Almost a decade after its initial release, Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon’s Pride of Baghdad is still heartbreaking. In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during an American bombing raid. Although in the end of this graphic novel American soldiers killed the lions by shooting them. Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated Niko Henrichon In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad zoo during an American bombing raid. The animals discuss this as well. Zill doesn’t have strong opinions about whether freedom or captivity would be better. Pride of Baghdad has a very tragic content, because suddenly the Iraq war had started and that’s why the lions were capable of escaping. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Can someone who’s known nothing but captivity ever truly handle freedom? While writing the book, he pored over blogs written by American soldiers and Iraqis, and conducted his own interviews. it is impressive how you the writers make the animals look so human, so emotional but also show their animal side. Those wanting a 'simple' tale of survival and family will find that. Merciless The US officers are merciless, they even kill animals. There is a scene implying sexual assault of one of the females, a bloody battle between a bear and the male lion, and an ending that will not send you home happy. "[3] Dorkgasm described it as "one of the most poignant anthropomorphic stories since Animal Farm. They wander through the halls of one of Uday Hussein’s decadent palaces. Henrichon’s art brings the story to life in gorgeous color. Where the book doesn't quite work is its ending. In order to show how cruel consequences that the war brings, the authors try to portray humans by drawing the lions, the bear, and other animals. And in the end, is it truly better to die free than to live life in captivity? Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Not because it is haunting, not because it is powerful, not for any reason the writer thinks, but because it is so disappointingly empty and bitter. Now, I fully understand that the way things go down is meant to represent the senselessness of war and the thoughtlessness of its perpetrators, and for that to work, what happens *should* be sudden and disorienting. Potential Problems. Title: Microsoft Word - Pride of Baghdad - themes and development.docx Author: Iris De Bruin Created Date: 3/4/2013 8:09:14 PM The horror depicted in Pride of Baghdad is a reminder of why the American public is deeply wary of getting too involved in another conflict. The ending is brutal, poignant, and appropriate for the setting. In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during an American bombing raid. Almost a decade after its initial release, Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon’s Pride of Baghdad is still heartbreaking. Lost and confused, hungry but finally free, the four lions roamed the decimated streets of Baghdad in a desperate struggle for their lives. They meet an old turtle living in the Euphrates river, a creature old enough to remember a century’s worth of bloodshed in the cradle of civilization. It’s inspired by the true story of real lions that escaped during the chaos, but the comic adds a mythic feel to the story. The book won the IGN award for best original graphic novel in 2006. Pride of Baghdad Yasemin Çelebi, 25 December 2013 (Essay assigned by Mehmet Emin Adanalı during his class FA 489: Graphic Novels, Boğaziçi University) Pride of Baghdad is a graphic novel written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Niko Henrichon that is based in Iraq, in its period of occupation by American forces. Pride of Baghdad was my first, real experience with this ending and it still sits in the back of my mind. Writer Brian K. Vaughan was also careful to avoid pinpointing any one particular viewpoint—each lion represents a different attitude, which is refreshing since many books do not allow that choice. In the beginning of the book, Noor discusses a plan to escape from the zoo with the antelope. “It’s about losing your wife, your kids, every worthless friend you’ve ever made,” the cranky old reptile tells the lions. This (true, but obviously fictionalized) story follows four lions who escape from the zoo they are living in when Iraq is bombed by U.S. forces in 2003. In documenting the plight of the lions, Pride of Baghdad raises questions about the true meaning of liberation -- can it be given, or is it earned only through self-determination and sacrifice? Pride of Baghdad has a very tragic content, because suddenly the Iraq war had started and that’s why the four lions were capable of escaping. Join me as I review my first graphic novel reading experience: The Pride of Baghdad. Published in September 2006 by award-winning writer Kevin Vaughan and artist Niko Henrichon, Pride of Baghdad is a 136-page graphic novel inspired by true events. Art by: Niko Henrichon. He represents pragmatic Iraqis trying to adapt to the chaos while protecting their families. Buy Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan, Niko Henrichon (ISBN: 9781845763756) from Amazon's Book Store. Lost and confused, hungry but finally free, the four lions roamed the decimated streets of Baghdad in a desperate struggle for their lives. Damn those boys for making me cry like a man. "[5], IGN.com presents "Best of 2006: Best Original Graphic Novel", The Joy of Pride: Vaughan talks "Pride of Baghdad", CRITICAL ANALYSIS: PRIDE OF BAGHDAD – Conflict Begets Conflict, A visual step-by-step from Niko Henrichon, the book's artist, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pride_of_Baghdad&oldid=1021239386, Harvey Award winners for Best Graphic Album of Original Work, Articles with dead external links from November 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 May 2021, at 17:09. Explore, If you have a story to tell, knowledge to share, or a perspective to offer — welcome home. The violence is bloody and one character has a rape flashback. She’s become accustomed to captivity, seeing the zookeepers as source of food and security. In the spring of 2003, a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during an American bombing raid. Vertigo comics art[/caption]. If you have any problems viewing this article, please report it … The lions wander around, and almost starve to death. Pride of Baghdad, drawn by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon, tells a story of group of lions escaping from the zoo after the U.S. army starts invading Baghdad. All photos are taken from the graphic novel and yahoo images. Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0 Topics Pride of Baghdad, comic, book, pride, baghdad, bagdad Collection comics; additional_collections. The ending, especially, is unforgettable. Driven home when the pride is shot to death at the end. Analysis of Pride of Baghdad. Vaughan intentionally crafted the characters to be stand-ins for different viewpoints on the war. Noor is talking about liberation, and she even made a plan to escape. The humans who kill them are completely unseen by the reader until after the pride is dead. The United States is back at war in Iraq and has extended its air campaign to Syria. Pride of Baghdad is a graphic novel written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Niko Henrichon released by DC Comics ' Vertigo imprint on September 13, 2006. Tragic Pride of Baghdad has a tragic ending, the four lions die. Ultimately, his concern is the well-being of his pride regardless of what happens. Full confession — I’m a big fan and recently reread it. I like this format and I’m sticking with it unless you beg me to stop. "[4], IGN named Pride of Baghdad the Best Original Graphic Novel of 2006, calling it a "modern classic", and commenting that the book "can be enjoyed on several levels. The book’s mature themes don’t end there, and this is where I would caution any educators to vet Pride of Baghdad carefully. He slavishly studied photographs of Iraq’s architecture, and the characters themselves are distinct and personable. This is a novel, inspired by a true story, about four lions in the Baghdad zoo, who escape during the bombing of the city by US-soldiers. The ending was sad, which was also a positive factor for the quality of the novel, because of this, the novel is not like a children’s book with a happy end… The graphic novel recounts the fall of Baghdad during the 2003 … The characters aren’t always likable, but they are relatable. Growing up in a cage, she yearns for freedom and the chance to see the world outside. Noor, the younger lioness, entered captivity at a young age and hardly remembers they wild. Although, the four lions survived many serious events, in the end of this graphic novel American soldiers killed the lions by shooting them. It’s always a given that any story involving animals will hit me right where it counts, and Pride of Baghdad is no exception. When I say that, I mean both the end of the story of the Pride, as well as the final words of the book. The book won the IGN award for best original graphic novel in 2006. 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