Tunnels

Tunnels is a splendid graphic novel, intricately plotted, expressively drawn, and colorfully executed. Its plot is complicated, and its characters bold, with each of them so focused on their desires that they do not see a bigger picture. The main character is Nili, an unemployed, single mother who strives to complete her archaeologist father's ultimate quest: to locate the Ark of the Covenant. Because of the onset of dementia, he had been removed from his academic position and is convalescing at home.

 "Aiding her" on her journey is her brother Broshi, but he is secretly in kahoots with Prof. Rafi Sarid, their father's ex-collaborator who is conniving to take the glory that comes with discovery for himself. He has dangled Broshi the prospect of tenure for information leading to locating the Ark, but he has no intentions to honor his deal. Also on the journey is Doctor, Nili's young son who wants nothing but to be left alone with games on a cell phone. The entire enterprise is bankrolled by Emil Abuloff, an antiquities dealer with a penchant for buying artifacts pilfered by ISIS. He is looking for a legitimate score to offset the ill-gotten gains he has made off of terrorists.  Doing the actual digging are two parties, first a team of sycophantic Jews led by Shmuel Gedanken and two Palestinian brothers, Mahdi and Zuzu  who dig the tunnel but want it for smuggling purposes. Gedanken also has in tow Aviva, a red cow that is to be slaughtered upon discovering the Ark.

If you have stuck with me thus far, you can see that there is much going on in this book character-wise. However, just as important as the characters is the setting, the contested lands in Israel and Palestine where huge walls and armed soldiers loom. At stake here are not just the fame that comes with discovery but also the power afforded to political and religious supremacy. Not to mention the fact the some of these people believe that possessing the Ark means that their forces will be unstoppable.

Despite all of these seriousness and intrigue of this quest, the book also features a sense of humor, full of Tintin-esque, colorful characters whose eyes and mouths frequently explode in cartoonish manner. Aviva the cow is also a wild-card, getting into all sorts of mischief and mucking things up. So, this books is a strangely balanced concoction of political jostling, family and academic drama, archaeological adventure, and farce. It is a fascinating, compelling, and substantial book, masterfully crafted and brilliantly illustrated. It also features an essay to close the book, where the author explains her intentions and narrative choices in great detail.

Tunnels was created by Rutu Modan, who has published two other graphic novels. Exit Wounds and The Property, in the US, with both winning Eisner Awards. She has also illustrated a number of picture books, created a variety of short comics, and edited the Hebrew edition of MAD magazine. She speaks about her work on Tunnels in this interview. This book was translated into English by Ishai Mishory.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Hillary Brown wrote that "all these characters are so flawed and fascinating and prickly. They’re predictable and unpredictable in equal parts, which makes them interesting to watch." Etelka Lehoczky opined, "Contemplating the shallowness and entitlement of Modan's characters, readers may wind up reflecting on their own." Rachel Cooke wrote, "Every page is gripping, every frame profoundly political."

Tunnels was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they offer a preview and more here.

Goliath

Goliath is a sparse, poignant, and inventive retelling of an old, familiar tale. It re-imagines the Philistine giant as an introspective and philosophical man who is more prone to doing administrative tasks than being a warrior. However, being that he stood at six cubits and a span tall (9.5 feet!), he becomes part of a plan to deter any Israelite attack. Twice a day for 40 days he goes out decked in armor to challenge the forces of Israel, putting fear into them because of his massive size.

Not much of a warrior, he is more a tool of his leaders. He spends much of his day in the company of a 9-year-old shield bearer, and mostly he stares at the wastes in the valley and the rocks that cloak the enemy camp. Eventually, he does not even go back to camp with his troops and chooses to stay out in the valley, perhaps even contemplating deserting his post. This is a darkly funny book, with his quotidian routine making him quite relatable. And when the inevitable ending occurs, it does not seem very celebratory.

The creator responsible for this clever, moving book is Tom Gauld, a Scottish cartoonist who draws a weekly comic for The Guardian. His collection You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack was one of my favorite books of 2013, and his spare artwork bursts with meaning and feeling. He speaks more about his work, both on this book and in general, in this interview.

Goliath has received much praise and was nominated for an Eisner Award. Marty Mulrooney concisely concluded, "Goliath tells a familiar story from a fresh angle and the results prove delightful." Noel Murray praised the book "both for the alternately funny and poignant scenes of its hero waiting forlornly on the plain for something to happen, and for Gauld’s art, which is typically on-point." Jeff Jackson wrote that it is "an example of what good storytelling can do, even with stories we’ve heard hundreds of times."

Goliath was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they have previews and much more information about the book here.

Mike's Place

Mike's Place is a gripping, heartfelt true story about a blues bar in Tel Aviv that was attacked by a suicide bomber in 2003. The events were also depicted in the 2004 documentary Blues by the Beach, and two of the filmmakers wrote this graphic novel. The documentary was in the works already, an attempt to capture the spirit of Mike's Place and why it was a place of joy amidst much turmoil. It turns out that terrorists targeted this establishment because it was such a center of joy and relief, and their true life narrative turned tragic.

What is impressive about this book to me is how much it tackles. It gives a human face to the "Mike's Place family," the people who worked and played at the bar, some who lost their lives and all who were victims of the violence.  Getting to know these folks endeared them to me and gives the final events more impact while putting a human face on these events.

The book also has the intrigue of a thriller with glimpses into how the bombing was planned and carried out. It clearly depicts the social and political circumstances in Israel at the time that bring about this horrible act as well as its resulting grief and aftermath.

Finally, this book is a critique of the use of violence by religious extremists, a point driven home by the use of quotations from the Qur'an that open each chapter of the book.


This graphic novel was written by Jack Baxter and Joshua Faudem, who are also characters in the story, and drawn by Koren Shadmi. Baxter was a producer of the 2004 documentary film and Faudem the director. Baxter speaks about the creation of this graphic novel in this interview. Shadmi is an artist who has worked on a webcomic The Abaddon as well as published a collection of short comics stories called In the Flesh. Here, his artwork leans toward realism, and he does very well in conveying emotions, personalities, and actions via journalistic black and white images.

All of the reviews I have read about this book describe a book that is powerful and moving. Brett called it "beautifully haunting." Bradley Campbell called it "a gripping read" that "shows you that people have the ability to heal; but it also shows how difficult, complicated and saddening the healing process can be." Joe Gordon wrote, "It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s upsetting, it’s inspiring, it has happy moments of laughter and dreadful troughs of despair, just like life, really, but through all of the events here remains that warm, human feeling of inclusion and family, perhaps our only real defence and hope against the hatred in the world."

Mike's Place was published by First Second, and they have a preview and more info available here.  There is also a video trailer of the book posted here.

A review copy was provided by the publisher. Thank you, Gina!

Jerusalem: A Family Portrait

Jerusalem is an impressive graphic novel both in size and scope. It is set from 1940 to 1948, a time when the Jewish nation of Israel was being constituted. The main plot follows the Halaby family. Two brothers, Isak and Yakov have a long standing conflict of Biblical proportions and there is also financial drama between them. This conflict between Isak, a candy peddler, and his affluent brother devolves into debts, slights, and legal actions. This strife also affects their spouses and children, all of whom are trying to coexist in some manner.

Layered into that family drama are the political happenings of the day, and this book is as much about political machinations as it is familial ones. Complicating matters further, some family members are part of the anti-British and French occupation movements. We are privy to some of the children, especially Isak's defiantly outspoken son Motti, pushing back against the indoctrination happening in the schools. The older children are embroiled in various military forces and actions, and they are often divided along political lines. These conflicts are depicted in human and affecting ways, but the story is also chock full of historical information, and I felt that I was enlightened much more about the origins of Israel of a country.

Also, it is worth mentioning that this story does not shy away from the brutality and horrors of war, and is stunningly graphic concerning destruction and death. The art is not over the top regarding these depictions, and I think that the violence of war juxtaposed well with the emotional violence that occurred between a number of the characters. Prisoners are not taken on many fronts in this book.

This book was a collaboration between writer Boaz Yakin, a screen writer who has also written the graphic novel Marathon, and Nick Bertozzi, a prolific graphic novelist interested in historical work. Among his works are the Harvey and Ignatz Award winning series Rubber Necker as well as the graphic novels The Salon, Lewis and Clark, and Houdini: The Handcuff King.  I felt that his moody, atmospheric grays and brand of cartoon realism made for some very effective and evocative scenes. His art style perfectly balances the emotional and factual needs of the narrative. For those interested more in the narrative, this interview with Yakin casts more light on Jerusalem's inception and creation.

In regard to its critical reception, Booklist gave this book a starred review, but most reviews I have seen appear more measured. Hillary Brown opined that it was "reasonably compelling with its dynamic politics and wide scope, even if it tries to pack too much in." Henry Chamberlain praised that it "provides a rich and dense texture to a narrative that invites a thorough reading." April called it "immensely readable," even if she was not a big fan of the artwork. I admit that this book does have a lot packed into it, but I felt in the end that that memorable characters, dramatic situations, and ambiguous, impactful conclusion made this a powerful work.

A preview, reviews, and more are available here from the book's publisher First Second.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!

How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less

Sarah Glidden has received numerous awards and accolades for her work in minicomics, including the 2008 Ignatz Award for Promising New Talent. She is an American-born artist, and this book is her first major endeavor. These interviews with Douglas Wolk, Samuel J. Scott, and Michael Cavna shed more light on her life, politics, and work.

How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less is a mediation about the politics and reality of Israel in the face of constant conflict with Palestinians and surrounding Arab nations. Glidden visited Israel in 2007 for a ten-day "birthright tour." She comes in expecting to find much pro-Israeli propaganda, as she is more sympathetic to the Palestinian side of the conflict. Instead of a simple bully-versus-victim situation, she comes to see many aspects of the historical happenings and political realities. She wrestles with her beliefs often, in fictional scenes depicted as a fantastical courtroom. She visits a great many places on the tour, including Tel Aviv, Kinneret, the desert, Golan Heights, and Jerusalem, learning about their historical import as well as their current statuses. Afterward, she stays for some more time, trying to get a less filtered, more real view of Israel by visiting the West Bank, but still no clarity emerges.

This intriguing volume contains much material to debate about regarding the politics of Israel, and it acts as a treasure trove of information not only within the actual narrative but also in the helpful glossary and timeline at the end of the book. I felt that the story was a fine combination of nonfiction and fantastical elements that was dense at times, but appropriately so according to the subject matter. The reviewer at Jewlicious found the plot very compelling and read the book in one sitting. Jen Sorenson called the book "a particularly effective piece of graphic storytelling," noting that the fictional courtroom scenes helped her pull the story and arguments together well. Kelly Thompson does not know if she is any clearer about the Israeli/Palestinian situation after reading it but noted that she was moved by this well-crafted graphic novel.

This book is published by Vertigo, and a preview of it is available from TIME magazine's Techland.

Palestine

Palestine is the first major collected work by Joe Sacco, a journalist who draws the events and people he encounters in different hot spots of the world. This books casts a spotlight on the people whose side we usually don't hear about in the US, telling the story of Palestinians who live in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Sacco was there in December 1991 until January 1992, and his motive for creating this work was to add balance to the coverage of the events in this area of the world. He felt that all the news reports he saw were told from the Israeli point of view, and he wanted to see what the other side looked like and had to say. The people he met were largely hospitable, drank tea, and were not all monsters or terrorists. However, they did have many stories about the foul deeds perpetrated on them by Israeli forces. After reading these accounts, it seems that neither side is entirely in the right in this conflict, to say the very least.

Palestine was originally published as separate issues from 1992 on and collected in 1996. In 1996, the series also won an American Book Award. It was reissued in 2007 as a special edition with an introduction by noted international scholar Edward Said.

In general, this is a very well reviewed work. Josh Flanagan at iFanboy called it one of the best comics of the decade. The Observer's David Thompson offered the opinion that "Sacco's greatest achievement is to have so poignantly depicted contradiction, oppression and horror in a form that manages to be both disarming and disquieting." The Independent's Charles Shaar Murray wrote that "It's a powerful piece of work" but also noted there was a uniformity to the depictions and "few of his Palestinian interviewees emerge as 'characters.'"

A short preview is available from the book's publisher, Fantagraphics. A longer slide show preview of the special edition of the book is here.