CLEBURNE – A GRAPHIC NOVEL
$24.95
Published by Rampart Press
Writer: Justin Murphy
Artist: Justin Murphy
Inks: Al Milgrom
Colors: J. Brown
Forward: Thomas Certwright
OK I am going to come out and say it, when I first saw Cleburne at the New York Comic Con I thought really a graphic novel on a Southern General during the Civil War. I then read up on it and the more I read about both the general and the graphic novel the more interested I became.
When I got the book and began reading the book I was WOW! The story is one of the best written stories that I have read in a long time. The art is also in the better side of most books that I have read recently.
The story from what I could determine from doing some research on General Patrick Cleburne was pretty accurate. It takes you after he has made general and is commanding troops for the south during the Civil War. It takes you on more then just his political views but into his private life as his courtship with a young southern belle named Susan.
Cleburne was a man ahead of his time. Although he was a southerner Cleburne wanted to enlist slaves into the Southern Army and in turn they would win their freedom. If he was successful this might have been a turning point in the war as the south would have had thousands more soldiers.
Don’t forget this is a graphic novel and that means there is artwork that we also need to look at, and the artwork in Cleburne is extremely well done. The art work is not overpowering with background action so it keeps your eye on the story and the main characters during that frame. But that doesn’t mean the backgrounds are empty, they are not, they just don’t have too much.
But don’t forget the story takes place during a war and there is plenty of blood, guts, and gore. During the major battle there are frames that show people getting shot, stabbed, slashed, and even losing body parts. They did not skimp on the tragedy aspect of war.
If you are looking for something different get this book. If you want a great story then definitely get this book. I actually found myself reading this and in my head I was adding a southern draw to the dialogue.
Cover Art: 4 – A great rear lit upper body shot of the general.
Art: 4 – The art has you noticing the foreground and not an overcrowded background.
Story: 4.5 – It is written so well, I found myself reading it with an Irish accent for Cleburne and a southern accent for everyone else.
