Eye on Comics
  • About/Submissions

History Bleeds

  • Reviews - Image

Nat Turner Vol. 2 of 2: Revolution original graphic novel
Writer/Artist/Cover artist: Kyle Baker
Publisher: Image Comics/Kyle Baker Publishing
Price: $10 US

I was fascinated and a bit inspired by the first volume of Kyle Baker’s Nat Turner (originally published as traditional, “floppy” comics), due in no small part, no doubt, to the face that U.S. history is not one of my strong suits (I’ve got a good excuse: I’m Canadian). I was really taken with Baker’s unusual approach to telling the story of a slave who managed to educate himself in secret to rise up to fight against what was arguably the most egregious injustice in American history. But with the release of the second part of the story, a darker, more disturbing atmosphere takes over, making it difficult to see the title character as a hero. Baker doesn’t offer any judgments himself, allowing the barbarities of one group of people to be compared to those of another. The question that this story ultimately poses is whether or not Turner’s revolution was a matter of war or one of frenzied revenge. Baker’s art is richly detailed, but his cartooning influences still shine through without compromising the grave nature of the subject matter.

Over the course of two hot but bone-chilling days in August 1831, Nat turner led a group of fellow slaves in a revolt against not only their masters but any white man, woman and child who crossed their path. At first consisting of just a handful of men, Turner’s group gradually grew in size to dozens of angry men who were all too willing to exact a bloody price as payment for years of abuse and debasement. Travelling with great speed from home to home, they methodically eliminated every perceived threat and persecutor, real or imagined. The revolt was brought to an end quickly, with only Turner himself managing to elude capture for several weeks.

Baker’s black-and-white artwork brings the brutality and ugliness of this violent story to life incredibly well. Sometimes, he opts to show some of the graphic details, and at others, he only suggests what’s to come or what’s transpired. It’s quite effective. To shy away from the graphic violence altogether might have lessened its impact, but Baker’s careful not to be too gratuitous with it either. Furthermore, while the others in Turner’s group are depicted as explosively brutal, the narration in Turner’s voice continues to paint him as something of a reflective, honorable figure. If the book was replete with bloody gore, that tone would have been overwhelmed. Baker employs a sketchy, loose style here, but there’s nevertheless a strong sense of realism at play. His work here reminds me of some of Kieron (Remains) Dwyer’s stronger efforts.

Another challenging aspect of this book is Baker’s choice in terms of storytelling. This is not a traditional comics story, but nor is it illustrated prose. It lies somewhere in between. I also like the divide between the prose narration — in Turner’s voice and, later on, in Thomas R. Gray’s — and the action that’s actually depicted in the panels. Turner’s remembrance of the revolt is presented in a detached tone, in a matter-of-fact manner that runs contrary to the horrors he’s discussing. Nat Turner Vol. 2 isn’t easy reading. One’s instinct is to be on Turner’s side, to cheer for the freedom of slaves. But the ideological message comes into conflict with emotional reactions.

As I noted earlier in the review, Baker leaves it to the reader to decide if Turner’s snowballing throng of fury is a small army or a mob that’s out for blood. It seems clear to me that Turner and his allies turn out to be murderers rather than soldiers. Innocents are slaughtered over the course of their two-day rampage, and those killings are carried out in such bloodthirsty fashion that one can’t help but feel revulsion. But that sickening feeling is balanced by the reader’s awareness of the horrors of slavery and how that practice continues to taint the sociological and political landscape in the 21st century. One has to ask if there is a justification, if the notion of “by any means necessary” is acceptable. Turner remains the hero of this story, but he proves to be one of its villains as well. 9/10

March 8, 2007 Don MacPherson

Post navigation

How the Mighty Have Fallen → ← Is There Love After Death?

3 thoughts on “History Bleeds”

  1. Pingback: Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » Mar. 8, 2007: Back and to the left
  2. JohnnyZito says:
    March 8, 2007 at 11:30 am

    I just saw something on PBS about Nat Turner. I’m going to have to check this out now, thanks for the heads up.

  3. K says:
    March 25, 2007 at 11:33 pm

    It’s always fuuny how whites are so quick to criminalize any minority figure that fights as ruthlessly as they to liberate themselves. “Racism” has become a catchphrase just like “sexism” and all the other “political evils” that ensnare society today. Get a clue. It’s very easy to be diplomatic and to observe everything with cold reserve when we are sitting upon our comfortable throne of capitalism. Do you know what it’s like to have someone judge you on the color of your skin. To be considered inferior because you look differently than they. When whites kill minorities in wars they are called heroes. If you are black and kill whites in war(Yes, slavery was a WARCRIME inflicted on my ancestors) you are called a murderer and your moral being is brought into question. Hypocrites! Pharicees!
    Africa to this day is being exploited by governments all over the world with their people dying like insects. One of the richest countries (resourcefully) in the world and no one cares about it’s people. Isn’t standing idly by and watching a country bleed to death a crime? Oh i forgot you are too civilized!

    Here’s some help pulling your head out ofthe sand Read ” The Autobiography of malcom X, The Fire Next time, and any other black history book you can get your hands on so you can actually understand the black experience. If you get all your history from comic books you don’t really know anything fence sitter!

Comments are closed.

Recent posts

  • The End of the World As He Knows It
  • Burnt-out Ends of Smoky Days
  • They Do Need Those Stinkin’ Badges
  • Future Tense
  • Teed Off
  • Scar Issue
  • Of Gods and Monsters
  • Genre Splicing
  • A Mouthful of Dollars
  • Striking the Wrong Chord

Categories

Archives

Categories

  • Announcements
  • Editorials
  • Features
  • Original Comic Art
  • Reviews – Action Lab
  • Reviews – AfterShock
  • Reviews – AiT/PlanetLar
  • Reviews – Archie
  • Reviews – Black Mask
  • Reviews – Boom! Studios
  • Reviews – Dark Horse
  • Reviews – DC
  • Reviews – DC/Vertigo
  • Reviews – DC/Wildstorm
  • Reviews – Devil's Due
  • Reviews – Drawn & Quarterly
  • Reviews – Dynamite
  • Reviews – Fantagraphics
  • Reviews – IDW
  • Reviews – Image
  • Reviews – Indy/Small Press
  • Reviews – Legendary
  • Reviews – Lion Forge
  • Reviews – Marvel
  • Reviews – Miscellaneous
  • Reviews – NBM
  • Reviews – Oni Press
  • Reviews – Other Media
  • Reviews – Quick Critiques
  • Reviews – Radical
  • Reviews – Slave Labor
  • Reviews – Titan
  • Reviews – Tokyopop
  • Reviews – Valiant
  • Reviews – Zenescope
  • Reviews- Humanoids
  • The New 52 Review Project

Search

Recent Posts

  • The End of the World As He Knows It
  • Burnt-out Ends of Smoky Days
  • They Do Need Those Stinkin’ Badges
  • Future Tense
  • Teed Off

Recent Comments

  • Marcelo Soares on Coming Clean
  • Perry on Scoop
  • R Phillips on “Fixed… With Tape”
  • Leslie on Avengers… Disassemble Those Guys
  • Perry Beider on 2018 Glass Eye Awards – Creators
April 2021
S M T W T F S
« Mar    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Archives

  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
Powered by WordPress | theme cats456