Review by Karl Verhoven

Complex political manoeuvring resulted in the kingdoms of England and Scotland being united in 1707, against the wishes of a sizeable minority in Scotland. The next century saw continual intrigue and a series of rebellions, and that’s the backdrop for Philippe Aymond’s historical drama.

A casualty of the plots and counter plots was painter Joseph Callender, whose portrait of Amelia, the Duke of Plaxton’s daughter, led to controversy, and ultimately betrayal. He looked to have met his end as The Portrait of Amelia concluded, and those events also left the Duke and his daughter out of sorts. However, in such times one person’s misfortune becomes another’s advantage.

As he’s shown on the cover, it’s not going to surprise anyone that Callender survived his fate, nor did Aymond really intend anything more than a cliffhanger ending mimicking the great escapes in historical fiction inspiring Highlands. Aymond again taking his inspiration from historical adventure fiction, this becomes a tale of revenge as Callender, already shown to be resourceful beyond his art, begins to piece together what’s happened to him and who his enemy is. “I don’t want your money”, Callender growls, “I want the truth”.

Given the gift of the Scottish scenery, Aymond makes the most of the beautiful setting, delivering it gloriously in all seasons. Let’s hope he managed some tax-deductible holidays during the creation, as he’s done Scotland proud. He’s no idle artist when it comes to battles either, filling the panels with combatants, all the more remarkable for the panels rarely occupying more than a quarter of a page. You’ll almost hear those broadswords clanking against shields

While Highlands bops along quite nicely, it’s never more than its inspirations, and can tumble into melodrama and cliché, such as a miraculous recovery for the ending. However, what emerges as a Shakespearean theme underpinning events is well introduced, Callender is a strong lead, and that art is gorgeous, so worth a punt if you enjoy historical drama. Fans of Outlander in particular.