Birth of a Nation: A Comic Novel

just like B.I.G. and 2pac, noteworthy antagonists Reginald Hudlin (House Party, Black Panther ) and Aaron McGruder (The Boondocks) used to be good friends. good enough at least to co-author "Birth of a Nation", a socio-politically charged Original Graphic Novel released by Crown Publishers in 2004. the book satirizes the 2000 election by creating a scenario where citizens from the city of East St Louis are not allowed to vote, and the wrong person becomes President as a result. the disenfranchised and charismatic Mayor Fred Fredericks (with encouragement from fellow college alum and bubbling black billionaire, John Roberts) decides there is only one solution: East Saint Louis secedes from the union! the short critique: this book is brilliant! Birth of a Nation is illustrated by Kyle Baker, a master cartoonist able to do more with less than just about any artist i can name. his style of drawing is impressionistic and descriptive. you can see his mind working on the page, and his method combines storybook and comics techniques to maximum effect. "Birth" still remains painfully relevant today, with intra- and interracial issues reaching up to the highest levels of American and international politics... COP IT!

Would we really decorate the flag with red black and green with a white Jesus? Would the national anthem be sung to the melody of Good Times? Would we have Biggie and Pac on the back of silver money? This book was funny as hell but at the same time real as hell if you think of it from a perspective. What if we had a black nation? Do white america really think we would be so dumb? When you look at it from that perspective you don't be so quick to laugh. That's when you start to think.

This book, while using humor, was able to convey a sense of the power that Black people have when put to good use. If only it would resonate with everyone from the Buppies the the Thugs. Birth of a Nation shows that if you come together using the resources we have, then anything is possible....even Blackland.

What's the story behind the story? Well, movie director Reginald Hudlin and comic strip creator Aaron McGruder were hanging out together at the San Diego Comic Book Convention. They were trying to come up with an idea for a movie, when Hudlin suggested the idea of his hometown of East St. Louis seceding from the United States. They wrote a script based on that idea, but they couldn't get a movie studio to make the film. So, rather than just let the script sit on the shelf, they decided to turn it into a graphic novel. Rather than have McGruder draw it himself, they got the brilliant Kyle Baker to illustrate it. So, how is the final result? It's great, in my opinion. It's a very funny book with great movie storyboard style illustrations. No doubt it will seem funnier to a liberal than it would to a conservative. But anyone who enjoys Aaron McGruder's Boondocks comic strip should also enjoy this book.

Leading up to purchasing "Birth of a Nation" I was unsure about the direction the book would take. From the previews I read,(and the direction that "The Boondocks" has taken post 9/11) I was anticipating a heavy-handed, Michael Moore style beatdown of the Bush administration. Not that I am dissapprove of sticking it to GW (and his cabinet) at every opportunity. I just figured that this book be a case of preaching to the crowd. Much to my delight, "Birth of a Nation" not only provides biting social satire, but a rich story line and vibrant characters. This reminds me why I started reading the boondocks in the first place and why McGruder was hailed as a wunderkind when he first entered the comic world. I don't think anyone slept on Bebe's Kids or the House party, but Hudlin has been doing it big for a while now. The brilliance of Mcgruder and Hudlin has to go alongside other prominent duos of our generation: EPMD, Outkast, Madvillain. I was not previously familiar with Kyle Baker's work, but his illustrations are definately on point. The style is similar to the way Bebe's Kids was drawn.(in case some were expecting The Boondocks' anime/manga style of illustration) Not only putting the Bush administration of blast, "Birth Of a Nation" pokes fun at several areas of the Black community(generational gap, nationalism, materialism). I imagine that this book would be hard to follow if you are not immersed in Hip Hop culture. If you avoid rap music and Spike Lee movies this book might not be for you. Otherwise, if you enjoy Dave Chappelle, okayplayer.com, and Ego Trip's Big Book of Racism/Rap lists, I guarantee you will enjoy it. Bonus points for finding - find lyrics from Mobb Deep and Notorious BIG songs -grown up versions Jazmine, Caesar, and Riley