About Langbourne: The Comic

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Langbourne: The Comic is the official comic adaptation of the Langbourne novels by Australian author Alan Landau. Published by Landau Books, the series brings this sweeping family story to life through dramatic artwork, expressive characters and a contemporary vertical-scroll format created especially for digital reading.

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(For a three-minute audio overview narrated by the Author, click here.)

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At its heart, Langbourne is based on a true story. Inspired by the experiences of Alan Landau’s own family, it follows ordinary people confronted by persecution, poverty, migration and uncertainty—and the courage, determination and ingenuity that enable them to build new lives.

The story begins with the Breitstein family in nineteenth-century Eastern Europe, where growing danger forces them to abandon the home, community and livelihood they have known. Their journey carries them into the harsh industrial world of England, where the young Morris and David must work, dream and search for a way to change their family’s future. What begins as a struggle for survival gradually becomes a story of ambition, brotherhood, enterprise and hope.

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The comic adaptation is designed to preserve the characters, themes and emotional truth of the original novels while presenting the story through the unique possibilities of the comics medium. Cinematic compositions, carefully paced reveals and character-driven dialogue allow new readers to experience the Langbourne story visually, while readers of the novels will recognise the people, relationships and defining events at its heart. 

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Although rooted in one family’s history, Langbourne explores universal questions: What does it mean to leave everything behind? How do families endure hardship without losing their identity? And how can determination, loyalty and imagination transform adversity into opportunity?

This is more than the retelling of a family history. It is a tribute to those who crossed borders, endured hardship and took extraordinary risks so that future generations might have a better life.

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Written and created by Alan Landau
Based on the Langbourne novels
Published by Landau Books