Customer Reviews

Fallout

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

 

 

This graphic novel, subtitled "J. Robert Oppenheimer, Leo Szilard, and the Political Science of the Atomic Bomb", is a good quick read. It's hard for my generation, raised with the fall of the Soviet Union, to appreciate how stupendous the atomic bomb really was. But this book does a great job of making the history of that period accessible. The book is not that short-around 200 pages-but, due to its graphic nature, is very easy to read.

Fallout is really divided into two major sections. The first is concerned with the idea and creation of the atomic bomb, starting from Szilard's ideas in the 1930s and ending with the Trinity test in 1945. The second is concerned with the inquiry into Oppenheimer's advisory position to the Atomic Energy Commission, which occured in the political climate of the 1950s. Both these are worth reading, but the second one, which has much more text-portions of letters are printed along with the graphics-is a chilling reminder of the craziness of that time.

With 6 different authors listed on the cover (and more in the back pages), the illustrations change often enough that you do have to pay attention to know who is speaking. Additional difficulties arise because there are so many characters. I think the book would be stronger if one author had been responsible for all of the graphic content because the characters would be easier to keep track of.

One very nice aspect of this book is the end notes. At the back of the book, extensive text outlines what parts are true and what parts are surmise. As the front of the book saysm "many of the quotes and incidents that you'll think most likely to be made up are the best documented facts." For example, Teller, one of the scientists, denies his similarity to Dr Strangelove, and another, Szilard, devises his own cancer treatment using radiation.

All in all, if you're in for a light introduction to the history of one of the heaviest subjects, Fallout is a good choice.

Jim Ottaviani communicates both scientific and historical fact in a comic book way. I usually shun the reading of graphic novels, as most of them communicate nothing more than good story line with little literary skill involved in its text. However, I will read Ottaviani because, whereas he does communicate through a graphic novel, he communicates fact and he does it very well. Fallout is no exception to his writing talent. I would heavily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys graphic novels and I would recommend this book to one who do not enjoy graphic novels. This book is a superbly written with very good pictures. Without a doubt this book scores a five out of five and the author scores a five out of five as well. Along with Alan Moore, Jim Ottaviani is one of the best graphic novelists.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. Initially I bought it intending to use for an 8th grade classroom, but upon reading found the content and writing style to be more academically mature - a greater level of basic understanding of the background issues is assumed, and the historical aspects of Oppenheimer's trial were nicely portrayed in my opinion with use of actual documents and such. So in a way I was pleasantly surprised to find that the novel was a bit over the head of my students and intended for a HS-level and above audience. The illustrations are nice and while there of course is plenty of info that was not included that I'm curious about, the authors had to pick and choose and I think they've done a fantastic job. A quick and fun read.

Although Fallout is in a comic book format it is serious history. The portraits are accurate. The events leading up to the bomb are covered in depth.

The account of the government's digraceful treatment of Oppenheimer is chilling, reminding us of how the people at the top here were much like the leaders in the USSR.

Fallout tells the back story of the development of the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb. The story focuses on Leo Szilard, a German scientist trying to outrace the Nazis, and Robert Oppenheimer, who led the project. Told by several graphics artist , each with a different style, the story tries to capture the complex blend of personalities who contributed to build the bomb. Oppenheimer is cool, refined and unflappable. Szilard is a ball of fire, running to and fro behind the scenes to get political support for the bomb and to procure graphite or uranium oxide for the tests. Enrico Fermi is aloof, detached and territorial, upset about Szilard's machinations, but wholly dependent on them. The story is fascinating and ultimately turns tragic, as America, newly victorious in the war, starts to turn its suspicions on its own loyal citizens, including Oppenheimer.

The book loses a star for a several reasons. The change in style from one artist to another made it hard to keep track of the characters. Then, too, many of the more interesting parts of the story were found in the Notes section. For instance, when lugging graphite blocks (used to build the reactor in Chicago) became too much for the pencil-pushing scientists, burly football players were enlisted to help. You would have to be psychic to figure this out from the drawings. There were many other instances in which the drawings did not communicate the story very well. In one three-panel section, Albert Einstein is shown thinking about whether to urge President Roosevelt to build the bomb. The Notes tell us that Einstein, a pacifist, was considering the political, moral and scientific aspects of his advice. But without the notes, who would know? And another irritation: the hearings on Oppenheimer's loyalty were flanked by long excerpts from letters written by the Commission and by Opp's lawyer. However interesting it was, I found it odd that a graphic novel relied so heavily on printed materials to tell its story.

Misgivings aside, I found the story interesting and (once I had information from the Notes section) very enlightening. "Fallout" brings to light some of the varied personalities who had to work together to imagine and to construct the bomb, and the personal cost that was borne by some of the participants.