By Carol Isaacs (The Surreal McCoy) Publisher: Myriad Editions ISBN: 9781912408559 In all likelihood, you’ll have come across a few of Carol’s cartoons as The Surreal McCoy, but you may not be aware of her heritage. Carol’s family herald from Iraq which, back in the 1940s, had a population which was a third Jewish. Within […]
Tag Archives | History
Islandia Vol 1: Boreal Landing
By Marc Védrines Publisher: Cinebook ISBN: 9781849184342 Fifteen-year-old Jacques has been living with his aunt and uncle. Although not poor, they’re struggling to live well and in order to make a living Jacques uncle must spend long periods at sea fishing in the North Atlantic. He’s keen to take Jacques with him but Jacques’ aunt […]
Corto Maltese: The Early Years
By Hugo Pratt Publisher: Euro Comics ISBN: 9781684055036 These Corto Maltese collections have been wonderfully presented and, thankfully, reproduced at the correct size. At first glance the publisher made the odd decision to start with book 3, Under The Sign Of Capricorn and is only now, years later, returning to book 1. There seem to […]
Vanni: A Family’s Struggle Through The Sri Lankan Conflict
By Dix & Pollock Publisher: New Internationalist ISBN: 9780271084978 This is an excellent if harrowing story of innocents being caught up the war zone of northern Sri Lanka, based on survivor testimony. Starting with the Boxing Day tsunami we follow the impact on two families as their everyday existence is ripped apart. But there’s little […]
Bluecoats Vol 12: The David
By Lambil & Cauvin Publisher: Cinebook ISBN: 9781849184304 The Bluecoats always manages to trip me up slightly with my expectations. I think this is largely down to the disconnect between the playful cartoon style of the illustrations and the harsh reality that is war. Unlike an Asterix book, for example, when a Roman is launched […]
Peterloo: Witnesses To A Massacre
By Polyp, Schlunke & Poole Publisher: New Internationalist ISBN: 9781780264752 Cartoons and comics are a powerful way of commenting on news and current affairs through satire and wry observation. Equally, they’re also very effective at conveying historical events. As a teenager I picked up the manga Barefoot Gen, a story about a child’s life in […]
