Customer Reviews

9-11: Artists Respond, Volume 1

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am sorry for your loss and will make no positioning to state I in any way know how you feel. However, if you had taken the tiny extra bit of time to look at this graphic novel you would have noticed that not a single artist or writer made money on this. It was all a voluntary work basis and all the profits, every last dime, went to charities to help those that lost loved ones in this human atrocity.


Peace be with you.

It's hard to find a good comic anthology these days, let alone one which strays far from science fiction and fantasy and instead focuses on the mundane, the people, the common person's reaction to tragedy. Every kind of person was affected by September 11, and this book encompasses them all -- the law-abiding Arab citizen, the American travelling abroad, the desensitized, the firemen, those on the planes and those lucky enough to be plucked from the Trade Center rubble.

The stories are varied, the images in colour, black and white and grayscale, and each artist's style is distinct. You'll find cartoons, realistic drawings, and some in between, all of which do more to reflect the true feeling of American, if not world unity, and September 11 better than any Dateline special could.

I, for one, can't wait to read Volume Two.

Got this after a desire to collect the 9-11 comics as my ending run in comic collecting, and I must say I am impressed with not only the size of it, but the consitent and diverse work inside. Loads of unfamiliar work that perhaps wouldn't be seen on such a public level with such quality, and at 200 pages for the price its at, its damn good.

The stories themselves? Some make you think. Some make you wonder. All make you remember.

It is natural to flash back to that fateful day when you read these cartoons. With that in mind, it is hard to keep the moisture out of your eyes. Like everyone else, I was astonished at the fall of the twin towers, it stunned us all in a way that goes to the depth of our being. These are some of the most powerful cartoons that have ever been published. Not necessarily on their own, but in the context of the times, they cannot help but move you.

The power of the comic book medium is that, by using drawings, they express emotions and reactions that are difficult to put down in words. Due to the extreme nature of this event, this is an excellent way to express what we have all been through.

The most impact is provided by the independent, i.e. non-superhero, writers who express what they went through with pictures and words. From the initial shock to the lingering malaise, the complete cycle is expressed. Reading this book brought back those feelings in me and, even though my emotions were swelling up, I kept reading. This event is now part of our collective experience and we are forever affected by it.

I recommend reading through when you need some perspective on what's important in life. Enjoy life, tell your friends and family that you love them because you never know when it may end.

This review doesn't get too into the content of the book but the impact that it had. As for me, that's the sign of a good read.

There's really not much I can say about this book. The stories contained in it are poignant and touching and heartbreaking and hopeful all at once, and each and every contributor has given not only their time and talent to the project, but clearly they've also given a piece of their hearts. Being born and raised in New York City, the events of September 11th are especially painful to me, but I came away from reading this book feeling just a little more hopeful than I did when I started it. Kudos to all involved for a magnificent effort. (And all of the money goes to a good cause, too!)