Hey everyone! If you’re into Greek mythology, art, and crime stories that keep you guessing, then you’ll want to check out “Olympia” by Jerome Mulot, Florent Ruppert, and Bastien Vives. It’s a crime graphic novel with art heist themes that has been translated into English from French.
The Olympia graphic novel isn’t your typical read — it’s a wild ride that mixes ancient legends with modern-day art heists, all wrapped up in a slick, simple, yet sophisticated package.
What makes Olympia stand out? Well, for starters, it makes you think about the iconic Venus and Olympia paintings. Are there any secrets or myths tied to these masterpieces? If so, this book will make you wonder…
The story combines art crimes, the Mafia, and LGBTQ themes, with twists you definitely won’t see coming. Think daring heists, extremely far-fetched schemes, and a dash of mystery that’ll keep you turning the pages from start to finish.
All in all, it’s a thrilling crime plot that offers readers a unique comic experience. If you’re into art, history, or just love a good suspense story, Olympia could be the graphic novel for you. It’s pretty cool — even Lady Gaga has a place in the story — it’s sometimes clever, and there’s one huge surprise in it. Wow! I never saw that coming…
OLYMPIA: Graphic Novel Review
Olympia is actually a pretty quick read even though the graphic novel is 136 pages. You’ll likely finish it in under an hour. Some of the pages are mostly visuals so you can breeze through it pretty fast. The crime story sets the scene by introducing a couple of the main women — Alex and Sam. And no, they’re not guys. They’re women or maybe they’re lesbians? Either way, they’re the art thieves.
Later on, another woman named Caroline, who happens to be pregnant, joins the team, and together they form a tight crew. Olympia is actually the second book in the series. In the first book, they stole the famous Le Grande Odalisque (The Grand Odalisque) by the artist Ingres from the Louvre. The same artwork name is used in the title of the first book. In Olympia, the second book, the art thieves go on another art heist, and that’s what the entire story is about.
Things swing into action when Alex and Sam are invited to a yacht party, where they’re given strict instructions on what to wear. But things take a wild turn when a Mafia-like figure demands a helmet they stole — yet refuses to pay them the full amount they were promised.
With tensions rising and big money on the line, the girls have to quickly decide what to do next. And let’s just say, they’re about to blow things up in a big way.
Luckily, Caroline offers some timely help, and they manage to escape the clutches of danger — but the Mafia isn’t about to let them walk away unscathed. After tracking the women down, their lives hang in the balance, and the only way to secure their survival is a high-stakes heist: stealing three legendary masterpieces — Giorgione’s Sleeping Venus, Titian’s Venus of Urbino, and Manet’s Olympia.
Each stolen painting becomes a crucial lifeline, a gamble that could either save them or seal their doom. In a world where art and danger collide, their fate hinges on pulling off the ultimate daring theft.
They’ll need to meticulously plan their approach, starting with a thorough reconnaissance of the Petit Palais, where the masterpieces are displayed. Every detail matters — the security systems, the staff routines, the layout of the galleries. So, what’s their strategy going to be? Will they rely on stealth, distraction, or perhaps a daring disguise?
The success of their daring scheme hinges on flawless precision, impeccable timing, and nerves of steel. The burning question is how they will orchestrate their escape through the fortress to seize what they desperately need.
In this high-stakes game, Venus and Olympia aren’t just priceless works of art — they’re their lifelines. If they can pull off the theft, these masterpieces could be their salvation. But failure isn’t an option because if they fall short, it could spell their ultimate demise.
But as with all great heists, chaos lurks just beneath the surface. Just when everything seems to be falling into place, fate throws a wild card — Lady Gaga is holding a private photo shoot right at the very moment the heist unfolds. Will her star power and unexpected presence become the tipping point that blows their cover?
Could Lady Gaga be the one to unravel the entire operation, turning their meticulously crafted scheme into a spectacular disaster? The tension thickens — nothing is ever as simple as it seems when high stakes and unpredictable chaos collide.
As if the chaos wasn’t enough, the police suddenly crash into the scene, turning their daring escape into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. It seems like Alex, Sam, and Caroline are teetering on the edge of capture, their carefully laid plans unraveling by the second.
With danger closing in from all sides, the question lingers — will they be caught and face the consequences, or can they outwit everyone and slip away? To discover the shocking twist and find out what fate awaits them, you’ll need to delve into Olympia. Trust me, you’ll be blindsided by what happens next.
Olympia: Final Thoughts
Honestly, the core “Olympia” story idea was genuinely intriguing — there’s a lot of potential here. However, the presentation didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The illustrations, which I found somewhat plain, failed to resonate, and the dialogue felt a bit off — perhaps because I’m unfamiliar with LGBTQ expressions and thought processes. Maybe some of the spark was lost in translation as well.
That said, there were definitely some standout moments. I appreciated the sophistication of the storytelling, especially with all the references to Venus and Olympia artwork, which added a nice layer of depth and realism.
On the flip side, a few scenes toward the end drifted too far into the realm of the fantastical — almost as if they were deliberately steering the story into wacky, over-the-top territory that felt disconnected from any realistic art heist plausibility. It left me wishing I could buy into the events a bit more, even if their chances were slim. A touch more grounding in reality might have infused the narrative with greater tension and believability, making the entire art heist escapade feel more compelling and authentic.
Turning “Olympia” into a movie probably wouldn’t be an easy task, and honestly, that’s kind of what makes it stand out a little — it’s got a story you won’t find anywhere else. It’s got some good moments, but overall, I wouldn’t say it’s that great. That said, a lot of people have raved about Olympia, really praising it, so it clearly strikes a chord with many comic fans.
My initial thoughts were that I’d give this “Olympia” graphic novel a rating of 5.5, but then I decided to bump it up to a 6 out of 10. Look, Olympia does one thing really well: you truly don’t know where the story’s headed until you get to the last page.
One last thing I’d like to say: I found the speech bubbles a bit challenging to read because the font was quite faint. Despite that, I’m ultimately glad I gave it a shot. In my opinion, Olympia isn’t a classic graphic novel by any means, but its uniqueness still makes it worth exploring. Strangely enough, it reminds me of Atlantis Mystery — though I can’t quite pinpoint why.
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You can also explore a fascinating collection of Greek mythology comics and graphic novels right here.
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