Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography

From my trips to Canada (I'm an American), I had heard of Louis Riel, knew that he was a Metis (one of the 3 recognized indigenous groups in Canada), and knew he remained an controversial figure because of his involvement in a 19th-century rebellion. But why he was controversial and what the rebellion was all about, I hadn't a clue.This "graphic novel" (though its non-fiction) does a good job in filling in the blanks. It is simple and straightforward. What nuance there is needs to be interpreted through the graphic choices the Chester Brown makes in his artwork--which too is pretty simple and straightforward. The dialogue is a combination between statements in the historical record and breezy informality (e.g., a military man being given his orders by a superior officer and his response being, "Okay," not "Yes, sir.")Riel was obviously a very complicated man. He sought justice for his people, but he is depicted as not being a firebrand, Indeed, he's willing to back off from confrontation more than once. He seems uncertain many times. He is a devout Catholic who after a vision is willing to call the Pope a phony. But what's the hardest to glean from this graphic-novel presentation is the charisma he evidently had in order to gain so many followers.An afterword by a Ph.D. candidate who knows his comics is helpful. In essence, he says the medium is the message. Riel being such a complex and controversial figure, this analyst concludes that the narrative is purposely ambiguous to allow readers to make up their own minds. So while "Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography" was helpful to me in giving me the outlines of Riel's story, I wonder if I had more foundational knowledge about Riel going in--as I assume most Canadians do--it would have helped me to draw my conclusions.

Many parts of Riel's life are not included, and many events may be played up beyond their importance, but overall it presents an interesting account of Riel's life, his times, his successes and failures. Good for school-age readers who might otherwise be turned off the reading of what is undeniably an absorbing story of the man.

Brilliant unique history book.Explains a portion of Canadian history in a way that is understandable to pretty much everyone.Several copies should be in every Canadian school library.The author is a genius.

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this should be required reading by all Canadians!!the truth written here has none of the political spin it sufferedover the last century!I am afraid john a macdonald used too muchwhiskey DAILY to divine the truth in matters he never truly understood himself!!