Writer: Francesco Barilli
Artist & Colorist: Sakka
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Price: $19.99
Release Date: February 24, 2026
His parents named him after his stillborn older brother.
They made other plans for him. Even his brother Theo, his most avid supporter,
forced Vincent to compromise his ideals. Still, Vincent knew what he wanted and
tread his own path through life. What challenges did he face? And what prompted
Vincent Van Gogh to create his immortal art? Let’s grab our paints and brushes,
leap into Vincent Van Gogh: Sadness Will Last Forever TP, and see!
Story
Vincent’s father pastored a church in a small town in the
Netherlands. Bearing the name of his stillborn older brother made Vincent feel
like a replacement. And his parents regularly took him to the grave to honor
his brother’s memory.
In Vincent Van Gogh: Sadness Will Last Forever TP, the artist-to-be
grows up torn between two worlds. Pastors and art dealers number among his
family. His father wants him to shepherd souls. Yet the working class suffers
from poverty and illness. Vincent cannot preach from the pulpit to the well-heeled
members of society without immersing himself in the plight of the less
fortunate. His father’s insistence upon retaining the family’s respectability
restrains Vincent and dooms his ministry.
Equating the world of manners and etiquette with spiritual
death, Vincent throws his passion into his art. He craves neither financial
rewards nor public acclaim. His parents, and later his brother Theo, support
him. Still, Vincent's family wishes that pursuing art could make him happy.
As Vincent Van Gogh travels, always searching for someplace
new to live and paint, Francesco Barilli walks readers through the artist's
life. We see the people who inspired him, his brother's steadfast support, and
Vincent's attempts to uplift others. Like many artists, Vincent seeks to
transform his mind through alcohol. Yet whether living on his own or with
others, in a house or a hospital, Vincent strives to capture the life, energy,
and mystery of the world around him and the sky above.
Art
Sakka begins Vincent Van Gogh: Sadness Will Last Forever TP
with darkness. Dressed in a suit, young Vincent holds a red rose. The moonlight
casts an eerie glow over the cemetery and a decaying church. His parents seem
more like specters than people. The darkness follows Vincent as he journeys
through his life. Yet pink adorns the borders of pages filled with panels
showcasing Vincent, the people in his life, and the symbols that held meaning
for him.
These symbols open each chapter. They define periods of
Vincent's life and the struggles he dealt with. Hyperreal colors suggest the
stimuli flooding Vincent's brain, and the reasons why he always felt unworthy
of wielding a brush. Yet Sakka's art attempts not just to tell Vincent's life
but inhabit it through his paintings. From "Sorrow" to Vincent's
Room," An Empty Chair" and beyond, these interpretations of Vincent’s
classic paintings suggest X-ray images revealing the painter's otherworldly
vision.
Handwriting fills white balloons and panel backgrounds. As
the cursive lettering varies from tiny to generous, the writing style emulates
the epistles Vincent and his family left behind. The lettering size and style
may slow the pace. Yet they lend an immediacy and authenticity to Vincent Van
Gogh: Sadness Will Last Forever TP.
In a final section of notes, the author cites the sources
that helped him craft this interpretation of Vincent Van Gogh's life. He also
explains why he embraced some historical accounts and contemporary views more
than others. Thanks to Mad Cave Studios, Comixology, and Superfan Promotions
for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
Vincent Van Gogh lived among us for thirty-seven years. He
only sold one painting during that time. Yet he is one of the most celebrated
artists in history. Vincent Van Gogh: Sadness Will Last Forever TP illuminates
the artist's struggles with family, society, and his limitations. The graphic
novel also pays homage to the people who challenged and supported him, and
ensured that Vincent Van Gogh's unique vision of the world still inspires us
today.
Rating 9/10
To look inside see my preview of Vincent Van Gogh: Sadness Will Last Forever TP.
