As groups throughout the world rail on at the Bush administration, demanding to know where Iraqi weapons of mass destruction could possibly be hiding, creator Ryan Inzana takes us back to events that preceded the war in Iraq, the war on terror and the Sept.11, 2001, attacks on the United States. He explores the philosophies and politics that fueled anti-American sentiment overseas, but more importantly, he explores a life that might lead a regular American kid -- a kid not unlike the almost forgotten John Walker Lindh -- to embrace a life of violence and fear.
John Sendel is not a happy kid. An abusive father and drug-addled mother made for a less-than-ideal upbringing, and life in suburbian New Jersey and at high school don't exactly sweeten the deal. As he turns to drugs and pointless vandalism as a release, he meets a Muslim, who turns him onto the teachings of the Koran. A sense of kinship and belonging leads him further into the extreme end of the religious spectrum, and from there, to a life filled with murder, espionage and despair.
Inzana's artwork reminds me quite a bit of Erik (Flood!) Drooker's dark, moody style. His stuff here is gritty and quite thatched in its approach, and it captures a dark and tense atmosphere throughout the tale. I found it interesting that as the story progressed, the panels became more open, the pages less cramped when Inzana was conveying moments that represented a kind of freedom, though the main character never really feels free... at least, not for long. Inzana's style is somewhat exaggerated, but he captures strong likenesses of the real-world figures who play key roles in this fictional -- but powerfully real -- story.
The creator has clearly put a lot of research into the politics, ideologies and history that serve as the context for this tale. Regardless of one's political leanings, this is an eye-opening book that criticizes the various points of view and philosophical leanings of all sides in a nebulous conflict. The public consciousness has a short memory, but this book serves as a powerful reminder of earlier stops along the road that led us recently to the arguably unpopular "liberation" of an oppressed people.
The most compelling aspect of the book, though, is the main character and the genuine voice Inzana has brought out in the first-person narration. Sendel goes experiences unimaginable events, but Inzana has crafted the character so well that we're able to fathom those extremes through his down-to-earth perceptions. The reader is able to see him or herself in Sendel through his fear, disillusionment and arrogance.
