The Lights Of Niterói by Marcello Quintanilha. Translated from Portuguese by Bruna Dantas labato & Marcello Quintanilha. Fantagraphics, 2026. 9798875001772. 232pp.
Hélcio and his friend Noel (aka Turtle) are at the beach when they see someone in the distance fishing with dynamite. Hélcio wants to go out and grab some of the fish to sell, since there will be too much; Noel wants to play it safe and turn in the empty bottles he has. Hélcio has more reason to be cautious than Noel — he’s a rising star in the local soccer scene, and is supposed to be at practice soon — but he talks Noel into going out in a rented boat.
What happens is beyond what either bargained for. It includes flashbacks of Hélcio’s life as he dives for fish, the threat of violence as the two try to sell their haul, and a storm that is as terrifying as it is beautifully drawn. As they try to keep their boat afloat, it’s clear that both their lives and their friendship are at stake.
