I personally love Graphic Novels with historic value. Comics are more then just entertainment, they are a medium that blends the best from books and picture. Like a book a well written comic can store so much knowledge, like a photo each panel can tell a million words without saying anything. Nat Turner is one of these graphic novels.
Yeah he did. What I love about Kyle Baker is he understands the medium extremely well since he can write, draw and now publish his own work. Nat Turner is another one of Kyle Baker's well researched historic retelling graphic novels, this has the same passion and the accuracy of Kyle Baker's King David. The only difference from this book from most of Kyle Baker's work is this one is not funny. Not always words are added to the pages, since the visuals are so strong. But when Kyle adds words, they are not his but the ones out of history itself. This book is hauntingly beautiful. We see so much of the human condition in this book. At times the visuals are hard to really look at, you can glance them quickly or really look and see how horrific life was for the slaves. Living like animals because they were not free. Each page so clearly crafted that the right emotions are stuck at the right time. The darkest without knowledge The light that comes from knowledge. Why this is a great example of how a Graphic Novel should be written is because it is a great balance of picture to text. Some writers like Alan Moore and Grant Morrison can turn some people off because of the amount of layers in their work, while extremely simple comics are just simple. Kyle Baker works within all his skill, as a writer and most importantly as an artist. A great artist can alter his skill to benefit the story and this is what Kyle Baker does. He is never stuck doing one style, even withing the span of a scene Kyle Baker's style can change to convey the emotion and the information he wants at a certain time.
This book is highly recommended read. Not because its Kyle Baker, but because it is great. It is a view of history that even a lot of Americans do not know. It is also a well constructed graphic novel. For Kyle Baker fans be warned I could not find a funny scene in this book, even with my dark humor. The strength in the storytelling is because Kyle Baker is a storyteller first and a comedian second. Nat Turner's life story is interesting and I am glad Kyle Baker wrote and illustrated this book. You really should check it out.
Cheers to knowledge and with knowledge comes power. - Silkcuts
@Liberty: Thanks, it really is a great book. Heavy topic and I am not even American. I love Kyle Baker's work and this book shows he is not formulated.
" Whoa, deep subject matter. Another very nice review! "
I loved this book. I learned so much about American segregation because of the dark history of the slave system American had. I now understand why so many blacks see Nat Turner as a hero.
@Silkcuts: Sorry, UK on the Brain. Canada too eh? gonna have to look into UK/Canadian Slave history, really don't know much about it outside the U.S. lol, you guys are always nicer.
1315- Louis X, king of France, publishes a decree proclaiming that "France" signifies freedom and that any slave setting foot on the French ground should be freed
1799- New York State passes gradual emancipation act freeing future children of slaves, and all slaves in 1827.
" Awesome review! I really need to add this to my collection! "
Thank you sir, it is a great book and I am a huge Baker fan and anytime I can pass on how good his work is, it makes me happy. I am sure you will enjoy it.
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