Electric Revolution

How dost thou?

Sorry, there were characters in the book this week that spoke older English. For the past couple of weeks I’ve looked for another graphic novel to read, and The Sons of Liberty caught my eye. Apparently it caught the eye of some of you as well, because it was checked out for a while before I could get my hands on it. Of course, that probably means I’m actually reading books that you enjoy, which can’t be a bad thing.

Anyways, the book is a graphic novel created and written by Alexander and Joseph Lagos, drawn by Steve Walker, and colored by Oren Kramek. The novel opens just before the Revolutionary War. Slavery was still very prominent, and runaway slaves were hunted down and mistreated. Two such runaways are Graham and Brody who find shelter with a kind-hearted man named Ben Franklin. But, Franklin’s son, William, isn’t so kind-hearted. William uses Graham and Brody for an experiment. Using quick jolts of electricity, Graham and Brody are able to leap rivers and split trees with their fists. How this “gift” will affect their lives is uncertain, as this is the first installment in a series of graphic novels.

As historical fiction, this graphic novel is very interesting. You definitely get a feel for slavery during those times and how it affects Graham and Brody. The novel also gives an interesting take on William Franklin, who is painted as far from an upright character (he will probably become a serious bad guy in future installments). The idea of super heroes in revolutionary times is a very interesting idea, and I wouldn’t mind reading future installments. But, the drawing style itself and the subject matter of the book is dark, and has some violence.

Ultimately, the feeling I got was similar to my feelings for Wild Wild West starring Will Smith. The movie was good, but the mix of technology with an older time period leaves you feeling a little gross. But, the novel does make revolutionary times fresh and interesting, and you get interested in Graham and Brody’s future.

P.S. My high school aged brother picked up the book and devoured it. He thought super heroes in the revolutionay war was pretty sweet.