When I take in a movie, I imagine the variety of creative disciplines
that go into its creation. I think first of the writer, of
course, then the director, the actors, the cinematographer, the score
composer, the editors and many others. Too often, I argue in "Writing Tools,"
we think of the writer as a lonely figure on a windswept
hillside. For me, writing is a social activity, a square dance,
karaoke night at the local pub.
It must have taken a profound collaboration to create one of the most remarkable books of the year, a "
graphic adaptation" of "The 9/11 Commission Report
."
Published by
Hill and Wang, this thin volume is based upon the "
Final
Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United
States," chaired by Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton. The
creators of this graphic adaptation are Sid Jacobson, a former editor
of Harvey Comics and Marvel Comics, and Ernie Colón, a veteran artist
who oversaw production of The Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Blackhawk
and The Flash.
On the dust jacket, comics guru Stan Lee blurbs: "Never before have I
seen a nonfiction book as beautifully and compelling written and
illustrated. ... I cannot recommend it too highly. It will surely
set the standard for all future works of contemporary history, graphic
or otherwise, and should be required reading in every home, school, and
library."
I must agree. I did not read the original report, but
this
version captured my attention and sustained my interest -- so much so,
that I believe that I could pass a test based on the report's most
significant information.
While not a devotee of the graphic novel, I grew up reading comic
books, swapping them with friends, and immersing myself in the world of
superheroes. As we all know by now, however fantastic, those
stories carried veiled and sometimes overt moral and cultural
messages. This book takes the best traditions of excellence in
illustration and efficiency of language and combines them with the
research of the commission. The result is one of the most
dramatic narratives of how 9/11 came to pass.
Of special note is the fairness of the illustrations. If such a
book had been created amidst World War II, the "enemies"
would have be depicted as cartoonish demons. In this adaptation,
every character, hero or villain, looks like a human being, which has
the effect of making this terrible reality even more chilling.
If this work interests you, let me recommend the book "The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics"
by Dennis O'Neil. Using graphic elements as illustrations, the
author creates a nifty guide for writers who'd like to explore this
creative genre, and includes advice of value to all writers.
