Alan's War

Brady and I are in a Graphic Novel Book Club with a few of our friends, which is really the only kind of 'book club' I could ever see myself participating in. As a kid, I loved raiding my dad's bookshelves and poring over his issues of RAW, or becoming lost in the cruel world of Amy and Jordan, or devouring every painfully detailed page, though at the time not fully understanding the importance of, Art Spiegelman's Maus. These are the kinds of comics I grew up reading and loving.

Our book club so far has read Exit Wounds and Persepolis, both of which I highly recommend. Our next book is a little less heavy, but still socially pertinent, and of course a must-read for any comic book fan - Watchmen.

I am really interested in reading this book, though, whether on my own or as part of 'the club'. The book is called Alan's War - The Memories of G.I. Alan Cope.




“When I was eighteen, Uncle Sam told me he’d like me to put on a uniform and go off to fight a guy by the name of Adolf. So I did.”

When Alan Cope joined the army and went off to fight in World War II, he had no idea what he was getting into. This graphic memoir is the story of his life during wartime, a story told with poignant intimacy and matchless artistry.

Across a generation, a deep friendship blossomed between Alan Cope and author/artist Emmanuel Guibert. From it, Alan’s War was born – a graphic novel that is a deeply personal and moving experience, straight from the heart of the Greatest Generation – a unique piece of WWII literature and a ground-breaking graphic memoir.

I am intrigued not only by the story, but by the unique methods Guibert uses to achieve the overall look of Alan's War. Simply put, he draws with water.

See how:



Amazing.

Are there any graphic novels or comic books that you would recommend?