Inspiring, of course…but also a well-told tale, rich alike in intimate moments and momentous historical events.
A fictionalized graphic “memoir” conveys bright pictures of the Great Soul’s character and achievements without falling into blind hero worship.
Quinn’s account is written in the first person and includes invented thoughts and dialogue that sometimes have an anachronistic ring. These literary gestures notwithstanding, the author retraces Gandhi’s career accurately and in relatively fine detail from childhood to assassination. More importantly, he also depicts the origins, logic and applications of Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent disobedience (satyagraha) in deft, compelling strokes. There is a slight drift toward hagiography in later pages, capped by a reference to Gandhi’s “martyrdom,” but this is balanced by a cleareyed view of his actions as a younger man. He justifies his frequent abandonment of his family with a glib, less-than-saintly “Why should I rob my children of their right to self reliance?” His intelligent wife, Kasturba, will elicit particular sympathy, though she does get in her digs: “Oh yes, go, go, leave us again. We’re used to it.” Along with placing the large blocks of dialogue and narrative so that they’re seldom in the way, Nagar expertly positions panels and figures to create a visual sweep even in relatively static compositions. Action in the art is easy to follow, and scenes of violence are explicit but not disturbingly so.
Inspiring, of course…but also a well-told tale, rich alike in intimate moments and momentous historical events. (quotes, chronology, lists of books, films, websites) (Graphic novel. 11-15)Pub Date: March 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-93-80741-22-2
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
Despite occasional stumbles, a worthwhile reminder for readers who will recognize his name but may be a little hazy on what...
An inspirational biography in graphic format—highlighting both King’s passion for his cause and his devotion to Gandhi’s nonviolent methods.
The authors craft original dialogue that reads like policy statements and have Dr. King even as a child spouting lines like “We are being treated as inferior people solely because of the color of our skin. How unfair.” Nevertheless, they deliver a clear, cogent account of their subject’s upbringing, the vicious racial (and, later, social and economic) issues that sparked his involvement in the civil rights movement and the ensuing course of his short but enduringly influential career. Not all of the dialogue balloons and narrative boxes are properly placed, but Kumar draws facial features accurately. With a mix of overlaid and separated panels, he creates a strong sense of drama whether he’s depicting Dr. King firing up a crowd or Rosa Parks’ quiet composure. Numerous passages (not always accurately quoted: “the arm [sic] of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”) from Dr. King’s speeches and writings add oratorical authority to the account, and a folding timeline at the end provides a broad historical overview of African-American history up to Barack Obama’s first presidential election.
Despite occasional stumbles, a worthwhile reminder for readers who will recognize his name but may be a little hazy on what he stood for. (Graphic biography. 11-13)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-93-80028-69-9
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: Nov. 30, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Reasonably accurate—but the historical territory is already thoroughly surveyed elsewhere, and the unusual format doesn’t...
Lincoln’s life gets a graphic treatment, but the prose reads like a school report, and even the battle scenes look staged.
The book takes the form of an autobiographical lecture to his son Tad that highlights his intense opposition to slavery. Lincoln carries his story from early days (“On February 12, 1809, in Hardin County in Kentucky, I was born in a small, one-room log cabin”) to his departure for Ford’s Theatre. At this point, an omniscient narrator takes over to cover the assassination and the later ratification of the 13th Amendment. Though Helfand slips in short flights of eloquence from Lincoln’s oratory, his own writing runs to lines like “Nor could he accept that the future of his nation should be resigned to slavery and injustice” and “This new guy, Abraham, is going down.” The illustrator tries to add pace and energy by slanting and overlaying his squared-off panels and adding discreetly sized sound effects (slave catchers’ dogs: “Woof! Woof!”). Despite this, neither the occasional cleanly drawn battlefields nor the many scenes of men in suits exchanging political views are the stuff of compelling visuals.
Reasonably accurate—but the historical territory is already thoroughly surveyed elsewhere, and the unusual format doesn’t compensate for the routine content. (appendix) (Graphic nonfiction. 11-13)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-93-80741-21-5
Page Count: 108
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: Nov. 30, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2012
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