Nat Turner: A Graphic Novel

by Kyle Baker

Book Overview

Nat Turner is the fascinating and action-packed true story of an American freedom fighter, written and illustrated by Kyle Baker as a graphic novel--collecting all four issues of his critically acclaimed miniseries.

"A hauntingly beautiful historical spotlight. A-" --Entertainment Weekly

The story of Nat Turner and his slave rebellion--which began on August 21, 1831, in Southampton County, Virginia--is...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810972271
• ISBN13: 9780810972278
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Abrams Comicarts
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 1.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 15 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 10 to 12

Customer Reviews

Painful but important

Not for the squeamish. Baker's art is graphic and pulls no punches. The brutality inherent in the Turner uprising, as well as in the conditions that led to it, are brilliantly and painfully depicted with few words other than Turner's own. A haunting portrait of the hate that hate built in the American South.

Empires Built on Backs that Breathe and what happens in the Process

The Nat Turner graphic Novel adds so many things to a story that otherwise appears as a blip in most historical books. It starts out with Africans working and playing and flirting in silent captions, only to see figures in the distance as they approach. The fear is apparent on the figure's faces as they watch this mob coming toward them, too, and zooming shows that this frenzy of activity is a group of people on horseback - armed to the teeth. From there we see the struggle to run or to fight, with bullets making contact and some spears hitting their marks, and the fact that these people ultimately end up in the belly of some horrific ship. As we follow the ship we see all type of atrocities, from the branding of "goods" to the heaving of babies overboard to calm the sharks that are following the boat, and all of this sticks in a certain slave's mind. After a while we see religion also coming into play here, and these things mixed together with the conditions that these slaves face not only makes things uncomfortable but also makes some want blood-for-blood. And, really, is it so easy to condemn Turner for what he did? What follows is a rampage that claims 55 whites and even more blacks, and all those names are listed in the book. What's more is the fact that everything is listed in the book, from acts to who these happened to, and the book makes no apologies. And, really, why should it? I personally like this part of the book because it tells the story in a way that makes it more emotional, cutting through the dry commodities of letters and replacing them with images. In them you can see the suffering that drives Turner as he tries to gather followers, and you can see what he is doing. You can also see the panic and how it spreads amongst slave owners, and what that ultimately means to slaves that were simply unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time - although being placed in shackles seems like the wrong place no matter when and where you are. I personally like this book as a historical ledger, allowing a student to see firsthand what was happening here. As I said before, this allows one to cut through the wording and to press onward, making an impact because images have that power. Whether you are simply reading to read or you are reading to learn, this book is one that should be checked out because it speaks on a saga that happened in an America that was plagued by all sorts of maladies - slavery being one of them. It is a powerful entry into the world of graphic novels, too, showing just what they can accomplish. And they can accomplish quite a bit when the author has something powerful to address.

An astonishing experience

For Kyle Baker, Nat Turner represents a new era of depth and artistic vision. Before, there was no cartoonist wittier but now Baker has taken his talents another step forward by producing one of the most moving graphic novels in print. I imagine there's a temptation to take an historic event this dramatic, one that starts and ends with heart-rending horror, and tie it up neatly with a cute moral or explanation. Thankfully, Baker offers neither and allows us to think for ourselves about the events described. From a technical standpoint, the book is a marvel. A massive, moving work told almost completely without dialogue... a technique that enhances the mood rather than squelching it. Thanks, Kyle, for Nat Turner. The bar has been raised in biographical cartooning.

Great book from an eight-time Eisner winner

This comic is not only a great comic by its own rights but also an important one. We as a society cannot just bury our heads in the sand and try to forget the more unpleasant aspects of the past. Nat Turner takes a horrific event from history and handles it in a realistic and appropriate manner. But now that I've stepped off my soapbox, Nat Turner is a great comic with a story and artwork that do not let you down. Baker's work is always a treat and this is no exception.

Stunning, important

This is easily one of the most stunning graphic novels of the past decade, and Baker might just be one of the most important graphic novelists around now. The book is virtually wordless, except for minimal sound effects and dialog, along with historical source notes. Baker doesn't ignore the violence of his source material, but his portrayal of one of the most controversial moments in the history of slavery in America is safe enough for even very young readers.