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As far as I can tell, this is a lightly fictionalized account of the Harlem Hellfighters, an all-black regiment that served in World War I. Though American, they served for and with a French army that treated them with significantly more humanity than that of their own country. It's a compelling story, that Brooks has made very readable. The racism that the regiment encounters can be very difficult to read, but it absolutely should be read. It's a shame that, despite their accomplishments, the m...
This is an excellent book and should be required reading in the schools. Despite the Racism that these men endured, these men have left a lasting mark on history and proven that there is indeed honor and courage. Thank you Mr. Brooks for telling this story.
SIX WORD REVIEW: Forgotten period between slavery and Nazism.
Gore, action-packed, interesting and fun to read. Your typical war comic book with a classic black and white colours scheme. Similar to The Nam comic books by Doug Murray and Marvel Comics. The story takes place in the USA during the Great War (WWI) and the battlefields of France. Following a group of soldiers and their adventure into the devastating and frightening war included harsh relationships with others and their status in society.:v)
Historical fiction packaged as a graphic novel. An important story (the trials and successes of black American soldiers in WWI), introducing plenty of key figures in a sufficiently entertaining, effective, and poignant package.Non-spoiler alert: This is not for the faint of heart - it's brutal (and, excuse the pun, graphic) stuff.In addition to the history, it's worth it for the exquisite passage by Irvin Cobb, penned in the Saturday Evening Post in 1918: If ever proof were needed, which it is n...
I really liked this here book. It was both historical and interesting. Its based around the 1919 infintary called "The Harlem Hellfighters." That was the name given to them by the germans actually. Through and through this book kept my attention with an, almost too tight grasp. I would reccomend this book for anyone that enjoys either Action, Non-Fiction, Historical, or Realistic books. It is based on a true story, most of the characters are infact real. Would read again! 13/13 yogstars
I love it when graphic novels are used to tell personal or historical stories -- it's true that they are not just for superheroes.* Max Brooks said he has been fascinated by the African-American infantry regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters since he first learned about them in 5th grade. The Hellfighters were honored for their service in World War I:"We spent 191 days in combat. Longer than any American unit, white or black. In all that time we never lost a trench to the enemy ... or a man
I'm afraid the ratings may be inflated on this book because of the subject matter. First of all I find WWI stories fascinating right off the bat. So I was ready to like this one alot before I even started. Second, I think there is a reluctance to give a bad rating to anything tackling the subject of racism. This book is not bad, but I think it will make a better movie than it did a graphic novel. The author has said the story started as a script he's been floating around Hollywood and adapted it...
The facts of the story - one of the most decorated units of the war who were not given full respect by the US military leadership during the Jim Crow era - are highly compelling. The treatment by Brooks is good and the cameos by Eugene Bullard (who's currently being treated in comic form in the pages of the Washington Post comics section) and James Reese Europe ("The King of Jazz") are nice touches. White is an accomplished artist and the illustrations are strong. It may be a personal issue, but...
This book is so worth reading and has such troubling flaws that I've struggled to review it. On the one hand it's a story very few Americans know of, about a black Regiment in the segregated U.S. military during World War I, so disciplined and fierce that they never retreated or even lost a trench, and who spent the most time in combat of all U.S. units. That people believe only white Americans served in WWI is shameful, and the best part of the book is Brooks's Afterword, explaining his fondnes...
Written by Max Brooks and illustrated by Caanan White in black and white photo-journalist style and very dramatic in all respects. Brooks is the World Z/zombie writer, so it was surprising to me that he was the one who wrote this… and that it is this well written. The art, focused on a lot of action is sometimes a little confusing, but overall good. The focus was on the 369th Infantry in WWI, who had grown up and came back to racism, but who were heroic fighters in the war, a little known story
Hard to believe there is still resistance by many prominent Americans to bring the true history of the United States of America to the world. Many choose to still wear blinders and sanitize events that took place (and are still occurring) to subjugate and repress a significant portion of its population, and to deny those people their part in American history and world events. Read the author's note. I'm not a big fan of graphic novels, but I am grateful to the author to use whatever vehicle was
You’ve probably heard this story before: Coloured men who want to fight for their country, for their freedom, who are treated as less than garbage, but persevere to become the best of the best. We’ve seen this story told many times, in many different forms, from the Tuskegee Airmen, to the The United States Colored Troops. But that doesn’t mean the that the story of men who fought and died for the freedom of a country that hated them is any less important. I loved the choice of black and white a...
This book was pure genius. I commend you Max Brook.
Honestly, graphic novels are not my thing, and I read this only because of interest in the subject, which it gave a good overview to. It brought home a truth that when the American black man shows his worth, as with these fighting men in WWI, a not unsubstantial portion of the population re-acts in violence or other unpleasant ways.
This graphic novel was best at the end: the Epilogue. Ok, so comic book format, and this modern format in particular, is not my thing, but the history was well brought to life. Just not for my taste, as I prefer text.Read, Write, Dream, Walk ! #PublicDomainInfrastructureShiraDest May 3rd, 12018 HE
History you weren't taught in school, served up with righteous passion.This is one of those can't-lose books, at least if you're a history buff, a military person, a graphic novel fan, passionate about African American issues, African American, or, probably, male. From the first page I was just like, OK, I'm good with this. Four stars rather than five because the narrative doesn't so much conclude as stop. In an interview, Brooks mentioned he'd been shopping this around Hollywood as movie proper...
This is one of those books that blurs the boundary between kid's picture books and more YA ish graphic novels. It's being called a graphic novel by many folks on GR (not sure if it is advertised that way) but is shaped like a picture book and laid out like one. The material is too adult for a young picture book crowd. I would say the content is more appropriate for middle-grade or YA. While the story is important and fascinating, I don't think it's addressed in enough depth to truly be called a
They called it a war to end all wars. But all it did was end the golden age of Europe.A powerful story about Black Americans fighting for democracy in the first World War. Dubbed the Harlem Hellfighters, these soldiers were set up to fail, and yet succeeded in the face of so much adversity from their government, fellow solders and the people they fought for.Max Brooks is a talented storyteller and drew me in from the first page. Stories involving racism really hit home with me, as my family was
I love a good piece of overlooked history, and Brooks shines light on one in an evenhanded and easy-reading manner. But while it's well written and told, the art brings it down. Odd as it seems to say, the black and white format detracts from the black and white nature of the conflict being recounted.