Storming Paradise [Paperback]

Chuck Dixon (Author), Butch Guice (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2009 | Series: Storming Paradise

It's 1945. Europe lies in ruins, the Nazi war machine defeated. Now, America's only option to end the war is Operation Olympus — the invasion of Japan! Don't miss this exciting title collecting the entire 6-issue miniseries!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In scripter Dixon’s alt-historical World War II, the Manhattan Project fails and the Allies invade Japan. As U.S. soldiers make slow progress through the countryside, a Nazi submarine arrives in the Pacific, bearing scientists intent on finishing the Axis’ bomb project. Told in sweeping strokes reminiscent of classic WWII movies like Tora! Tora! Tora! and Destination Tokyo, Dixon and company introduce a large cast of plucky characters, the likes of American-born Japanese translator Jimmy; Father Danny, a British spy masquerading as an Irish priest; and none other than the Duke, John Wayne himself. Bombastic, over the top, and action packed, Storming Paradise may make some people uncomfortable with its stereotypes, those very stereotypes make it seem an authentic throwback to the propagandistic WWII-era films and comics that obviously inspired it. Recommended for film buffs venturing into comics, in particular. --Tina Coleman

About the Author

Chuck Dixon's work has included Batman Chronicles, Legends of the Dark Knight, Birds of Prey, Catwoman, Captain America and Punisher War Journal. JACKSON GUICE is the artist on DC's acclaimed new series Resurrection Man. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: WildStorm (October 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401225454
• ISBN-13: 978-1401225452
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.3 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #643,477 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

CHUCK DIXON
Born in Philadelphia, Pa.

Chuck Dixon has more than twenty-five years of experience in the graphic novel field as an editor, writer and publisher. He has contributed well over a thousand scripts to publishers like DC Comics, Marvel, Dark Horse, Hyperion and others featuring a range of characters from Batman to the Simpsons. His comic book adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit continues to be an international bestseller. Considered to be one of the most prolific writers in his field, this award-winning storyteller currently writes G.I. Joe and A-team for IDW, The Good the Bad and the Ugly for Dynamite, The Simpsons for Bongo Comics along with many creator-owned projects for various publishers. He is also the co-publisher of an ambitious line of graphic novels based on the American Civil War.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of history's great what ifs... what if the US had to invade Japan?, December 17, 2009

By 

Kid Kyoto (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Storming Paradise (Paperback)

It's one of history's greatest what if questions. What if the atomic bomb test went wrong? What if President Truman has no choice but to order an invasion of Japan?

Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice tackle this question in the graphic novel Storming Paradise. The story is told in a series of vignettes focusing on different characters. We meet an Irish priest working in Nagasaki, a squad of American GIs and their Japanese-American translator and a young Japanese boy sent to battle the gaijin invaders.

This is very much a ground-level view of the war, we check in on the commanders and Emperor Hirohito from time-to-time but most of the time we're following ordinary soldiers and civilians with some interesting historical cameos. The fighting is dirty and brutal with Japanese civilians launching suicide attacks. Parallels with Iraq or Afghanistan are hard to escape.

GIs respond with equal brutality shooting prisoners and killing civilians in error. There is no 'greatest generation' romanticism here. The Americans are racist, just as biased towards their Japanese colleague as towards their enemies and they just want to go home.

Guice's art is perfect for the subject, his style is similar to Joe Kubert's Sgt Rock comics. The troops are dirty and tired, there are no larger-than-life heroes here.

There are some minor problems if you have a strong background in the history of the Pacific War. Dixon casts Hirohito as the main villain, bleeding Japan dry to force a negotiated peace when historically Hirohito cast the decisive vote to surrender. Early in 1946 Truman turns to the Soviets for help, but historically they had already declared war on Japan in August of 1945, capturing several islands in the north before the surrender. The greater war in China and Korea is completely ignored. People with little background may be frustrated by the lack of a good map or by dialogue in Japanese or German.

And finally the book ends abruptly, long before the war ends. Hopefully there's a sequel coming soon.

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW great alternatre history comic, October 3, 2010

By 

Terence Tan Co "tetsuo79" (Vancouver) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Storming Paradise (Paperback)

This is just a great alternate history comic. It pulls no punches and realistic. Great stuff.