Author: Max Brooks, Caanan White (Illustrator)
Title: The Harlem Hellfighters
Publication Info: Broadway Books, 2014
Summary/Review:
In graphic novel form, Max Brooks (curiously enough, the son of filmmaker Mel Brooks) tells the oft-overlooked story of 369th Infantry Regiment of the New York Army National Guard. The largely African-American infantry regiment was among the first American troops to be sent to the front lines in France in 1919 during World War I, where they became known for their toughness and valor and earned their nickname “The Harlem Hellfighters” from their German opponents. It’s an interesting story although Brooks relies on a familiar story of racial discrimination at home and the horrors of war abroad. While the story is told from the point of view of a soldier named Mark, there isn’t much to distinguish the characters and personalize the story. White’s illustrations seem to revel in depictions of gore that would fit in with The Walking Dead, but it’s actually difficult to distinguish the characters – black, white, French, and German – from one another. One nice touch is that Brooks includes fragments of contemporary songs and poems to accompany scenes of the war. It’s very cinematic, in fact, which is not surprising since Brooks originally intended to write a screenplay. The graphic novel has it’s flaws but overall it’s a good introduction to the story of the Harlem Hellfighters.
Rating: ***
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