Action Presidents: Books 1 & 2

 Action Presidents is a nonfiction series aimed at upper elementary/middle school students. They are quite detailed and nuanced, pretty substantial texts that contain lots of information and insight into some prominent historical figures. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln have been the subjects of a myriad of biographies, and these books contain much of the relevant details about their lives, from their childhoods to their deaths, but what is most impressive to me about this series is how it also introduces counter-narratives into the proceedings.

It would be easy to simply present these books as pieces of hero worship, and certainly they do not skimp on celebrating the various accomplishments of both presidents. George Washington is praised for all he did to establish the United States, but also running throughout Book 1 are his ambiguous views and actions regarding slavery, a theme that also colors Book 2. Washington kept and profited from slaves, and only freed some at his death, and Abraham Lincoln himself did not so much oppose slavery as he opposed anything that would splinter the country. He is lauded for the lengths he went to preserve the Union, but his own contested views are not sugar-coated or glossed over. I loved how these books presented both, warts and all.

Not only do these books present distinct portraits of both men, it also situates their lives and actions in historical and governmental contexts. They are great resources for learning about the US government, policies, and laws, and I was very impressed by how many of the social studies they entailed. Also, there is also a good dose of humor throughout the volumes, embodied by the narrator, a pardoned turkey named Noah, and not a few fart jokes. Sometimes those instances felt a little like "sugar to make the medicine go down," but overall I feel the tone and content of these books was spot-on. I heartily recommend either (better, both!) volume to any class library.

These books are the product of the dynamic duo of Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey. Both have numerous comics credits for multiple publishers, and they have collaborated on two prior historical comics projects, Action Philosophers! and The Comic Book History of Comics.This interview sheds more light on the Action Presidents books and series.

The reviews I have read of these books have been positive. Johanna Draper Carlson applauded both for their "blend of action, humor, and meaningful points." Publishers Weekly wrote of Book 1, "Van Lente aims to contextualize historical figures who are often blindly lionized..., a goal that comes through clearly amid a flurry of gags and jokes." Kirkus Reviews summed up, "A light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more traditional approaches hard to swallow," and added that the book contains maps, timeline, glossary, and a bibliography.

The Action Presidents series was published by Harper, and they offer a preview and more here. More books in the series have been proposed, and the next (announced at the end of Book 2) will be about Theodore Roosevelt. The fourth should be about JFK.

The publisher provided review copies.

Happy Presidents Day!

The Hammer and the Anvil: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and the End of Slavery in America

The Hammer and the Anvil: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and the End of Slavery in America is an expertly researched and told nonfiction story of two massive historical figures and their effects on US history. In order to tell both stories, the book employs alternating narratives, indicating which is which via a simple color scheme. Douglass's story is told in blue:

And Lincoln's in red:

Both biographies begin with respective childhoods and formative experiences that would come into play later in their lives. Along the way, I learned much about each person and major players of the time period. Also, there are deftly told accounts about slavery, the Civil War, and other historical contexts. That the creators were able to chronicle so much information while spinning compelling narratives and characters is extremely impressive. One of the features I admired most about this book is that it does not overly lionize either Douglass or Lincoln. Certainly they are shown to be impressive and important people, but they are also shown to have their own problems and human moments. I especially appreciated how Lincoln was not simply canonized as the Great Emancipator but was shown to wrestle greatly with many social concerns and pragmatic thoughts that conflicted with his idealism.

The artwork was also a huge positive about this book. There are many detailed panels that represent the time period very well. Additionally, there are multiple scenes where characters' emotions and feelings come through very powerfully. This book is both masterfully plotted and illustrated. It definitely brings history to life.

This book's creators Dwight Jon Zimmerman and Wayne Vansant also collaborated on another graphic history, The Vietnam War. Zimmerman is the author of a number of other books on military history as well as a producer of TV shows on that topic. Vansant began drawing comics decades ago with Marvel Comics' Savage Tales and The 'Nam, and he has drawn a number of historically-themed graphic novels including one about the D-Day battle at Normandy.

Reviews and news I have read about the book have been positive. It was nominated for YALSA's 2013 Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. Hillary Brown concluded, "Anyone who doesn’t specialize in this material will learn something." Publishers Weekly summed it up as "a compelling look at two of the most important figures in American history." Viviane Crystal called it "a superb historical fiction story."

The Hammer and the Anvil was published by Hill & Wang, and there is a preview and more information available here.

The Hypo: The Melancholic Young Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is a huge figure in US history, regularly listed among the most important presidents ever and represented in stone at Mount Rushmore. He is a mythic figure who is often thought larger than life, but in this volume, The Hypo, he is shown as a tentative and struggling young man. This book chronicles many aspects of his life, from his early days as a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois:

to his tumultuous courtship of Mary Todd:

to his complex relationships to the political figures of the times.

It even contains a number of his original letters and poetry, and it is obviously well researched and executed. Perhaps what is most impressive about this book is that it humanizes this typically romanticized man. He is shown in moments of sickness and weakness, when he was caught up in spells of mental illness and anxiety, what he called "the hypo." He stumbles through social events and struggles in his business dealings and political aspirations, but he maintains an air of dignity, speaking with wit and perspicuity. The verbal interactions are half of what make this book exceptional.

The other half contributing to this excellence is the artwork by Noah Van Sciver. The black and white images and use of crosshatching lend a historical bent to the proceedings, which is only enhanced with his fluid storytelling and expert character work. This book was Van Sciver's graphic novel debut, and an impressive one, but he is also known for his many mini-comics (some collected here) and the series Blammo. Van Sciver speaks at length about his work on this volume in this interview.

The Hypo was named to many "best of" lists when it was released, and it has been very well reviewed. Glen Weldon called it "achingly familiar, relatably human and — most of all — profoundly real." The reviewer at ConSequential called it a "fresh, charming" introduction to Lincoln's melancholy and added that is also an "endearing, engaging and an all-round good read." Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review that concluded, "A thoroughly engaging graphic novel that seamlessly balances investigation and imagination."

The Hypo was published by Fantagraphics Books, and they provide a preview and much more information here.

Booth

The name is Booth. John Wilkes Booth. While there are no moments where he takes a martini shaken not stirred, Booth is a complicated character. It would be mind-boggling today to have a successful actor from a prominent family with his star on the rise to suddenly become an infamous assassin who kills the president. Yet this mind-boggling scenario happened toward the end of the US Civil War when Booth became involved in a conspiratorial plot of Confederate sympathizers.

An avid lover and quoter of Shakespeare, Booth is charming, debonair, and also passionate about the Southern cause. His fall from grace from a popular, well-regarded actor in his day to being the villainous killer of Abraham Lincoln, one of the most well-regarded US presidents, is a compelling and amazing tale, tinged with pathos and hubris. Granted, the story here is told in a more even-handed way, as the historical context is shown as a period of greater ambivalence created by the war and debates over abolition and states' rights. These debates are embodied by how the Booth family is divided during this conflict.

Booth was written and drawn by experts from different fields. C.C. Colbert is a pen name for Catherine Clinton, a respected historian who holds a chair at Queens University Belfast. She has written a number of books, most notably of late a biography of Mary Todd Lincoln. She is also a frequent contributor to the History Channel. Tanitoc is a bande dessinée artist. He is an active artist, writer, and lecturer who was a founder of the International Bande Dessinee Society.

Whereas Tanitoc is an experienced artist doing sequential art, Colbert is a novice in the medium. Reviews, while relatively positive, do point out some uneven features of the book. Kent Worcester thought the art tells a crisp story though in some sections footnotes could help the dense exposition. Tom Spurgeon opines that they do a better job with setting and mood than they do with characterization and motivation. Jared Gardner says that the story is fascinating yet told in a simplistic manner.

For folks interested in learning more about how the book was created, here is an informative article by Shaun Manning at Comic Book Resources.

A preview is available from the publisher First Second.

Big thanks to Gina Gagliano for the review copy!