Miguel Vila magnifies the petty and morbid narrowness of the human soul with a precision to rival storytellers such as Mike Leigh, Andrey Zvyagintsev, or Michael Haneke.

“This book makes no claims to scientific validity and is in no way intended for informational purposes.” So declares Miguel Vila in the outset of his new graphic novel, Comfortless, a taxonomy of the masks with which we pretend to live, executed with the precision of a master sociologist. It collects a kaleidoscope of weaving character studies, united by the ways vanity, jealousy, and selfishness manifest via fear, vice, and lust. Giorgia ends her relationship with Eva because she thinks her fling with Nic has resulted in her pregnancy. Nic has a secret to reveal to Daniele, but he can’t express it. Stella meets Daniele and tells him about the strange events they have experienced in recent years. Simone attends a New Year's Eve party knowing that he is positive for Covid.

Set in the Venetian province of Italy, the themes Vila addresses are global. Comfortless is a catastrophic fresco of a humanity adrift, where fears and selfishness draw a merciless map of the emptiness of our times.