1936

In Vermio, just outside the village of Kastania, the ‘Gra-Grou’ restaurant marks the transition from Central to Western Macedonia. Many pass by there, but few notice, lost in the mist, an arched bridge at the side of the road. No one knows where it leads. Those who see it have their own reasons. One morning, a young woman arrives at ‘Gra-Grou’ with the intention of crossing the bridge. As she hesitates to cross it, whilst waiting in the restaurant, she gets to know the regulars and listens to their stories. The months pass. Meanwhile, the new road bypassing Kastania is about to open. The heroine must make her decision. The graphic novel by Tassos Zafeiradis, Yannis Palavos and Thanasis Petrou unfolds an atmospheric story, where tradition intersects with the present and the realistic narrative is undermined by elements of the fantastical. Set against the backdrop of the eponymous restaurant, a landmark in Northern Greece for an entire era, Gra-Grou crafts a charming gallery of characters just before each of them chooses the ‘big Yes or the big No’. The publication is accompanied by original music composed by Michalis Siganidis. Watch the video teaser for the publication here.

In 1916, during the third year of the First World War, Greece was attempting to maintain a stance of neutrality. When Bulgaria invaded Eastern Macedonia, the Fourth Army Corps, stationed there, found itself caught between a rock and a hard place. The Greek soldiers were cut off, but had no right to resist the Bulgarians. The Corps commander’s proposal seems almost unreal! Blending high artistry with meticulous research, Thanasis Petrou presents with incredible vividness the journey of the Greek soldiers of the IV Army Corps to Görlitz and their painful yet long-awaited return to Greece in February 1919.

In May 1919, with the consent of the Allies, Greek troops landed in Smyrna. Their aim was to defend the Christian populations living on the coast of Asia Minor. The Asia Minor Campaign, the Greco-Turkish War, known to Turkey as the War of Independence, would end in September 1922 with Greece’s defeat, leading to the Asia Minor Catastrophe, one of the darkest chapters in Greek history, and would mark the end of a dream: that of Greater Greece.

Following the destruction of Smyrna, thousands of refugees flood the port of Piraeus, whilst the military movement that officially assumes power demands the king’s removal. The military-led administration must provide food and shelter for the distraught refugees who, in addition to their hardships, must also endure the often hostile treatment meted out by the local Greek population. They hope to return to their homelands soon, but the reality is very different. ‘Thanasis Petrou demonstrates just how far comics have come in our country, now tackling not only historical themes but also an issue linked to one of Greece’s most fateful moments.’ ―Vangelis Hatzivassiliou, Athens-Macedonian News Agency

The new graphic novel, written and illustrated by Thanasis Petrou, follows on from his books The Hostages of Geiritz (2019), 1922: The End of a Dream (2021) and 1923: Enemy Homeland (2022) [Best Comic & Original Script Award from the 2023 Greek Comics Awards]. Six years as a soldier. From Görlitz in Germany, fighting at the Sangarius in Asia Minor, and then a refugee in Piraeus. Abatzis finds himself in prison for a crime of honour, alongside thieves, pickpockets, robbers, junkies, and the notorious Sakaflias. The sentence is harsh and the prison has strict, unbreakable rules. When he is released, nothing ties him to any place and the country resembles a rudderless ship. His journey will take him, in May 1936, to Thessaloniki, which is in turmoil due to the workers’ strikes.

On 9 April 1941, the Germans occupy Thessaloniki. Eleven days later, Greece, victorious in the war against Italy but defeated by Germany, signs an armistice. The triple occupation of the country by the Germans, Italians and Bulgarians begins. Our hero, Giorgis Abatzis, the people of Thessaloniki and all Greeks will have to adapt to a life full of prohibitions and privations. During the 42 months that the Occupation lasts in the city, some will find opportunities to get rich, whilst others will sell everything they own just to survive. Some will resist the occupiers, whilst others will collaborate with them. There are also those who will be lost forever. The new graphic novel, written and illustrated by Thanasis Petrou, follows on from his books The Hostages of Geirlich (2019), 1922: The End of a Dream (2021), and 1923: Enemy Homeland (2022) [Best Comic & Original Script Award from the 2023 Greek Comics Awards] and 1936: A Democracy on the Brink (2024).