Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls

by Rob Edwards, Michael B. Moore (Foreword), Sean Damien Hill (Illustrator)

Born into slavery but destined for greatness, Robert Smalls became a Captain in the Union Navy by stealing a Confederate ship. Decades later, retired Congressman Robert Smalls sits down with his grandson to tell the story of his life. Based on historical events.

Genres: History, Comics, Graphic Novels, Biography, Nonfiction

Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2025

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

At just 23-years-old, Robert Smalls made one of the most spectacular escapes from slavery during the Civil War, commandeering a Confederate ship in secret and carrying his crewmates and family to freedom.

This dramatization of events amps up the excitement a bit in hopes of generating interest in a film adaptation but stays true to the spirit of the man and his amazing adventure. It also leaves open the door to a sequel that could depict Smalls' career in the Union Navy and his subsequent career in politics, which I'd really like to see.

If you want another take on the story in graphic novel form, I also recommend Robert Smalls: Tales of the Talented Tenth, no. 3.


(Best of 2025 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto one or more of these lists:

• Washington Post 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2025
• Publishers Weekly 2025 Graphic Novel Critics Poll
• NPR's Books We Love 2025: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels

This book made the NPR list.)


FOR REFERENCE:

Contains material originally published in single magazine form as Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls #1-4.

Contents: Introduction / Legion M team -- Foreword / Michael B. Moore -- Chapters 1-4 / Rob Edwards, writer; Sean Damien Hill and Alex Paterson, illustrators -- Afterword / Rob Edwards

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great beginning to the story of an American hero, Robert Smalls. This reads like an action story. The illustrations are beautiful. I can't wait to read the next issues.

[George Kasnic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kickstarted this graphic novel by LegionM. The story of Robert Smalls is an American epic. Enslaved, self-educated, a military hero who later became the symbol and enactor of the power of Reconstruction, this is the first novel in the series, I look forward to the next. A thrilling, taut, action-packed true story.

[Brian Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

IV Thoughts about Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls

I. Tension that never lets you breathe.

Even knowing the narrator survives—because he’s the one telling the story—Defiant is packed with real, sustained tension. Every decision Robert Smalls makes carries visible risk, and the book never lets you forget how thin the margin for error is. The pacing is excellent: the story steadily tightens as Smalls navigates the daily realities of enslavement and the escalating danger of resistance. You’re not reading to find out if he survives—you’re reading to see how long survival can possibly last.

II. A portrait of motivation shaped by love—and its absence.

Smalls’s motivations are strikingly clear: freedom for himself and his family, rooted in a deep belief that he is capable of more. What makes this especially powerful is the uncomfortable contrast the book explores—how being treated almost like a son by his enslaver gave Smalls a foundation many others were denied. He was loved enough to believe in himself, but never respected enough to be seen as human. That tension lingers. It forces the reader to confront a brutal question: how many others might have resisted, escaped, or survived if their will hadn’t been systematically broken?

III. An unflinching look at ownership and erasure.

The book does not soften the reality that, regardless of affection or familiarity, enslavers viewed people as property. Seeing that contradiction laid bare—care on one hand, absolute ownership on the other—is gutting. It’s even more painful given how unknown Smalls remains despite his extraordinary impact. The story makes clear that this erasure isn’t accidental; it’s structural. That realization lands hard and stays with you well after the final page.

IV. Art that welcomes you into a hard story—and lets it speak.

The art strikes a careful balance: grounded and realistic, but still unmistakably a comic. That accessibility matters. The style invites a broad audience into a story that might otherwise feel daunting, without diluting its seriousness. The visual storytelling carries emotional weight quietly and effectively, supporting the narrative rather than overpowering it. The ending, in particular, resists over-explanation. It trusts the reader to sit with ambiguity, legacy, and the idea that some stories are meant to be carried forward rather than neatly closed.

Bottom line: Defiant offers hope without ever looking away from the injustice that made that hope necessary. It’s tense, humane, infuriating, and deeply moving—a story that honors resistance without mythologizing suffering. Five stars, without hesitation.

[Scarlett Castleberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I paid to help get this thing made, so I’m not afraid to critique harshly. The frame is dull and uninspired and the story spends far too much time pointlessly pontificating rather than delivering on the terrors, thrills, and heart-thumping details of Smalls’ life. Instead of providing information, the author—who seems to have no higher than a fourth grade understanding of American history or politics—attempts to educate audience members who are already familiar with the narrative’s basic outline and whom are on Smalls’ side (yeah, slavery is evil). It does far too much telling instead of showing, and clearly doesn’t trust readers to either have a basic understanding of nuance or to come to their own righteous conclusions. It does nothing for the graphic novel genre as it makes no creative use of artistic vision and it continually talks down to its readers as though they just graduated from Cam Jansen and Captain Underpants.
This comic attempts to be some kind of outline for a Disney channel original movie about Smalls instead of embarking on boldness in telling stranger-than-fiction truths. Smalls deserves better.
It’s not bad. It’s just not great.
My suggestion: find a good book on Smalls instead. There is no doubt one out there that is both more exciting, informative, and visionary than this half-hearted middle school project.

[Lyndie Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the team concept that went into creating this book as well as the learning as the story of Robert Smalls

This book was about Robert Smalls who began life as a slave. His mother raised the slave owners daughters. But Henry, the owner, wanted a son, and raised him as ‘quasi-slave.’ He taught Robert to catch, fish and hunt, but he never pulled the trigger. As he watched the injustice around him it only made hm defiant. Although the owner cared for him, Robert’s defiance led the owner try many places to find him a place for him to work. Robert eventually ends up on a Confederate ship which allowed him to make his place in history.

Things I liked about this book This graphic novel brings to life the challenging and encouraging story of Robert Smalls, who went from being a slave to a war hero, to a statesman, to a member of commerce and a business man. What an inspiring story.


Why you should read this book Robert Small’s life and achievement is a fairly unknown American hero whose life should be celebrated. The graphic novel is dramatic and brilliantly drawn to bring readers into the story. It is a great read for all ages.

[Garry Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kick-starter funded community project has an important story to tell, but it is a disappointing beginning to what may become a successful multi-volume story. Edwards' historical research is solid, but his experience with Disney/Pixar doesn't really show itself in his script. The frame story -- an aged Smalls on a fishing trip with his grandson and beginning to tell of his historic Civil War escape from slavery -- interrupts the tension of the narrative and slows it down. The introduction promises further historic adventures of this relatively unknown black Navy captain and member of Congress, but this initial volume ends abruptly after Smalls steals a prize Confederate vessel with its explosive cargo and delivers it to the Union Navy. Repetition of heroic cover-style images in color and black and white, and some editing errors, mar the presentation. The full color images are well done. And once introduced to Smalls, readers will likely be eager to hear what Paul Harvey used to call "the rest of the story."

[Laurie Woodward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how Defiant frames Robert Smalls’s life story through the lens of water, as a grandfather teaches his grandson about ripples, waves, and currents while they fish and sail. These metaphors flow seamlessly into Smalls’s own journey—from enslaved man to Civil War hero to free man and political leader.
The book reads with the energy of a graphic novel, but every detail is true. Smalls’s daring escape aboard the CSS Planter, his historic role as the first African American to captain a U.S. Navy vessel, and his later political career are all presented with clarity and heart. The illustrations and storytelling make his extraordinary life both accessible and deeply moving.
This is a beautifully crafted and essential book that brings long-overdue attention to a hero of American history. I highly recommend it.

[Laurie Woodward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how Defiant frames Robert Smalls’s life story through the lens of water, as a grandfather teaches his grandson about ripples, waves, and currents while they fish and sail. These metaphors flow seamlessly into Smalls’s own journey—from enslaved man to Civil War hero to free man and political leader.
The book reads with the energy of a graphic novel, but every detail is true. Smalls’s daring escape aboard the CSS Planter, his historic role as the first African American to captain a U.S. Navy vessel, and his later political career are all presented with clarity and heart. The illustrations and storytelling make his extraordinary life both accessible and deeply moving.
This is a beautifully crafted and essential book that brings long-overdue attention to a hero of American history. I highly recommend it.

[William Moses Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I bought this book as part of the Kickstarter campaign, so maybe I'm already a little biased towards it. But you have to admit, the stories of people who made an impact in the world and appear larger than life are appealing to me. Especially when I've never heard of them before. Robert Smalls is one such man and his story seems amazing! Just check out his Wikipedia page. This graphic novel only covers a small fraction of that story, but it was still compelling reading. I absolutely enjoyed myself and felt inspired to do more and to be more. I believe they're working on a movie based on him and I'm looking forward to it.

[kia j. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art was extremely detailed and beautiful, however i felt like the story was super rushed. The book should’ve been a bit longer and more detailed. Robert Smalls’ story holds so much weight and deserves to be told in depth every time. I recognize it is a graphic novel which doesn’t help, it was a super short & simplified. I will still give it 4 stars for the art especially. Hopefully if you’re reading this as an introduction to Robert Smalls, you dive deeper into his story!

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, what a story! Feels a little short for the amount of potential content, but what was included was told well, and enough to inspire some more research on the part of the reader to find out more. Would be neat if the team were to create a mini series on the later accomplishments of Robert Smalls, maybe as companion books rather than being forced to tell everything sequentially without gaps.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was excited to read a comic story story of an amazing hero Robert Smalls that people haven’t heard of, but the comic book switched back and forth between 2 different times which was not clearly outlined and I felt like there were missing details between some of the actions. Good thing to keep,, but very disappointed.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did I not learn about this man in school? What a life! Well researched, well written, accessible to kids but also so educational and entertaining as an adult. The illustrations were, not beautiful, maybe, but strong and aided so much in the storytelling. Wow!

[Karri Hoopes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to this man and his life. I want to know more!

[Electra · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only complaint was that it was too short.

[Preston Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really important story that isn’t more well-known. Though the art is crisp, the layout and storytelling isn’t.

[Liam Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Smalls was an enslaved man in South Carolina who was trained to pilot ships.  During the American Civil War, Smalls commandeered the ship, picked up his family members and friends, and sailed the ship to Union lines, where he turned the ship and its weapons over to the U.S. Navy.  After the war, Smalls was elected to the South Carolina legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives.


This graphic biography is framed by the story of an older Smalls at his home in South Carolina (acquired from his former enslaver) surrounded by several generations of his family.  He tells the story of his liberation to a young grandson.  The story of Robert Smalls started circulating on social media about a decade ago and many people agreed that it would make a terrific movie.  We're still waiting for the movie, but a superhero-style comic is a good start!