melanie_page's review
5.0
A fantasy rendition of what would happen if a community of black Americans were denied the right to vote by being falsely labeled as "felons" in the government system.
The three authors do a smooth job of helping the reader remember the numerous characters and who is speaking. The book doesn't have speech bubbles; instead, you'll read the font below what is mostly pictures within a square space (like a comic strip).
I nearly lost it when one citizen of the newly-created "Blackland" yelled, "The Americans are coming! The Americans are coming!"
The three authors do a smooth job of helping the reader remember the numerous characters and who is speaking. The book doesn't have speech bubbles; instead, you'll read the font below what is mostly pictures within a square space (like a comic strip).
I nearly lost it when one citizen of the newly-created "Blackland" yelled, "The Americans are coming! The Americans are coming!"
eliwray's review
5.0
This is a beautiful, radical story that made me laugh, gave me chills, and evoked a tear or two at times. I'm really glad that when the authors' movie pitch was rejected, they found another way to share their imaginative look at trying to live nobly and care for each other under Empire.
xterminal's review
4.0
Aaron McGruder and Reginald Hudlin, Birth of a Nation: A Comic Novel (Crown, 2004)
Despite having Kyle Baker artwork, which is always a “wow” factor in a graphic novel, I took one look at the synopsis for this book and had the sneaking suspicion I was going to hate it. Oh, boy, political satire in comic book form. Is it going to work any better than it does in the movies, in music, in poetry, etc.?
Can I get a hell, yeah!?
While McGruder (The Boondocks) and Hudlin (producer of a number of Hollywood hits) do occasionally cross the line between satire and being whacked repeatedly over the head with a week-old dead haddock, the bulk of this book is dead-on hilarious. The scenario: East St. Louis, one of the most economically depressed towns in America, decides to secede from the union and form the sovereign nation of Blackland (with a national anthem adapted from the Good Times! theme song that's worth the price of admission by itself) after the big disenfranchisement voting scandal we should all well remember. The new jefe of Blackland is its old mayor, who makes a deal with the leader of the criminal underworld-- and his ex's new boyfriend-- to head up the army. While the American government at first considers this an annoying publicity stunt, the (very Colin Powell-like) Secretary of State begins to wonder just how far Blackland is going to take this, and the government gets serious. Things come to a head when an ace Air Force captain who grew up in East St. Louis defects and a local 7-11 owner, who also happens to be a terrorist sleeper, is called into play by his bosses.
Great stuff, when it's not overbearing. Baker's artwork is, of course, wonderful throughout. Recommended. ***
Despite having Kyle Baker artwork, which is always a “wow” factor in a graphic novel, I took one look at the synopsis for this book and had the sneaking suspicion I was going to hate it. Oh, boy, political satire in comic book form. Is it going to work any better than it does in the movies, in music, in poetry, etc.?
Can I get a hell, yeah!?
While McGruder (The Boondocks) and Hudlin (producer of a number of Hollywood hits) do occasionally cross the line between satire and being whacked repeatedly over the head with a week-old dead haddock, the bulk of this book is dead-on hilarious. The scenario: East St. Louis, one of the most economically depressed towns in America, decides to secede from the union and form the sovereign nation of Blackland (with a national anthem adapted from the Good Times! theme song that's worth the price of admission by itself) after the big disenfranchisement voting scandal we should all well remember. The new jefe of Blackland is its old mayor, who makes a deal with the leader of the criminal underworld-- and his ex's new boyfriend-- to head up the army. While the American government at first considers this an annoying publicity stunt, the (very Colin Powell-like) Secretary of State begins to wonder just how far Blackland is going to take this, and the government gets serious. Things come to a head when an ace Air Force captain who grew up in East St. Louis defects and a local 7-11 owner, who also happens to be a terrorist sleeper, is called into play by his bosses.
Great stuff, when it's not overbearing. Baker's artwork is, of course, wonderful throughout. Recommended. ***
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