Djinn is a Franco-Belgian comics

Franco-Belgian comics

Franco-Belgian comics are comics that are created in Belgium and France. These countries have a long tradition in comics and comic books, where they are known as BDs, an abbreviation of bande dessinée in French and stripverhalen in Dutch...

 series written by Jean Dufaux

Jean Dufaux

Jean Dufaux is a Belgian comic book writer. Initially beginning his professional career as a journalist for "CINÉ-PRESSE", Dufaux started writing comic books in the 1980s...

 and illustrated by Ana Mirallès

Ana Miralles

Ana Miralles is a Spanish comic books artist, known particularly for her treatment of erotic subjects....

. The story is an adult adventure-thriller and deals with themes of sexuality

Human sexuality

Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...

 and colonial politics

Colonialism

Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...

.

The first four volumes make up the "Ottoman Cycle" while the following five comprise the "Africa Cycle". The "Indian Cycle", planned for four volumes, started 2010 with the volume "Le Pavillon des Plaisirs".

Synopsis

A young Englishwoman, Kim Nelson, travels to Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...

 in search of information about her grandmother Jade. In the years before World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, Jade had been the favourite of the "Black Sultan", and ordered by him to seduce an English diplomat, Lord Nelson, in order to alter Turkey's influence in European politics. Kim's story and that of her grandmother are revealed in tandem, in a Europe where sexual and political allegiances are constantly shifting.

Present

• Kim Nelson: A young Englishwoman hunting for the story of her heritage. Kim is independent and resourceful, and determined to find out what happened to her grandmother. She is increasingly aware that she may have inherited some of the mysterious sexual powers of the djinn.
• Malek: A mysterious young Turk, wanted by the police, who decides to help Kim in her quest and ultimately falls for her.
• Amin Doman: A ruined businessman, Doman will stop at nothing to acquire the legendary treaure said to have been hidden by Jade two generations ago.
• Youssouf Sarki: The grandson of the Sultan's chief bodyguard, Youssouf has ensconced himself in the heart of the desert and reconstructed a former way of life, complete with his own personal harem.

Past

• Jade: The Sultan's favourite, Jade is beautiful but apparently heartless, and is widely rumoured to be the incarnation of a djinn.
• Sultan Murati: The ruler of Turkey and last of his dynasty, he is prepared to use every means at his disposal – including Jade – to bolster his country's influence as the political map of Europe is redrawn.
• Lord Nelson: An initially reserved English diplomat, Nelson has been sent to Turkey to prevent the Sultan from sealing an alliance with Germany
  Germany
  Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
  
  . Manipulated and humiliated by the Ottoman court, he finally seeks a fitting revenge.
• Lady Nelson: Lord Nelson's wife is well brought-up and respectable. But she too falls victim to the djinn's power and is seduced by Jade, setting in motion a long chain of cause and effect...
• Ebu Sarki: The Sultan's chief bodyguard, he is fiercely loyal and the guardian of his master's harem.

Volumes

1. La Favorite (2001, Ottoman Cycle 1)
2. Les 30 clochettes (2002, Ottoman Cycle 2)
3. Le Tatouage (2003, Ottoman Cycle 3)
4. Le Trésor (2004, Ottoman Cycle 4)
5. Africa (2005, African Cycle 1)
6. La Perle noire (2006, African Cycle 2)
7. Pipiktu (2007, African Cycle 3)
8. Fièvres (2008, African Cycle 4)
9. Le roi gorille (2009, African Cycle 5)
10. Le Pavillon des Plaisirs (2010, Indian Cycle 1)

• Out-of-series:

1. Ce qui est caché (2004, Art Album for the Ottoman Cycle)
2. Notes sur Africa (2009, Art Album for the African Cycle)