My First Book Roll: Shipwreck • Paul Rietzl

For some time now, I’ve also been exploring the world of graphic novels, comics, and manga, and although my primary focus is still on the classics (how could it ever be otherwise), I’ve recently been reading quite a bit beyond that. I can only recommend doing the same, because it leads to discovering exciting content and new forms of storytelling. One of those I’d like to introduce to you today. I’ve read my first book scroll, and if you’re wondering what kind of new trend this might be, you shouldn’t miss this post.

Quite by chance, I came across the book scroll Shipwreck, published by Round not Square. The publisher was successfully launched in 2015 via Kickstarter, funded with four initial book scrolls. At the end of 2016, the graphic novel Shipwreck followed. The concept immediately fascinated me. The work is printed on a very long scroll, which you unroll while reading and roll up again on the other side. This allows you to decide for yourself how much is visible at once — you can literally roll through the comic. I was very excited about the package with the book scroll and could hardly wait to unwrap the much-anticipated piece.

The story takes place in a dystopian galaxy ruled by a so-called Shogun. Once, the world flourished in technological advancement and was inhabited by various clans. A great war for power broke out, destroying nearly everything and leaving the world a vast field of ruins. In the remnants, the clans now lead a meager existence — fighting for survival, competing for resources, salvaging old technologies, and scraping by as best they can. Oishi, a samurai warrior from the Asano Clan, tells how his clan comes into conflict with the mighty Shogun. The setting is thus a science fiction story with samurai elements and a bit of Star Wars–style space battles — quite an interesting mix.

I was very curious about how such a book scroll would feel and read. At first, it does take some getting used to. I followed the short instructions and read the scroll at a table, unrolling it first. That worked quite well, and the format really impressed me. It looks great when the white and seemingly infinite space illustrated by Paul Rietzl stretches out before you. The characters are colorful, and the cosmos with the planet Eno is vividly and brightly depicted. It’s beautiful to look at and I enjoyed it a lot.

Once you’ve read a bit, you simply roll further — it’s quite effortless, though I always had to make sure not to roll it unevenly. Crumbs are also the enemy, as they get rolled in easily — something that happened to me more than once. A clean surface is therefore highly recommended. According to the instructions, you can also read the scroll freely in the air, but I didn’t try that. With my two left hands, I doubt it would have gone well.

In terms of touch, the book scroll completely won me over. It just feels great when the paper slides through your fingers. The print quality is excellent, and the paper has just the right thickness, making it easy to handle while still feeling smooth in your hands. When it comes to the tactile experience, the scroll definitely takes the lead and fully appeals to my bibliophilic side. I also find it a real eye-catcher when it sits on the shelf, showing the rolled-up paper — it looks great. I couldn’t help but imagine how impressive it would look to have an entire shelf filled with such scrolls.

The cover of the scroll — essentially the first rotation — is made of linen printed with the cover design. Magnets are embedded in the linen, keeping the scroll neatly closed so it doesn’t unroll by itself. It’s nicely sturdy and well-crafted.

While I really like the scroll visually and haptically, I do find it somewhat impractical overall. You really need to read it in one go or have a suitable place to lay it out. It’s not ideal for reading on a train. Even if I were more dexterous and could read it freely in the air, I’d be too afraid of tearing or crumpling it while putting it away. For me, this is something to read at home and enjoy consciously — a bibliophile experience, not for quick consumption. What I didn’t like as much was rewinding it — which you have to do after reading the 15 meters. It took me about 45 minutes to read through the story, and I did quite a bit of winding to get it back in place. It really reminded me of the 1980s and cassette tapes.

The format itself is truly unique. The scroll is perfectly suited for wide, panoramic content. I’m not sure how well it would work for a conventional book. On Round not Square’s shop, you’ll find several scrolls, each with content designed to take full advantage of this format. Catching the Eye, for example, presents the photography of Larry Yust, who has photographed entire streets and arranged them artistically — a perfect fit. Reading War and Peace in this format would probably be exhausting. For comics, though, the format — as Shipwreck demonstrates perfectly — is just ideal. Paul Rietzl designed all his illustrations for this layout, and the story unfolds almost cinematically, like a flowing sequence of images. I imagine that even a traditional comic with multiple panels, or even a manga, would be a real pleasure in this form.

The story of Shipwreck entertained me well. It’s beautifully illustrated, colorful, and filled with magnificent panoramic scenes. There’s a lot of narration and little dialogue, which slows the reading pace somewhat. However, I liked the characters — they’re well-developed and fit perfectly into this desolate, war-torn world. The story doesn’t end with a big twist but rather sketches a fictional world and brings it vividly to life. It’s not a major showstopper, but overall, the scroll offers a very enjoyable reading experience.

Paul Rietzl is a freelance illustrator and comic artist from Augsburg. He showcases some of his work on his website.

If you’d like to learn more about book scrolls, I recommend watching the video from the Kickstarter campaign (Round not Square – The Reinvention of the Scroll on Vimeo). It gives a good insight, though the production of Shipwreck differs from the scroll shown there. The principle, however, is the same.

Conclusion: I was very curious about the book scroll and think the idea is brilliant. Any attempt to innovate in bibliophilic design and explore new directions nearly always leads to fascinating projects. Even though the book scroll isn’t suited for everyday use and is best for content with wide formats, I found it truly captivating. Shipwreck is a comic that flows smoothly before the reader, brings a colorful and beautifully illustrated dystopian world to life, and demonstrates how much potential this format holds. For special reading moments, the scroll is a genuine delight. Anyone who loves beautiful books will surely enjoy this as well. I hope Round not Square publishes more comics of this kind.

You can order the book scrolls in the online shop on the Round not Square website: https://round-not-square.com. There you’ll also find other scrolls, such as the illustrated children’s story Wilma and Wolf.

Book information: Shipwreck • Paul Rietzl • Round not Square • 15 meters