A graphic novel biography of the American legend who inspired the hit Broadway musical Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton was one of the most influential figures in United States history--he fought in the Revolutionary War, helped develop the Constitution, and as the first Secretary of the Treasury established landmark economic policy that we still use today. Cut down by a bullet from political rival Aaron Burr, Hamilton has since been immortalized alongside other Founding Fathers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson--his likeness even appears on the ten-dollar bill. In this fully-illustrated and impeccably researched graphic novel-style history, author Jonathan Hennessey and comic book illustrator Justin Greenwood bring Alexander Hamilton's world to life, telling the story of this improbable hero who helped shape the United States of America.

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As some of you might know, I used to do quite a few comic book reviews. Sadly, I don't have as much time these days so I leave most of that to my staff over on Geek-o-Rama. Still, when I get the chance, I still reach out and grab it!

This book was the perfect for that kind of thing. It has three of my favorite things: comics, history, and a great "story".  Let's break this one down in one of my favorite ways: The Good, The Bad, and The Summary.

The Good:
This book is full of information! It may be a biography of Hamilton, but it also covers a lot of what was happening during that time, not just here but in other countries that would get involved. The dialogue included quotes from actual letters and pamphlets of that time period. That's some serious dedication to the project and I love to see that kind of effort put into a project.

The Bad:
While I generally enjoyed the art, it was sometimes tough to keep track of who was who. After all, there were a lot of white men wearing white wigs! The only other thing is that the language in this books makes it more suitable to an upper level high school student versus anyone younger.

The Summary:
All in all, if you like history, have an interest in Hamilton (the musical), love graphic novels, or a combination of any of the above, go ahead and check out this book. I think it's going to be a really good addition to my books on history shelf.






I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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An instructional art book in narrative graphic novel form that uses the tale of one aspiring young artist and his reluctant mentor to impart easy-to-follow lessons on the fundamentals of drawing.

With over 10 million views and growing, Mark Crilley's YouTube drawing instruction videos have an enormous worldwide legion of fans and have been featured on sites such as Yahoo News and Reddit. In addition, Crilley is an accomplished graphic novelist. Now for the first time, he pairs both strengths resulting in a one-of-a-kind art instruction experience. Through the story of aspiring, overeager young artist-in-the-making David and his helpful, but often flustered mentor, Becky, readers gain a grounding in the basics of drawing and rendering, along with a helping of laughs and poignant entertainment. Each lesson builds off the previous, with sidebars at the end of each chapter that direct readers to tackle some of the very same drawing exercises that David has just completed. The sequential art format provides the perfect vehicle for these step-by-step lessons, and the Pixar-esque approach to the surrounding characters and story ensures an enjoyable experience that readers will want to revisit again and again.

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Every so often you come across something that just amazes you. That is this book. In some ways, it's two books in one. You can read it just as a graphic novel or you can use it as how to book for drawing. I loved David's enthusiasm as he returned for each lesson and how each lesson built upon the previous ones. While this book won't teach you advanced drawing techniques, it's perfect for those who are just starting out, young and old alike. Follow along with David and as you master each technique, open the book back up and see what Becky is now teaching him! I may not be an artist, but this book is one that will happily be joining my other graphic novels on the shelves and one that I will recommend to any art teacher who will listen.



I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.
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