I consider myself to be a moderately well-educated man and I am certainly familiar with the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King, Jr., and when I first received this review copy of March, a graphic novel about the Civil Rights Movement, I was a little less than enthusiastic about reading it. I now wish I had jumped right in to it the moment I received it. This is wonderful!
Congressman John Lewis was an iconic figure in the Civil Rights Movement and is the only living member of the major leadership players at the time. This first of three planned books focusses on Lewis’ youth, his desire to attend university, meeting Martin Luther King, Jr., and the beginnings of the peaceful Nashville Student Movement and sit-ins at local cafeterias. I whole-heartedly admit that I learned some very valuable history by reading this. I would also admit that, had this been a 500 page biography of John Lewis or even a history book on the Civil Rights movement, I probably would not have read it, fearing a dull, boring read.
And so…why a graphic novel? I think there are a number of good reasons for this. One: it makes it very easily accessible to a very young reading audience, or even a ‘low’ reading audience. I can see third graders reading this as part of their school’s February reading program. Two: adults are more apt to pick up something that looks quick and simple, rather than a thick non-fiction book (as I admit to). And three: the pictures definitely help set the tone. It’s very easy to read about non-violence, but something completely different to see people sitting calmly at a counter while others shout at them.
And let me be clear — while I talk about the seeming simplicity in a graphic novel, compared to a long historical or biographical treatise, there is nothing ‘simple’ about this. This manages to be a very thorough look at a complicated time. We get a full sense of the power behind what was happening, while understanding that there’s likely more to the story if we wish further study.
This is going to sound strange, but the art was so smooth, so perfectly apt for this book, that I often forgot I was reading/looking at a graphic novel. The pictures were such perfect additions to the story that I never felt that I was detached in any way. I read a lot of comics as a kid and I’ve read a fair number of graphic novels in the last year, since starting this blog, and I can say that I’ve never felt this symbiotic relationship between art and story so clearly before. I can’t imagine any way of improving upon it.
If there’s any down-side to this book (and I’m not sure there is), it would be that it’s a book one. Graphic novels have come in some pretty thick volumes , so I can’t imagine any reasonable explanation as to why this wasn’t produced as one book. The only thought I can give is that the publisher wants to make more money and possibly win more awards by releasing this in installments. It’s certainly a common publishing game, and I don’t care for it. I subtract some points for this reason.
This book will move you. You will be a better person after reading it and you will have an even better understanding of both the good in humanity and the despicable.
Looking for a good book? This books deserves to be read, shared, and remembered by everyone who can turn a page.
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March (Book One)
authors: John Robert Lewis and Andrew Aydin
artist: Nate Powell
publisher: Top Shelf Productions
ISBN: 1603093001
paperback, 128 pages
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