 "The educational comic: oxymoron no more!!" | 2008-04-19 |
| - Reviewed By ewomack2000 |
Comics, an almost ancient medium, somehow endure in our digital era of short attention spans. After all, they do involve reading, an anathema in our instantaneous age. Nonetheless, comics seem to peacefully coexist with the burgeoning gaming community. Almost every decent sized city has at least one comic/gaming shop overflowing with action figures, busts of the superheroes of modern mythology, gaming modules, transcendent dice as varied as snowflakes, terrifying fantasy weapons, and walls upon walls of comics. Unfortunately, many see such places as hangouts for misfits or hopelessly lonely crackly-voiced teenage boys (the depiction of women in many comics, breasts swelling like Olympus Mons, doesn't help to quiet the skeptics). The joke amongst the uninitiated is that women would rather run naked through shopping malls than be caught dead in a comic shop. Aren't stereotypes fun? Those that blithely dismiss this anachronistic microcosm miss out on a shocking variety of human imagination: comics for boys, girls, women, men, comics in Japanese, Spanish, English, Korean, cute comics, violent comics, comics about outer space, medieval warriors, amorphous creatures, Japanese office workers, talking animals with weapons, or any countless permutations of infinite topics. The world of comics remains as diverse as the world of fiction itself. But not all comics are fiction. That's where Larry Gonick's "Cartoon History of the Universe" comes in. Within this undefinable morass of themes, Gonick has triumphed as the lord of non-fiction comics. He started with science comics (statistics, the computer, chemistry, physics, etc.) and slowly worked his way towards monumental themes. Such light, delicate topics such as the history of the entire universe. Did he check his head before setting out on this venture? Could we consider Gonick the King Ludwig II of the comic world and this project his Neuschwanstein? If so, his madness has definite method: Gonick has turned the stereotype of "fluff dime store comic" on its head. He has made the impossible a reality, namely, the dreadful bane of educational systems everywhere, the scourge of scolding parents, the bubbling cauldron of schoolmarm sin, the apogee of intellectual intolerance. In short, the "educational comic." Oxymoron no more.
This third volume of Gonick's magnum opus appeared in 2002, eight years after Volume II. Many thought that the project had collapsed on itself like a beached whale or a poorly conceived Gothic cathedral. But no. Almost a decade later, Volume III picks up right where Volume II left off. To summarize: Volume I (1990) covered the inconceivable time span from the Big Bang to Alexander the Great. Volume II (1994) traipsed through Chinese, Indian, and Roman history. It ends at the tumbling of the western Roman empire. Volume III grabs the almost faded torch and thrusts right into the 7th century rise of Islam. From a pile of poop in a Yemenese church ("Ewww... it ithn't jutht pith..."), to the voluminous conquests of the Umayyads, to the last Caliph in 13th century Baghdad (executed by the Mongols), the early history of Islamic conquest unfolds. Another section covers African history by tracing the steps of the Bantu people (in some circles a derogatory term), the multi-century pummeling of the Sahara into a desert, the Nubians and Ethiopians, the arrival of Islam (with some amusing asides of Muslim diplomats facing the unclothed Sudanese court; "Look at him sweat..."), Siljimasa, and the 9th century Zanj slave revolt. Next, the Mongol empire emerges from "the middle of somewhere" with the rise of Jenghis Khan to the conquests of Kublai Khan (resulting in the Chinese Yuan dynasty and the largest empire in human history). Along the way, early Chinese, Japanese, and Indian history skirts by (the Buddhists apparently had some trouble competing with the... um... more appealing parts of Hinduism). The rest of the book covers Constantinople (Byzantium), Russia, Moorish Spain, England (the Norman conquest), the Crusades, the plague years, early Renaissance, and how the wiles of a Portuguese fish merchant led to the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. That's far more than one brain can handle.
If this series suffers from anything, it's information overload. Regardless, readers will get a 10,000 foot view of the world's major historical events and cultures. This volume in particular covers eras largely unknown in the west, sometimes referred to as the "Middle Ages" (for Europeans, between the "classic" ages of Greece and the Enlightenment). Not to mention that many Americans know nothing of Islamic and African history. Expect the unfamiliar, but expect to learn much. Take frequent brain breaks. Comics can tax the intellect, as the series proves beyond question. Volume IV of Gonick's masterpiece appeared in 2007 (under the new title of "The Cartoon History of the Modern World"). Following the law of induction we should expect the final volume to appear anytime between 2012 and 2015. The universe will then have adequate coverage in comic form. Comics, and the universe, will be better for it. |
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 "Fun and Brilliant at the Same Time - Great for the History Buff" | 2007-11-18 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3K1JFYC9KOVV5 |
I first discovered the first two volumes of Gonick's "Cartoon History of the Universe" while in middle school, and have been a fan ever since. His unique mix of "underground"-style black and white comics illustration with exceptionally researched, erudite and entertaining explanations of the often complex nature of world history, is refreshing and worthy of a look form anyone interested in history from the novice to the expert.
Vol. 3 begins with a history of the Middle East and its rise as a world power from the period circa 600-on; he continues with a look at Western Europe, Africa, China, Central Asia, Japan, Byzantium, and others, hitting the major points of history, and discussing them with a tongue-in-cheek style while still being sensitive and taking a global perspective. This volume, essentially, is like an early-modern history class in a book, told by a professor with a genius for synthesis and wit. What is perhaps most remarkable is Gonick's singular ability to range widely over a literally global subject, and still being able to make connections among world events thousands of miles away, showing how history is connected more intimately than we might think. Some might not take this book seriously due to the fact that it is a graphic novel, but it is worthy of serious thought and serious consideration. You'll laugh and learn at the same time - and the information you will learn will stick. Brilliant. |
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| "There is only one thing wrong--" | 2006-06-30 |
| - Reviewed By bosda |
with "The Cartoon History Of The Universe".
Each volume has a 7 to 10 year wait between them!
However, they ARE excellent.
A fine, well-researched history, presented in a fun graphic style. |
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| "Another goodie" | 2006-06-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A11LWVYQTCY7T5 |
History textbooks have notoriously been dreary articles that students have to slog through, often with their noses held tightly. Larry Gonick is the cure. His three volumes of the Cartoon History of the Universe has it all--historical accuracy, depth, breadth and humor. The cartoons are hilarious in themselves but they convey a deeper purpose, to show the sweep of history and the complexity of it.
I think every high school World History teacher should use the series as texts and as the only texts. The volumes show that skepticism about history is not cynicism and that a lot of what happened through out recorded history is somewhat absurd. This is itself an important lesson.
I am trained as an historian and I wish I had had these books available when I was in high school. Heck, I discovered them as a graduate student and they were still coherent and useful as background to my studies. |
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| "Larry Gonick covers the forgotten bases." | 2006-06-13 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1H11JN2JIXTVH |
I read the first two volumes of this series years ago, and was thrilled to death when I found the third. I've since reread the entire series from beginning to end twice, and I'm sure I'm going to return to it again.
Volume three is an interesting progress from the first two. In this one, we get to find out about cultures and regions often overlooked by Western civilization courses. Gonick doesn't ignore Western civilization, of course, but he does a great job illuminating the Mongols, the Arabs, the Africans and even the Byzantines, which so many of us Westerners don't learn about in our public education, despite their great importance to our own history.
It would be impossible to cover everything in proper detail; if Mr. Gonick were trying to do that, he'd still be struggling through the ancient world. I wish he provided more detail about the Turks and the Russians, but to his credit, he gives more coverage of central Asian peoples than any history textbook I had throughout my own education. He provides you with plenty of basic information which you can use to deepen your knowledge about any period of history. The cartoons are great, but the fact is that there's only so much depth you can get through cartoons. Read up for yourself about whatever you want to know. Gonick is a good jumping-off point.
Volume four comes out in October, which is when he expects to cover the Americas, which have been ignored thus far. (The last chapter of Volume three was titled "Quetzacoatl," so that's a good indicator of things to come, I'd say.) I don't feel gypped that the Americas haven't been covered yet; pre-Columbian history can be sufficiently summed up in part of a chapter, and the bits that are relevant to the modern day can be plugged in effectively. I have confidence that Gonick will achieve this, too, because of the way he handled the African kingdoms in Volume three. Their influence on the Western world might not be as profound as that of, say, the Turks or the Chinese, but it's definitely worth mentioning.
Hell, it's all worth mentioning. Gonick ambitiously tries to cover everything that ever happened, and while that's damn near impossible, he's done far better than anyone else I've ever heard of who's tried. |
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| "I learned more history than I would have cared to otherwise" | 2006-03-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3KTTW7UVZ8WIA |
After having grown up with the "Amar Chitra Katha", a brilliant idea that put India's vast mythology, history, and even some classic stories and legends in comic book form, I can greatly appreciate Gonick's work here.
I give it five stars even after reading some of the criticisms because of my own perspective on the presentation of historical "fact". There's never a case where the author's perspective or opinion isn't reflected in the work. We don't notice it when we agree with most of it. But again, all this is opinion.
The Cartoon History of the Universe series lays out a frame or foundation for otherwise dreary historical matter. After reading this comic series, it's much easier to pick up a history book and build on that base or even make adjustments to suit what you find more accurate. People already in the field of history may see holes or flaws, but anyone who has already dodged that career path is now enlightened, and carries the seed of interest.
Part III continues feeding me the reasonably heavy but still very entertaining content that makes me not want to put the book down. Gonick breaks the book into digestible parts, occasionally switching to a different part of the world or another culture and eventually bringing them all together. And this third book continues to make me laugh or smile. Look how gory history can be. The humor just reminds me of how we'd try to "look back and laugh" at the end of a difficult session of history class.
I admit I may only pick up corrections and adjustments to my historical knowledge over time and as I encounter them. But at least I won't ignore them, thanks to this series. |
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