Squire

Squire is a book I have had on my to-read shelf for too long, and I am so glad I finally got to it. It is about Aiza, a young woman who belongs to the Ornu people, who have been recently conquered and absorbed by the Bayt-Sajji Empire. Her people are looked at not even as citizens, and she resents their treatment as thieves and scoundrels. After persisting against her parents, she enlists in the squire training program in the Bayt-Sajji army. If she successfully completes the training to become a squire she will become a citizen and be on the pathway to become a knight, a storied and prominent position.

Looks glamorous, yeah?

As a recruit, she has to contend with harsh living conditions, highly competitive peers, and the difficult tasks set for them by military leadership. Aiza hides her identity as a Ornu from everyone, and over time she begins to learn more about the history of the conflict, the intentions of the military, and what being a citizen and a knight actually entails. These are some harsh realities, but she finds hope and encouragement from some unlikely allies, as well as a lot of prejudice and fear from her compatriots when they learn where she's from. 

This book is set in a fantasy version of Jordan and Turkey, and it touches upon many themes and issues that persist in the Middle East both past and present in terms of conflicts between different social groups and the mythologies perpetuated to enforce unity. The artwork is gorgeous and colorful, and the characters are vivid both in terms of their relationships, the plotting, and how they are drawn. I got very swept up by this book, and I found it nearly impossible to put down after I was about a quarter way through reading it. I feel it is exceptional and works on so many levels, as a fantasy tale, a modern parable, and a suspenseful action story. 

I should also add I really appreciated the final section of the book, which is full of story ideas, initial designs, and lots of information about the amount of research and design that went into this book. Making comics, let alone a graphic novel, is a lot of work. It's good to see more about the process so that younger readers can appreciate what it takes to be comics artists themselves. 

The two who put so much time and effort into making this book are writer Nadia Shammas and artist Sara Alfageeh. Shammas has written a number of graphic novels including the Ignyte Award-winning Where Black Stars Rise and Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin. Alfageeh also has illustrated the picture book Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater. Both collaborators speak extensively on their work on this book in this interview. 

Squire won the 2022 Harvey Award for Best Young Adult Book, and it has received many positive reviews. In their starred review, Publishers Weekly noted, "Alfageeh’s arresting visuals conjure a richly detailed, sun-drenched world in which impressive architecture fills open landscapes populated by visually diverse and complex characters." Kirkus Reviews called it "an engaging graphic novel that examines the nature of prejudice and the cost of imperial expansion." Helena Ramasroop wrote, " It was charming and unexpectedly humorous while also tackling important topics like prejudice, colonialism, justice, and the purpose of history."

Squire was published by Quill Tree Books, and they offer a preview and more here.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Above the Trenches

I have read and reviewed every graphic novel in this series (go see), and this one is a sequel of sorts to Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood in that it also is about World War I. However, this one does not look at the broad scope of the war but at a specific area, namely the origins of aerial combat. 

It is crazy to think that people took their lives into their own hands in early airplanes and even crazier than not even ten years after man-powered flight was invented that someone thought to use these vehicles for war. At first, they were used to scout troop movements and plan assaults, then they were used to drop bombs, and finally someone had the bright idea to strap guns onto them. 

At the time, just flying an airplane was somewhat a daredevil enterprise, with lots of risk involved and little in the way of safety equipment. This book follows a small group of brave (or foolhardy, depending on your viewpoint) young Americans who enlisted in the French Foreign Legion in order to take part in a war that the USA had not yet entered. Their intention was to become pilots and help fight in the skies, and this book chronicles the long, bumpy road many of them took in order to become soldiers. Spoiler: As people who engage in highly dangerous situations they also frequently smoke and drink. Also, most of them die or get killed over the course of the war.

What is excellent about this book is how it puts a human face on the war. There are many stark, pronounced personalities among the pilots, and it is very easy to get to know and root for them. Also, as with all the other volumes in this series, there are plenty of details that make the past come to life. Among the various topics also at hand are the intricacies of dog-fighting, string of technical innovations, military developments, and a code of honor among all pilots. 

It is amazing to me that this book not only encompasses so much information but also communicates it clearly while also making for a compelling, human story. And I have not even mentioned how many visual references must have gone into depicting the intricate uniforms, planes, and people involved in the war. From the lack of reviews I have found online, not many people review the twelfth entry in a series, but I feel it bears repeating just how marvelous and exceptional this book and the entire series are. The art is phenomenal, the stories moving, and the facts fascinating. NHHT continues to be the gold standard for nonfiction graphic novels.

Author Nathan Hale (not related to the Revolutionary War spy) is a highly accomplished graphic novelist, so much so that I named one of my annual favorites list categories after him. Aside from his great success with this series, he has also published the fictional graphic novels The Mighty Bite,  One Trick Pony and Apocalypse Taco. He has also drawn a few others, including Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack.

Above the Trenches was published by Amulet Books, and they offer more information about it here.

Cold War Correspondent

A new entry in the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series is always a welcome addition to my library, and this one, Cold War Correspondent, is exceptionally well done. It focuses on the conflict known as the Korean War, and it is told through the accounts of Marguerite Higgins, an enterprising and intrepid reporter who had to contend with firefights, evacuations, and rampant sexism. Her personality really shines through in this book, and it is rewarding to learn about her and how she does her job. Anyone interested in what a war correspondent does has a front seat view into that occupation, warts and all.

Reading this book, I also learned that I was ignorant about much of the origins and goings-on of this conflict. It is chock full of facts and excellent storytelling, so I felt that I could experience history as a compelling and informative narrative. I know that Hale did a superb job encapsulating an entire war before, but the job here he does of detailing the beginnings of the Korean War is just as comprehensive and gripping. This series is still the gold standard of nonfiction historical graphic novels.

This book's author, Nathan Hale (not related to the Revolutionary War spy) is a highly accomplished graphic novelist. I love his work so much that I named one of my annual favorites list categories after him. Aside from his great success with this series, he has also published a couple of fictional graphic novels One Trick Pony and Apocalypse Taco. He has also drawn a few others, including Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "exciting reportorial derring-do." Youth Services Book Review gave it 5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "I’ve never known much about the Korean War but now I do after reading the 11^th in the Hazardous Tale series."

Cold War Correspondent was published by Amulet Books, and they offer a preview and more here.

The Best We Could Do

Parenthood changes a person, and it is the framing sequence of The Best We Could Do, a complex, heartfelt, and evocative book that touches on family, history, and humanity. The initial scenes from a hospital precipitate everything that follows, and this book touches on a great number of serious topics. It looks at relationships with parents, but it also puts her specific relationship into context by delving into their pasts. Along the way, we are privy to their formative years in Vietnam, get to know about their families and their hopes and aspirations, and then see how life played out. Like the narrative throughout the book, these depictions are presented in non-linear, rich, and human fashion. The parents' lives are not simple hero narratives, but shown to be full of tragedies, triumphs, luck, routines, patterns, and stamina.

Also, the setting of this book shows the effects of colonialism on a country, the effects of war, the travails of being a refugee, and the discomforts that come from being an immigrant. This last set of concerns is especially topical right now, as we see similar situations over the world, with there being a dehumanizing and hateful backlash to people trying to find a place in the world. This book puts a much needed human face on such circumstances without resorting to simple good/bad narratives.

The simple, sparse artwork tells a strong story with a devastating economy. Several simple juxtapositions communicate volumes, such as drawing a country to be a person's spine or seeing a mother's pained face in the delivery room where her daughter is about to give birth. These simple features belie complicated pasts and relationships in a few strokes, and the muted colors and stark figures add much affect in surprisingly powerful fashion. I did not know what to expect when I started this book, but I loved it. As a parent and a son of immigrants (though not ones from such plights as the ones here), I found much to relate to, sympathize with, and ponder in this beautifully and intricately rendered book.

Thi Bui created this book over the course of many years, beginning it from her thesis project on her family's oral history. She teaches high school, and this book is her debut graphic novel. She speaks about her work on it and much more in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. Robert Kirby called it "an important, wise, and loving book." Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and wrote, "In excavating her family’s trauma through these brief, luminous glimpses, Bui transmutes the base metal of war and struggle into gold." John McMurtie noted that "Bui’s memoir elicits complex emotions from understated pen-and-ink drawings."

The Best We Could Do was published by Abrams ComicArts, and they have a preview and much more information about the book here. There is also another lengthy preview from PEN America.

The Flintstones, Volume 1

I definitely would not expect to find much provocative social commentary or satire from a book based on licensed characters. Those types of comics are usually insipid knock-offs of more vital media versions, but this Flintstones comic is actually very insightful, fun, and way more well done than I would have expected. This volume collects the first six issues of the ongoing series, which is about to be at issue #12 at this writing. Instead of it being a watered-down version of The Honeymooners, this series casts the family in a more realistic, bittersweet light. Fred is a war veteran stuck in a low-end job, always trying to advance but always getting taken advantage of.

Wilma is a stay-at-home mom with artistic tendencies, and Pebbles is a young adolescent with a keen eye and sharp tongue. Over the course of this series, they deal with many social issues and situations that mirror and comment on our contemporary ones, turning them on their heads in humorous and satirical fashion. For instance, both the Flintstones and the Rubbles catch flack for having nontraditional marriages (they are monogamous, whereas the norm is to be polygamous). They deal with vacuous politicians who offer no solutions other than blunt, brute-force tactics to deal with enemies (i.e, anyone who seems weird or foreign to them). They go to church and find a wide array of objects and deities offered for worship. And they are invaded by alien teenagers looking for a thrill during spring break.

Perhaps the darkest and most troubling aspect of the book has to deal with capitalism and consumerism, where people are constantly being pushed to buy household products that they may not need, just to keep up appearances. Many of these items and appliances are actually living things that have personalities and can communicate, though they are ignored and treated like objects. When their people are not around they talk to each other and loosen up some, though they accept their lots in life and do not rebel.

A common theme in this book is that pretty much everyone's happiness in this book is built on somebody else's misery. And a dark edge tinges pretty much every funny thing in this book, from the origins of Bedrock itself, to the way Barney and Betty Rubble adopt their son Bamm-Bamm, to the presence of the prototypical homosexual couple Adam and Steve. The satire is more pointed than shocking, but what is actually shocking is how admirable and satisfying this series is. Many comics today take a "grim & gritty" take on previously light material in ham-handed and oblivious ways. This book has a lot of heart, depicting very human characters with a complex blend of humor and pathos. Much of what makes it work is the combination of clever plotting plus the character designs that mesh together a version of realism with cartoon elements to make for some impressive, expressive scenes. Never in a million years would I expect to be reviewing a Flintstones comic here, but this one is a surprising gem.

This series is a collaboration between writer Mark Russell and artist Steve Pugh. Russell has collaborated on a few notable comics and comics-related books, including the profane and funny God Is Disappointed in You and a contemporary reboot of Prez. Pugh has been active in comics for decades, and his most notable works in the US have been multiple runs on Animal Man and drawing the Saint of Killers mini-series. Both creators speak about their work on this series in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and summed up, "Broad satire like this can risk a level of smarminess, but this is avoided through some sweet characterizations that present Fred and Barney as lovable lunkheads whose sincerity often sets them apart from the rest of Stone Age society." Ken Petti wrote that it was full of "solid stories with real emotional punch." Jacob Brogan commented about the various satires and that "what emerges is a story about the profound fragility of civilization—but also about the unlikely durability of the human connections that make it up."

The Flintstones, Volume 1 was published by DC Comics, and they have more info about the series here.

Shattered Warrior

Shattered Warrior is a compelling piece of science fiction. Its plot may seem familiar: it's about the aftermath of an alien invasion of Earth, where humans have been enslaved to work for their conquerors. Here, the bad guys are the Derichets, who desire to exploit and plunder the Earth's mineral resources. The main character is Colleen Cavanaugh, who still lives in the estate of her formerly very wealthy and well-to-do family, all of whom have been seemingly murdered.

No longer a patrician but reduced to being a lowly factory worker, Colleen has little to live for and trusts no one. However, she learns that her niece Lucy is still alive and needs her help, which sets a series of events in motion.

Eventually, Colleen gets involved with a rag-tag group of resisters, and she falls begrudgingly in love with a rebel named Jann. Together, they come up with a plot to take out the Derichets and reclaim Earth for humanity. Much of what I have described may seem cliched, but I feel that the characterization and plotting in this book make the whole enterprise very engaging and interesting. There was a lot of exposition in the beginning but it paid off in the later chapters, which I felt made for some very compelling reading.

This book is a collaboration between writer Sharon Shinn and artist Molly Knox Ostertag. Shinn is a journalist who also also writes novels, typically in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, or romance. She has several series in her credits. Ostertag is known for her excellent webcomic Strong Female Protagonist and has another graphic novel forthcoming, named The Witch Boy. Both creators chime in about their work on this book in this interview.

The reviews I have read of this book have been mostly positive. Kirkus Reviews commented that "The plot may be familiar, but the social customs of each group are defined so precisely that every detail feels strange and surprising." In a similar vein, Brigid Alverson wrote, "There’s a familiar feel to this tale of revolution against an oppressive society, but it’s well done despite some implausible turns." April Spisak called it a "powerful graphic novel" with "crossover appeal."

Shattered Warrior was published by First Second, and they have a preview and a lot more information about it here. There is a lot of sexual violence, mostly implied, and one steamy romantic scene that had brief nudity, as well as a couple of same-sex relationships featured, so this book is recommended for readers mature enough to handle those things.

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

The Divine

The Divine was inspired by God's Army, a group of Burmese dissidents led by twin 12-year-old boys, but it takes that seed of truth and spins it into a much broader and fantastic fiction that still manages to comment on contemporary issues. The plot follows Mark, an ex-military explosives expert from the US who is stuck in a crappy job, with a baby on the way and pressure to move on to better conditions. He gets contacted by his friend Jason to be a contractor on a lucrative mining job in the fictional southeast Asia country Quanlom. Soon, he finds himself surrounded by conflict and he is moved by the plight of the country's inhabitants, particularly the children who are caught up in the violence.

 

In this book, the dragons are both literal and figurative. Mark is astounded when he finds that two of these young soldiers he befriends can summon gigantic warriors and also control powerful, destructive supernatural forces. Jason is not so sympathetic, and much of this book is a debate/commentary on the nature of war and its consequences. Even though it is a work of fiction, it packs a powerful and realistic punch. There are a number of monsters in this book, and some of them are actually humans.

In discussing this interesting, gripping, and provocative tale, I have not even gotten to what I feel is the strongest part of this book, the artwork. Brothers Asaf and Tomer Hanuka have hit a home run with their expert depictions of human moments, frenetic action sequences, and broad vistas that call to mind classic Asian landscape paintings. The pages ripple with action, and I love how the coloring is used to convey mood with foreboding reds, soothing greens, and murky browns. As you can see in the splash page below, the art is wondrous to drink in.

Asaf is also known for his work on The Realist webcomic, and both brothers have impressive portfolios of commercial art work for major media outlets. Writer and filmmaker Boaz Lavie has written for many venues, and he is also known for his short film, The Lake. This interview with all the creators casts more light on their work on this book.

The reviews I have read of this book have been celebratory. Publishers Weekly called it "heady, hellacious, and phantasmagoric." Scott at the Open Book Society called it "one of the most perfect blends of word and pictures." Nathan Wilson called it "the latest installment in a catalog of award winning books."

The Divine was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here. Because of occasional swearing and a few scenes of graphic violence, I would recommend this book for readers mature enough to handle both.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!

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.

Boxers & Saints

Author Gene Yang is an award-winning, celebrated graphic novel known for combining elements of biography, reality, legend, and fiction in works such as American Born Chinese, The Eternal Smile, Prime Baby, and Level Up. Ambitiously, he has undertaken a similar path in not one but two graphic novels released concurrently. Boxers and Saints focus on the Boxer Rebellion, a period from 1987 to 1900 where Chinese peasants banded together to expel foreigners who they perceived as weakening Chinese culture. These books focus on two sides of the conflict, sharing some common characters whose stories overlap in mundane, consequential, and heartbreaking ways.

Boxers is the more colorful of the two books. It follows the story of Bao, a young man whose village and family start having run-ins with foreigners and assorted roving hooligans. He ends up a part of a band called the Big Sword Society. These men have learned a way to channel ancient spirits through training and ritual, and when they are possessed of these spirits they are formidable and almost unbeatable in battle. Bao is possessed and haunted by Ch'in Shih-huang, the first emperor of the Ch'in Dynasty. He becomes a leader and debates this spirit often in his mind, conflicted by traditions, justice, and the realities of conflict that seem unfair and unjust. In the end, Bao makes some decisions that could be seen as destructive and reckless though they are tactically advantageous. Highlighted here is the transformative power of warfare, for both good and ill, and how there are no easy answers (or true heroes) in many of these situations.

A page from Boxers

The protagonist of Saints is a young girl who does not even have a proper name. Four-Girl has no status and no standing but she finds validation, friendship, and a name (Vibiana) through Christianity. These Christians were a small and endangered group in China at the time, because their faith was an emblem of the foreigners who were seen by the "Righteous and Harmonious Fists" (the Boxers) as enemies of the state. Like Bao, Vibiana is also visited continually by a spirit, in her case St. Joan of Arc. She struggles with her faith in these troubled times, and she finds herself in the group that Bao's band is hunting and fighting, which adds poignancy and emotion from a much different angle than in Boxers.

A page from Saints

What I appreciated most about these books, apart from the taut plotting and excellent illustrations, was how though provoking they are. Much ambivalence accompanies this (or any) conflict, and there are no easy answers here and no pure right side. Reviews I have read point to many of the books' positive features. Crystal called both "a beautifully illustrated and well told tale that you won’t want to miss." Ay-Leen the Peacemaker commented about both books' "emotional impact" and concluded that they combine for "an ambitious work that makes for compelling reading." Elizabeth Burns from the School Library Journal added them both to her Favorite Books Read in 2013.

Yang speaks about both of these books in this video interview as well as in this print one with GeekDad.

Boxers and Saints are both published by First Second. If you click on the titles in that last sentence you will find previews and much more for each book.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copies!

ADDENDUM 9/16/2013: Boxers and Saints made the long list for this year's National Book Award in the Young People's Literature category: http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2013.html#.Ujcgl4nD9dj

ADDENDUM 9/20/2013: There is another good interview with Yang at Good Comics for Kids: http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/2013/09/19/interview-gene-luen-yang-on-boxers-saints/

ADDENDUM 11/17/2013: An excellent interview with Yang at The Comics Reporter: http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/cr_sunday_interview_gene_yang/ 

Sita's Ramayana

The story here is a well known Indian legend written sometime after 300 BCE that has retold many times and ways. This essay touches on the many versions of this tale, with particular attention to what makes this version particularly unique. Here it receives the graphic novel treatment, and the basic tale is that Sita is kidnapped away from her husband Rama by a demon king who says he loves her. This event leads to a conflict between Rama and the kingdom of Lanka, and Rama enlists the aid of his brother and best friend, Lakshama, to combat the demons and free his wife.

Sita receives some assistance and comfort from Hanuman, a monkey ally of Rama.

There is much fallout from these events, including multiple deaths and doubt cast on Sita's virtue, which leads to her exile, even after she passes a literal trial by fire to prove herself:

As you can probably tell from the images, this tale draws much from Hindu iconography in its depictions and presentation. I feel that the artwork is colorful, rich, and beautiful, though it is a little clunky at times in sequential art terms. This book was a collaboration between writer Samhita Arni and scroll Potua  artist Moyna Chitrakar. More about the creators' intentions in retelling this legend in this book can be found in this article.

This beautifully rendered book has won a few awards, including being named one of Booklist's Notable Children Books for 2012, an ALA Notable Children's Book,  and also receiving a South Asia Book Award Honor. It should come as no surprise then that it has been well reviewed. Booklist's Francisca Goldsmith called it "a bit of a feminist retelling" but added, that it is "a fine addition for both youth and general collections, reading groups, and curriculum-planners interested in diversifying foreign literature, art-book, and ethnic studies reading." R. Krishna enjoyed the story fine but ultimately decided "what ultimately stands out is the book’s art form." Kirkus Reviews positively concluded that this book is "A valuable piece of historical literature brought to the forefront for thoughtful new readers."

Sita's Ramayana is published by Groundwood Books.

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!

Glory, Volume 1: The Once and Future Destroyer

In the 1990s, Glory was a thinly disguised Wonder Woman clone with an impossibly thin waist published by Image Comics. Her series was heavy on the cheesecake poses, as you can see from the following cover:

Exhibit A

Last year, however, the series underwent a serious overhaul, both visually and stylistically, and Glory was depicted as a brawny, scarred warrior queen. Just check out the cover for this collection:

That's Glory in the middle.

I have to admit I had only read one Glory comic book before now, and it was written by the much-celebrated Alan Moore, but I cannot for the life of me remember anything about it. This book makes a pretty big impression. The plot follows the exploits of Gloriana Demeter, the offspring of an Amazon and a Demon (here shown as alien races). She straddles both races, but eventually chooses to lead neither and breaks from her parents to become a protector of Earth. Her exploits began in World War II, but when this book begins it is set in the present day where Glory has been missing for years. A young Asian reporter named Riley has an uncanny lifelong connection to the superheroine, constantly dreaming of her and tracking her across the globe. She finds what she's looking for in an extremely off-the-beaten-path locale, and nothing turns out as she thinks.

I don't want to spoil things too much, but there are many twists and turns, and each chapter ended with a cliffhanger that kept me wanting to read more. The Once and Future Destroyer is serial comics at their most enticing and engaging.

This book, which accounts for half of this particular Glory saga, was the co-creation of Joe Keatinge and Ross Campbell. Keatinge is a writer known for his new superhero-themed series Hell Yeah as well as co-editing the Eisner and Harvey Award winning anthology Popgun. Campbell is an artist and writer known for his goth-horror-comedy series Wet Moon, his webcomic Shadoweyes, as well as his atmospheric and deft drawing abilities. You could drop the "l" from the series name to describe the action and battle scenes, but Campbell also excels at portraying the quiet character moments as well. Here is an interview with both creators speaking about their collaboration.

This book has received much positive attention and has appeared on many Best of 2012 lists. Publishers Weekly captured much of the flavor of reviews I have read and praised both creators' contributions to this book, "Campbell's art is stunning, creating a female hero who is physically intimidating in a way never seen in superhero comics and creating worlds both familiar and fantastically bizarre, and characters ranging from friendly old French bartenders to armies of individually distinct demon-like creatures from another world. Keatinge's story gives instant depth to its complex characters and excels at slowly presenting a more and more complex narrative spanning thousands of years and several worlds and cultures."

The Once and Future Destroyer is published by Image Comics. This review from samax amen provides some preview pages. Campbell also provides a number of preview images and summaries from each chapter of this book at his website.

Marathon

Ten years before the famed Battle of Thermopylea, the Greeks scored a landmark and pivotal victory against the Persians at Marathon. This book details the life of one of that battle's key figures, here called Eucles, who delivered messages to gather forces and gain allies the only way available back then, by running. (By the way, there are multiple accounts of this story, and the hero's name varies according to the source. He is alternately known as Pheidippides or Thersipus of Erchius). We learn of his early life as a slave, see him earn his citizenship, and wince when he loses his family as part of a hard lesson learned. His role is key, because the Athenians need the assistance of the Spartans, and his task becomes personal when some childhood grudges come to the fore.

Almost as much as it is about Eucles, this is also a book about military strategy. Vastly outnumbered by the Persian forces, who are being marshaled by Hippias, the ex-tyrant of Athens who was ousted by Spartan forces, the Athenians rely on the strategy of Militiades to turn back their foes. The military chess match is a large part of the first half of this book, and my one major negative criticism is that it was difficult to keep straight the separate characters in the early going of the story when scenes cut back and forth. For more historical background about the battle strategies check out these sites.

Marathon is a collaboration between writer Boaz Yakin and artist Joe Infurnari. Yakin is best known as a screenwriter and director. He has written multiple screenplays, including the 1989 movie The Punisher and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. He has also directed films such as Fresh and Remember the Titans. Infurnari is an Eisner Award-nominated artist who is best known for the graphic novel, Mush! Sled Dogs with Issues. His sketchy art style suits the grittiness of this time period well. I also though his action sequences were appropriately frenzied, capturing the bewildering, brutal aspects of Bronze Age combat. He talks more about his life and career in this interview. Infurnari also has a cache of comics online at act-i-vate.

This graphic history has been well received. It was selected a UT School of Information Science Book of the Week, and it has been well reviewed. Kirkus Reviews gave it a coveted starred review. Kris Bather wrote that it is "dramatic, engrossing, and...it really does 'make history come alive.'" A more measured review from Publishers Weekly remarked on how the beginning of the book was somewhat hard to follow but continued, "As the book progresses, and Eucles takes center stage, the book rights itself, and by the end, it is easy to feel oneself racing alongside him toward Athens"

A preview is available here from the book's publisher First Second. 

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!

The Photographer

The Photographer is the harrowing, true life story of Didier Lefèvre, a French photographer who accompanied a Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) mission into Afghanistan in 1986 during the Soviet Invasion. Along the difficult trek done mostly on foot, Lefèvre documented visits with local soldiers and civilians, beautiful scenery, dangerous obstacles, domestic scenes, makeshift medical stations, and treatments both severe and mundane. He saw children and adults whose lives were rocked by violence, enjoyed the limited amount of local hospitality, and witnessed the machinations needed to travel and acquire supplies in a war-torn country. This story is full of bleak conditions, resilient folk, and some grim humor.

This graphic novel is a combination of pictures and photographs, drawn from Lefèvre's work and journals during the trip. His photos appeared in a number of French magazines, and he died of a heart attack in 2007 just as his work began to reach a wider audience. Emmanuel Guibert and Frédéric Lemercier provided the drawings and coloring respectively. Guibert is a prolific French comics artist who has a number of books published in English, including Sardine in Outer Space and The Professor's Daughter.

This graphic novel has been well reviewed. Chris Hedges wrote in his New York Times review that the book is lengthy but "build[s] in power and momentum as it recounts the arduous trip into mountain villages, the confrontation with the devastation of war, the struggle to save lives and Lefèvre’s foolish and nearly fatal attempt to return to Pakistan ahead of the team." Douglas Wolk wrote that the book's images pack an "emotional wallop." Shaun Manning praised the book, saying that it belonged "among the comics medium's best-known and highest regarded stories."

An excerpt, reviews, and other information are available here from the book's publisher First Second.