Peter Pan of Kensington is a lush graphic novel by José Luis Munuera (Fraternity) that serves as a “prequel” adaptation of J. M. Barrie’s classic work. Rather than retreading the famous Peter and Wendy, Munuera adapts the lesser-known 1902 text The Little White Bird, where Peter Pan first appeared as an infant-like “between-thing” who escaped his human life to live in London’s Kensington Gardens.
The story follows six-year-old Maimie Mannering, who becomes trapped in the gardens after lock-up. As night falls, the park transforms into a magical and often perilous realm ruled by fairies and talking animals. Mannering is rescued by Peter Pan, a wild and mercurial boy who can fly but lacks human empathy. While Peter tries to entice her to stay forever in his “imaginary island” within the park, Mannering struggles with the terrifying reality of the supernatural world and her desperate desire to return to her mother. Munuera uses a gorgeous, painterly style to capture the whimsical yet dark “Gothic-Victorian” atmosphere of Barrie’s original vision, focusing on themes of childhood innocence, the cruelty of memory, and the thin veil between imagination and reality.
