I've looked into Stoltz never went on the run with the brain, and there were certainly no reports of a reanimated corpse of Einstein walking around, but stories that take real world events as the jumping off point and go and do their own thing make for some really fun books. It means that this isn't just a dramatisation of what really happened, but a story where you never know what to expect next, and where the end destination may be completely different from what we know.

Gomont also provides the art for the book, and has a style that really suits the story. It's a little wild in places, and helps to show the strange thoughts going through Stoltz's head, and how his actions aren't normal. This wildness is contrasted in scenes where things are much more 'normal' and the art takes on a more subdued and traditional style. He also makes Einstein instantly recognisable when he turns up, and the image of him having to hide the top part of his head being missing under a furry hat is a pretty fun one that makes the book more memorable.

Brain Drain Part One proves to be an engaging and interesting first volume, and I'm interested to see what happens with our two wanted men in the next part, and what Gomont does to this amazingly weird story.

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Brain Drain is an imaginative story of how Albert Einstein's brain was stolen by Dr. Thomas Stolz following Albert Einstein’s post-mortem. Dr Thomas Stolz figured out that if he had the brain of one of the smartest man in the world he could impress the woman of his dreams.
In life Albert Einstein was revered scientific minds to the point of being hounded everyday for his high IQ and talent. Pierre-Henry Gomont has weaved a story mixing in charming graphics to tell a very serious topic in a lighthearted manner. Adding jabs of humor to further entertain readers in the process.
Sadly, during my time reading I had hard time understanding the words as the font choice made it harder for me to read the words. Though the story did hold an interesting premise the execution of it didn't live up to premise.
I am a reader that loves unconventional stories that bizarre and strange. But with these kinds of stories it needs structure to balance out the weird. It lacked that structure and felt like it was all over the place.
I am saddened that I could not enjoy the story more as I had hoped.

Thank you for the arc copy of this graphic novel. Unfortunately this was a DNF for me, I got about 40% in and could do no more. The artstyle was okay, but the story was disjointed and not easy to follow which ruined the possible enjoyment.

Occasionally Amusing, Consistently Manic, Buddy Comedy

Setting aside the maddeningly difficult to read font that was used in the lettering, this was an amusing and raucous retelling of the truly bizarre history of Einstein's brain, post mortem.

The book starts slowly, and our hero is not especially engaging. Once Einstein appears on the scene though, (a ghost, somehow reanimated? Doesn't matter.), the book switches into a higher gear, the dialogue becomes much more entertaining, and the manic action powers a weirdly engaging buddy comedy. Einstein turns out to be an oddly endearing character as he plays wistful Yoda to our hero.

This is just Part 1, and ends with our two characters on the lam. One gets the feeling that Part 2 will up the game a bit, but I guess that remains to be seen. I faded toward the middle of the book, (a little too much pointless running around), but by the end I was invested and keen to see what would happen next.

(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

This graphic novel sounded very promising based on its plot, but it didn’t work for me. The story was all over the place and too strange. I didn’t love the art style either and reading the font took more effort than it should have.
I won’t read the sequels.