Friday, January 13, 2012

Review of the Silence of Our Friends

Silence of Our Friends is a semi-autobiographical story set in 1968 Texas that focuses on two families, one African American and the other Caucasian. The book is a series of vignette like chapters that move seamlessly not only from one family to the next but also between the different family members.

The book is set up in short vignette like chapters although there is never a heading or page telling you the chapter is over, instead you turn the page and see a different character as the focus. It works so seamlessly here that I was rarely taken out of the story when there was a change. The change over seemed natural, like when listening to a great concept album where each song helps build an overall experience. Because it is based on real events and keeps that ascetic, some events aren't seen, instead we see the after effects of them. This limited view actually helps the realistic portrayal of events and grounds the book soundly.

But with the limited view still comes a larger scope. The book starts with two children (Mark and Shell) playing soldier outside, yet once they go inside they along with their mother watch as a Viet Kong soldier is shown being shot on the news. While the shooting is mentioned a few times it isn't a major event, it just shows the wider world as it was at the time. Moments like this continue throughout the graphic novel and I could have read a lot more pages and scenes like this without any need of a central plot. The story also never stops to examine or focus on things like the shooting, we the reader have to see the impact and importance of such things. The creators treat the readers as intelligent people who know enough of their history to see how each event is important to not only the characters but to the nation itself.

Even with one of the little girls (Julie) being blind is never harped upon. She is blind and is learning how to write in braille, that is all that is ever really said on the issue. A few other times it comes up, but much like the racial issues it comes across as just a natural part of the story., it also leads to a scene that perfectly encapsulates the story. The two fathers, Jack and Larry have a family get together where Larry brings his wife and kids over, while the adults have an awkward conversation inside, the kids have their own meeting. It is still awkward but once Julie asks to "see" the other little girl, CC with her fingers it becomes about two races trying to understand one another as they take turns touching each other's hair which is such a foreign concept to the other side. The kids never stop to take notice of this special moment and instead leap into playing kick the can, having bonded completely.

Nate Powell's art is what makes the whole graphic novel work. The writers frequently allow Powell to take over the story telling with little to no words for many pages just allowing the artwork to breath and tell the story. His characters are bright and full of expression that could allow most of the story to be told without a single word being written. Since Powell also did all the lettering by hand it never seems to impede or take over the artwork. It also leads to so impressive use of text during scenes with music playing or multiple people speaking together either in church or in protest.

The climax of the book involves a riot at a protest where a cop is shot dead and the resulting trial. The violence and confusion are perfectly captured by the art forcing the reader to feel the same chaotic and visceral feeling of trying to seek safety but being unable to find it is present in the few pages that detail the event. It isn't dragged out but is instead wonderfully done in simple two page spreads. By the time you as the reader can get your bearing it is over, just like in real life.

Sadly the resulting trial is the one place that took me out of the story. It suddenly turned from a magnificent story of two families dealing with all the hatred and troubles in 1968 to something that is closer to a typical Hollywood treatment. The story and characters are still compelling, but it felt forced and fake. Reading the Author's Note it is easy to see why this portion of the book is so different, Mark Long admits that the trial was based on real events but the autobiographical elements are less involved, I really doubt that Mark or any of his family or even Larry Thomas had as an important part to play as he does in the book. Being based on events instead of being taken from personal perspective takes away from this part of the book. Everything else feels so true to life, authentic and endearing, this feels close but just not right.

Even with the above issue, the Silence of Our Friends is a great piece of work. The characters quickly enamor you, the artwork portrays each character perfectly and individual sounds a like when speaking either, they are unique and interesting. The plot is sparse but so well done, it captures the mood of the time without requiring a driving plot to force it down certain roads. This is a great book that captures a unique time in America's history without focusing on any of the major players in the Civil Rights movement but instead on the normal people who were just as involved and impacted by it all.

The Silence of Our Friends is written by Mark Long Jim Demonakos with art by Nate Powell and is published by First Second and will be available on January 17th in book stores and the 18th in comic books stores. An extended preview of the graphic novel can be found on the Publishers Weekly website here.

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