A new comic book tells the story of the Bible… from Satan’s perspective.

You may have heard the idea that Satan is actually the good guy in the religious myth. After all, he’s the one who wanted to give Adam and Eve knowledge while God wanted to keep them in the dark about good and evil. (He’s also far, far less violent than God.)

That’s the thread that this story follows.

In The Falling Star, published by Hypatia Press (which I co-founded in 2017), author and illustrator Jon Hammond offers a unique story that stays true to the original texts as much as possible.

Hammond tells the story of the Archangel Samael who reminds readers that history is written by the victors. As we learn about Samael’s journey, he grapples with “the concepts of free will, subjective truth and predestination.” While he longs for his own freedom, he’s constantly reminded that God controls his destiny. I may be biased, having edited the book, but it’s a fascinating depiction of religious literature that reminds readers there isn’t just one way to read the Bible — or even one character whose perspective is worth considering.