Reviews

The Harlem Hellfighters by Caanan White, Max Brooks

wintrovia's review against another edition

5.0

A fascinating and dispiriting story about a unit of black fighters in the First World War. The awful treatment of these men and their miraculous achievements are thoughtfully put together in this graphic novel. The artwork captures the frenetic nature of war and helps to tell the story really well. Though originally intended as a film, I think it works better as a graphic novel and shows what can be achieved through this medium.

pammysue1957's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad fast-paced

3.5

elemomi's review against another edition

dark informative medium-paced

3.0

shieldbearer's review against another edition

dark informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

 

I picked this up because I saw the name "Max Brooks". While I love World War Z and Devolution as novels, I was not terribly impressed with the comic "World War Z: Recorded Attacks" and I expected this to be in a similar vein. The endorsements on the back- Henry Louis Gates, Jr!!- and the realization that this was a story that aimed to, within the limits of the comic medium, tell a historical story that made me check this out and am I ever so glad I did. The art is stark and effective - the opening shots of a dropped bomb are breathtaking. 

What most impressed me was the dedication to listing sources in the back where the reader can find more information. There's a whole-ass bibliography in there and that, if nothing else, shows just how much Brooks cares about telling this story. I honestly wish more historical novels and graphic novels would come with a bibliography, but I digress- 

This book makes the history of the Harlem Hellfighters come alive, and this is so often a cliche to say, but in this case, I truly felt it and I will definitely be chasing down the sources in the back of the book. 

 

aoosterwyk's review against another edition

4.0

Amazing! Kind of gave me a headache because it was so dynamic. I found myself clenching my teeth and sitting with a lot of tension. This story needs to be told, like many others and I'm so glad Brooks shared it.

beingshort's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Hellfighters!

nickel_books's review against another edition

3.0

This graphic novel tells a wonderful and important story, however, there is not much harmony between the words and the illustrations. In addition to so-so composition, there is not enough contrast between the text and the visuals and that makes it difficult to focus your eyes on any one particular aspect of a page. So while the illustrations are expertly drawn (and graphic) it is hard to truly appreciate either aspect of the novel because there is no direction which allows for manageable digestion of the images.

kmatthe2's review against another edition

5.0

A phenomenal book.

helpfulsnowman's review against another edition

3.0

Would have preferred if they were the "Harlem Heckfighters." That would still get the point across without bringing that H-E-double hockeysticks language into the affair. Seemed gratuitous and unnecessary in a comic that's otherwise wholesome. Well, except for the whole war thing and the image where a dude had all of his body blown off his skeleton, which was super gross and pretty awesome. Whoever drew this should do album covers for Pantera, purveyors of "Cowboys From Heck."

srbolton's review against another edition

4.0

I tend to seek detail in the histories I read, especially about the causal threads lurking beneath the surface narrative. But I know not all readers are like that- most simply want a good story. I have many soldiers who aren't even readers, and if a graphic novel can grab their interest, get them turning pages, and learn something about our world and where we've come from, then I support it.
I've wanted to read this for several months, after hearing Max Brooks give an interview about it for NPR. Though not my preferred medium, I know it will reach many, and that this form of literature may be a great way to connect younger readers with a wide variety of literature. I enjoyed this graphic novel for the sweeping arc of a story it delivered. I'd like to see more military history treated this way.