David Axe (writer) Steve Olexa (art)
A SELECTION OF THE 'BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2008' Guest edited by Lynda Barry.
WAR FIX WINS FOREWORD GOLD AWARDS AS BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL.
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War can be addictive. So testifies journalist David Axe who’s been there, in the middle of the action in Iraq. The high is potent no matter how much you know how dangerous it is...
Here’s Axe’s journal of dealing with his addiction, the high, the sheer excitement of being in there, in the battle, the cost to his life, never mind the threat. A new form of visceral self-analyzing comics journalism starts with this book... An allegory for the US? A graphic novel sure to fascinate with a talented artist to watch for!
REVIEWS:
"Nice job of relating Axe's swirling emotions as he plans his trip to Iraq and suddenly finds himself there-not sure of what to do next."
-Gary Brown, Palm Beach Post
"Best of 2006"
-Amazon.com
"This well-crafted trip is worth the price of the ticket."
-Andrew A. Smith, Scripps News
"The Iraq war in sequential at is powerful. The text and the art work together to complement and influence the story."
-Voice of Youth Advocates
"***1/2. This is not a pro- or anti-war story. It is simply a look through the eyes of an individual who finds himself happiest when he's in the midst of flying bullets."
-Comics Buyers Guide
"Visceral and affecting."
-UK Observer
"Olexa's shadowed black-and-white art completes and extends Axe's narrative perfectly. Essential as background on war and the conflict in Iraq."
-Library Journal
"NBM has once again published a quality thoughtful work, and they need to be congratulated for their continued efforts."
-SilverBulletComics.com
"It's by far the most unique and compelling narrative I've yet seen of this entire dismal affair and an honest, self-effacing personal journey."
-Eric Adams, PopularScience.com
"Succeeds brilliantly."
-Columbia Journalism Review
"The book is like a mix of Anthony Swofford's Jarhead and Francisco de Goya's "The Disasters of War."
-Utne.com
"A statement on our TV-obsessed culture, and the idea (evidenced by the stellar rise of “reality TV”) that if we could only put ourselves inside the screen, we might feel something, anything, rather than the numb indifference we feel alone in our homes. As the title itself implies, represents a growing number of Americans who romanticize war and ‘get off’ on violence. It’s painful to watch Axe lying to his girlfriend, abandoning his job and family, and dismissing human tragedy as “kind of cool,” so much so that I honestly felt like crying after I finished the book.But at the same time, Axe’s lucid self awareness is part of what makes this book so compelling. Axe recognizes his own disconnect between the reality of war and his own romantic notion of it, and does not try to justify his actions or present himself as a sympathetic hero. War Fix is a book I definitely recommend, and would even go so far as to call it outstanding, but I’m not sure I actually liked it. Grade: 4.5/5"
-Marc Sobel- Unattended Baggage- see the full review
"Axe and Olexa launch War-Fix into the pantheon of great first-person conflict reporting in comics. You are there - feeling the writer's emotions and those of the people around him. War-Fix is a brilliant, challenging text and once again shows the level of artistry that can be found in comic books these days."
-Chud.com
A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK FOR THE TEEN AGE 2007
6x9, 96pp., B&W, jacketed hardcover, $15.95
ISBN 978-1-56163-463-7
ISBN 1-56163-464-6
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