C. C. Colbert has been an American history teacher and has published over twenty books on the subject. Acknowledging the changing times, he has now written an in-depth graphic novel on John Wilkes Booth, illustrated by the French bande desinée (graphic novel) artist, Tanitoc. In his author’s note, Colbert admits it is historical fiction, but tells the reader he did the research and is keeping it as accurate as possible. The art style has a grainy, sketchy look, making it seem like something old and dated, while the faces look realistic. At times the storyline gets a little convoluted, and the reader may loose their way – especially when many of the men’s faces look very similar – the overall story of Booth’s siding with the Confederacy and the plot and assassination of Lincoln are well understood. The book even goes further, covering the eventual capture and execution of Booth and his co-assassins, as well as exploring his romantic relationships, and his secret dealings. Booth is another fun and interesting graphic novel about an important person in American history that is both accurately written and well illustrated.
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Originally written on March 19th 2010 ©Alex C. Telander.
Originally published in the Sacramento Book Review.
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