Bookshelf: Guam writer draws on island life for debut graphic novel

Jerome Guzman

By Ron Rocky Coloma

“Murder Academy Annihilation” grew out of a long detour for Jerome Guzman, who did not fall into reading early and instead spent his childhood immersed in games and anime.

“I’m sort of a late bloomer when it comes to reading,” said Guzman, 34, from Dededo. He said his gateway arrived on his 20th birthday, when his wife gifted him the full “Harry Potter” and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" collections. “I was more of an artist working on my first manga, but I had very weak writing skills, and she told me these books might be an excellent place to start.”

Those novels, combined with anime like “Elfen Lied” and “Ghost Hunt,” helped shape a world that blends murder mystery, fantasy and horror.

Guzman said the gothic tone of “Unfortunate Events” and the “magical whimsy and world building of Harry Potter” felt natural together. “Murder Academy of course predates this back all the way in 2013,” he said, noting later comparisons to Netflix’s “Wednesday.”

The story unfolds on a remote island academy marked by power imbalances and unease, a perspective Guzman traced to growing up on Guam. He recalled seeing the island through the eyes of a high school friend who had recently moved there.

“To me, growing up on Guam and living in Dededo was just business as usual,” he said. “To him, the weather, the elderly and the mix of cultures and people intrigued him.”

That outsider lens informs protagonist Christopher Dime, a prodigy stripped of authority and forced to rebuild himself. Guzman said the character reflects personal experiences and those of people close to him.

“I love a good underdog story,” he said. “Christopher Dime is an amalgamation of those experiences. Mine and theirs.”

Cultural representation also anchors the academy, with CHamoru, Filipino and multicultural characters woven throughout.

“I find people incredibly interesting,” Guzman said. “You learn a lot from people.”

The 170-page graphic novel underwent at least seven rewrites. “It was hard – really hard,” he said. “It was like visiting an old friend with a refreshed mind.”

Murder Academy Annihilation is the first of a planned four volumes and is available for $8 on the Nocturnal Noir website.

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