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  • Reading Pride of Baghdad

  • This graphic novel is not for the soft-hearted. I've been a fan of Brian K. Vaughan's thanks to his work on comic series like Y the Last Man and Runaways, and thought Pride of Baghdad sounded like something a little different than what he might normally do. In fact, it turns out to a lot like Grant ... Continue

    This graphic novel is not for the soft-hearted. I've been a fan of Brian K. Vaughan's thanks to his work on comic series like Y the Last Man and Runaways, and thought Pride of Baghdad sounded like something a little different than what he might normally do. In fact, it turns out to a lot like Grant Morrison's We3, which also deals with animals and is harrowing in similar ways.

    Pride of Baghdad is based on a true story about four lions who escaped from the Baghdad zoo when the U.S. began bombing the city according to George W. Bush's orders. Niko Henrichon has created some magnificent art for the story - the lions have expressive faces, a snapping turtle changes things up a bit, and evidence of explosions and other scary war-type stuff is everywhere.

    While I do generally recommend the book, animal-lovers who had trouble with movies like March of the Penguins might be best advised to stay away. For Vaughan fans, the story is more simple than is customary, but appropriate to the real-life material on which it is based. Surprisingly, there isn't much by way of political opinion here, so those who might have been turned away by ideas that differ from their own can feel comfortable picking the book up.

    

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• ― moogle said on Apr 7, 2007 | Add your feedback

From one of America's most acclaimed comics writers a startlingly original look at life on the streets of Baghdad during the Iraq War inspired by true events. In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during an American bombing raid. Lost and confused, hungry but finally free, the four lions roamed the decimated streets of Baghdad in a desperate struggle for their lives. In documenting the plight of the lions, Pride of Baghdad raises questions about the true meaning of liberation - can it be given, or is it earned only through self-determination and sacrifice? And in the end, is it truly better to die free than to live life in captivity? Based on a true story, Vaughan and Henrichon have created a unique and heartbreaking window into the nature of life during wartime, illuminating this struggle as only the graphic novel can.

• graphic novelhardbackfunnybooksGraphic NovelsIraqAnimals