O Xerife da Babilônia, Volume 01: Bang. Bang. Bang.

The Sheriff of Babylon

by Tom King (Writer), Mith Gerards (Illustrator), Levi Trindade (Translator)

Bagdá, 2003. O reinado de Saddam Hussein acabou. Os americanos estão no comando agora. E ninguém está no controle.

O ex-policial e agora prestador de serviço contratado pelos militares Christopher Henry sabe disso melhor do que ninguém. Ele está no país para treinar a nova força policial iraquiana, e um de seus recrutas foi assassinado. Com a autoridade civil em frangalhos e corpos entulhando as ruas, Chris é a única pessoa realmente interessada em descobrir o culpado pelo crime e a motivação por trás do ato.

A investigação o leva primeiro a Sofia, iraquiana criada nos Estados Unidos que agora ocupa uma cadeira no conselho de governo, e então a Nassir, um grisalho veterano da força policial de Saddam (muito provavelmente, o último investigador de verdade que resta em Bagdá).

Unidos pela morte, mas divididos por lealdades conflitantes, os três precisam ajudar um ao outro no traiçoeiro cenário pós-invasão do Iraque para encontrar quem cometeu o crime. Mas o que os motiva é justiça ou algum outro interesse oculto?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, War, Fiction, Crime, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

164 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2016

Reviews

[Jan Philipzig · Rating 4 out of 5]

War stories aren’t my favorite stories in the world, probably because they are necessarily either depressing or bad. The Sheriff of Babylon: Bang Bang Bang definitely falls into the depressing category: it is every bit as disturbing and frustrating as any good war story must be. It feels so real, in fact, you pretty much know from the start that writer Tom King must have spent time in post-invasion Iraq, must have witnessed the violence and the absurdity of the situation first-hand.

Make no mistake, The Sheriff of Babylon: Bang Bang Bang does not deliver another action spectacle of the bang-bang variety. What it does deliver is a well-observed, detailed, patient, nuanced, complex, sun-drenched yet appropriately dark, downright noirish depiction of life in and around Baghdad’s US-controlled Green Zone after the invasion—nothing more and nothing less. Recommended!

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is brutal, just brutal, a set of snapshots of the chaotic situation in Iraq, post Gulf War II, 2003, Saddam reign over, and no one in control. No one. It is not some fun shoot-em-up war story, trust me it is an ugly war story/police procedural focused on Christopher Henry, a former cop turned military contractor trying to do a little bit of good. Touches of tenderness, but mostly raw. Henry is training the new police force and trying to figure out how one of the cops got killed. Why bother? It's his job. Amidst absolute chaos, random bombings and killings. He's in the "US-controlled" Green Zone and it feels like we get an idea of what it's like being there: Insanity.

Other main characters emerging are Sofia, an American-raised Iraqi, and Nassir, a former cop and investigator. Why investigate this crime? Why even stay there? Whose interests are being served? We have no idea yet, but these characters develop together interestingly.

So it's not easy to read, as there are--as there were--a lot dead bodies, a lot of killing. Tribal warfare. Complicated theological divisions. We know all this but we get to live it for awhile, through this comic, we get to feel it. King is former CIA, has been there, knows the range of human response to all the horror. The dialogue and scenes feel real, stripped down and dirty. Frightening. Mitch Gerads' art is solid here. I feel off-balance reading it, as the stories of the three main characters intertwine as they develop, so the storytelling helps to feel what Henry and all those present must feel. I am in, yikes, real life horror.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you police a country where most of the police are now classified as criminals - but you still have to work with them because of language and cultural diffrences; how indeed. When murder becomes a means to an end you can find yourself on the wrong side of that equation. Writer Tom King draws upon his experience working as a CIA counterintelligence officer in Iraq to tell the story of Chris Henry, former San Diego police officer turned military consultant, who finds that the towers of power in Babylon cast long shadows.

[Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Problem with the whole war, y'know what it is? Chocolate."

What a badass, heartbreaking, intense, and incredibly drawn crime procedural. I'm going into detail on this one because Tom King deserves it and this is a great comic.

There are three main characters:
-Christopher, American, soldier, ex-cop
-Sofia, Iraqi-American, mercenary, diplomat
-Nassir, Iraqi, cop.

The main plot follows a murder, Sofia puts Nassir in contact with Christopher, they investigate, and she plays mercenary and dirty diplomat. Obviously, in a land of complex theology and tribal warfare, the main plot escalates. The murder unfolds a vast social conspiracy involving all three. Let's just say shit gets out of hand, it's graphically realistic, and incredibly written. I'm ecstatic to see where this is going.

The subplot is a sharp critique of war, murder, politics, and Iraq, namely the anger and hatred of Iraqis for American military yet love of American culture. King, himself former C.I.A., shows us brutal and tender responses to violence, usually in one person, the complexity and compartmentalization of the human mind for horror.

This is crazy graphic. I mean, it's war, but damn. Talk about uncensored. Mitch Gerads can draw, and his Punisher style works beautifully. He's all digital, and he briefly explains his process in the afterword. Although at times I feel like King is unnecessarily violent, death for death's sake, it's true to life, this shit happens every day, including the desensitization and dehumanization, and it serves as allegory to incite such responses in the reader: disgust, anger, and sadness.

The storytelling is complex with elements of alinear plotting. I like how the first chapter is alinear, showing Christopher, Sofia and Nassir individually and then converging to help one another in the next chapter. Sometimes a scene will be told, then part of that scene will be told again with present tense narration moving the story along. That's brilliant, intelligent, atypical, and makes the reader consider the storytelling form itself.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the months following the fall of Baghdad, we are introduced to Christopher, a former police officer who is now in Baghdad to train the Iraqi police. One of his men is murdered and a former member of Saddam's police force is sent to help him. The book is filled with political intrigue, double crosses, and suspense. Mitch Gerads's art fits well with the tone of the book. It feels like Green Zone or an HBO show put on the comic page.

Received an advance copy from DC and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sud666 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sheriff of Babylon was written by a former Agency officer. Thus a small nod to Mr. King for his service as a CT (Counter Terrorist) officer for the Company. Respect.

Now let's get to this story. Due to Mr. King's background there truly is a "no good guys here" feel to this story. Everyone is shitty. The Iraqis in question just happen to be shittier than everyone else. It's a detective story about a murder. About a American police officer trying to train Iraqi counterparts. Told from the perspective of the officer, his Iraqi Police counterpart and erstwhile partner and some Iraqi woman who is on the Iraq council. More than this I won't say-it is an interesting plot and deserves to be read.

It is a dark and grim tale. I appreciate that Mr. King was able to accurately portray the hypocrisy of some of the Iraqi version of events. The fact that some of the characters, if you read between the lines, are essentially making the point that while they hated Saddam-they hate not having power even more. If that means a murderous dictator gets to run things while his sociopathic sons rape and kill anyone they please, then so be it. Just as long I'm still the Minister for Traffic and get to keep my mini-palace and my chauffeured car. Very true.

So why two stars? (1) I am not a fan of the main character. This guy is out of his depth. I get he's a cop. I get he can train. I do NOT get this clod operating in Iraq. In Feb.2004. (I happened to be there during that period in real life so I know from experience about these places in the book). He uses American police techniques. Um dude...this is IRAQ. In 2004. Even if it was Iraq in 2017 your stupid American cop training will get you KILLED. Also the character is a d-bag. He's involving himself with people that really should be left to my side of the house (law Enforcement vs Intelligence) who can deal with this crap better.
(2) The story is complicated (which is good) but it seems to trip over itself. There are many factions here (not including the US) and it can be hard to keep who is whom together. Pretty much everyone in this is a piece of shit. At least that was my feeling. So instead of all that crap-perhaps something with more of a resolution than what we had? I don't know if I liked this enough to read vol 2.

The art isn't bad. It works for this story. The colors are grim and dark. It's a grim and dark story. I liked the overall story and it is fairly accurate in the environment it describes, though perhaps not AS accurate with the people-but that is understandable. The complexity on the ground in Iraq in 2004 is something that ought to escape that grasp of all save those who were there. Especially those who didn't cower behind the Green Zone. MOST especially those who went into some of these places described, not while being backed up by hundreds of Infantrymen or attack helos..but rather in pairs and sometimes alone, who walked these streets and who spent time among them because they never realized what we were (Not all Americans are white, black or hispanic. Americans come from everywhere-much to our enemies regret) until it was too late. So I can appreciate-there are NO GOOD GUYS HERE. The good guys don't come to Iraq or anywhere near this kind of thing. They would be dead within an hour.
This might not be for everyone. I don't know if I'll move on to Vol 2. I might, I might not. I wish the story were more tightly written and thus it would make the case more interesting. I leave it for you to judge.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

February 2004, ten months after the fall of Baghdad. US Military contractor Chris Henry is training new Iraqi police and then discovers that one of his trainees has been murdered. Teaming up with local cop Nassir, who has his own set of problems involving some dead American soldiers in his basement, Chris and Nassir must navigate through the chaotic power vacuum that is Iraq post-US invasion. Elsewhere, a young Iraqi woman called Sofia is trying to control the disparate criminal elements, determined to do whatever it takes to seize power of her country.

I’ve been thinking about whether I’ve read any books or seen any movies about the Second Gulf War that were any good and nothing springs to mind; The Sheriff of Babylon is another crap entry in the sub-genre to emerge from this turbulent conflict. Tom King and Mitch Gerad’s rambling narrative is so painfully boring!

Though we spend a lot of time with them, I never really understood the Iraqi policeman Nassir’s story. He’s introduced doing something terrible, which is understandable given the loss of his kids, but I don’t get why he helps Chris or his motivations for anything really. What is he trying to do in this book? I have no idea.

Same with Sofia/Saffiya - how is she able to be taken so seriously in a patriarchal society where women are second-class citizens and still go so far? And why is she trying to become a mob boss? To be fair, it might’ve been explained in the book but I was honestly so utterly disengaged when reading it that it went over my head. King is just not a very good writer.

Tom King is a former CIA operative though who was in Iraq during this time so his experiences lends the story depth and realism. You do get a strong sense of a country in freefall, murder becoming a casual everyday affair, with people walking around nervous and paranoid, death just a hair trigger’s moment away and feels so cheap and pointless - Americans shooting Iraqis, Iraqis shooting Americans, Iraqis shooting Iraqis; total anarchy.

I can see why Mitch Gerads got this gig as his last book was a long run on The Punisher, a street level gun-toting vigilante - it’s not a stretch to go from that to this - but I’m still not impressed with his art which is so plain and uninteresting. Couple that with an uninspired colour palette - varying shades of browns and beiges - and you’ve got a flat visual style that matches the script.

You’d think this and other stories to come out of this time would be compelling to read about but all I get from them is that it was a nihilistic time in a miserable country where both sides did horrible things - there’s little more to get out of the experience than noting that human beings can be evil scumfucks to one another.

This first volume of The Sheriff of Babylon is a long way from being the thrilling crime drama it sells itself as - I think it wants to be The Wire in Baghdad - and when I got to the end I was just glad that it was over; definitely not coming back for future volumes! This is the guy who’s taking over from Scott Snyder on Batman? Yeesh…

[Matt Quann · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review here is for both the first and second volumes of King's The Sheriff of Babylon as I consider them a single story (obnoxiously) separated over two collections.

Tom King has been the most consistently enjoyable new mainstream comics author I've read this year. His Vision series was a welcome departure from classic superhero tropes and structure, while The Omega Men was a much appreciated adventure into the horrors of war as seen through space opera. There's no doubt that King has lofty aspirations, and so far he's got a perfect batting average! I decided to try The Sheriff of Babylon just to get a hold of more King, but this early Vertigo series is perhaps his most accomplished.

From the get-go, you know that King has a great sense of pacing, structure, and doesn't mind messing around with how panels are laid out. The story, set in 2004 Baghdad after the American invasion, follows US consultant Chris Henry as he tries to train the new Baghdadi police force. When one of his trainees is found murdered in the "green zone", Henry becomes involved in the web of parties potentially involved. In his quest joins local cop Nassir and political mover-and-shaker, Sofia.

All of the details within the book are bolstered by King's credentials as former CIA operative. The small details in the story's telling give it a realistic depth that I've found many of these narratives often lack. There's as much time given to the populace of Baghdad in small moments as there is to the larger mystery. Mitch Gerards is also a terrific choice as artist as his realist lines and colouring help to bring Baghdad to life.

One of the things I love about King's plots is that they rarely offer easy answers. Characters are irrevocably changed by the narrative's end, and the challenges throughout the story have brought them toward that core alteration. I really enjoyed the moral ambiguity presented in the final chapter and the rest of the tangly bits of questionable decision making on the way to the end. Overall, this one gets a thumbs up!

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa, yeah...if any series gonna make you feel depressed after it's going to be a Tom King series. From Omegamen to Vision the dude sure knows how to hit on the feels.

So Chris Henry, a police officer, comes to Babylon to try and start up or fix the policing of the area. When one of his people goes missing and then is killed he decides to investigate. With the help of a local they begin their mission. Two very different men, from very different cultures, team up in almost a buddy cop way but with interesting views on the world. Then it goes into darker territory and backgrounds of each character, including the side cast, and does it nearly flawless.

Good: The story's pacing is perfect. It sucks you in from the start and as you learn more and more about each character, each dark secret, you begin to see them as real people. Not fictional stereotypes but actual real people. I'd bet Tom King based some of these characters off actual people he met over there. The case, investigation, is intriguing from the very start but by the end it truly boils down to a great last few words said by a person who sees the world very differently than us.

Bad: The story is extremely downer and not for everyone. Dialog heavy and more focused on people and their views and ideas then any big shoot up. This is a positive for me, but the darker, more realistic take, isn't for everyone.

Overall this wonderfully drawn, very well written title, deserves all the praise it has gotten. I can't believe it took me so long to read it. A 4 out of 5.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although he is currently making a name for himself writing for both Marvel and DC from his twelve-issue run on The Vision to his current run on Batman, prior to his superhero comics and even before his debut novel A Once Crowded Sky, Tom King was an ex-CIA officer and inspired by his time in Iraq as part of the CIA, his Vertigo title The Sheriff of Babylon shows a graphical and compelling depiction of the 2004 Iraq War.

When a murder takes place in the American-controlled Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, former cop turned military contractor Christopher Henry teams up with Sofia 9, an American-raised Iraqi who not sits on the governing council and Nassir, a grizzled veteran of the late Saddam’s police force, to investigate and thus leading the three into one big conspiracy.

When it comes to war, there is no good versus evil or indeed American verses Iraqi as King states that as this story taking place in a post-Saddam world where the US is in command, but not entirely controlling the situation whilst the enemy who loathe the American military and yet strangely fascinated with its culture, as established in issue #4 where a young boy is trying to sell a nude magazine to Christopher whilst screaming “Yay America! Boo Saddam! And Matt Damon!”

Through the eyes of the three leads, each with their own individual background, King nails the distinct characterisations that feel lived in and the interactions between one another feel organic. The most interesting of the bunch is Sofia, whose position as a female Iraqi whose profession steps into both countries’ governments gives her character many layers and there is some ambiguity into where her heart lies. As a comic that isn’t action-driven as most of the first volume is wordplay, issue #5 takes a literal break with Christopher and Nassir’s wife spend some late night hours drinking vodka and talking about the ramifications of September 11th. What King nails about this whole sequence is about the conversation doesn’t feel one-sided and despite how tragic 9/11 was, these two characters can still have a laugh about it.

As someone who was not at all familiar with the art of Mitch Gerads, I was instantly hooked his level of detail towards Baghdad in 2004 and its gritty surroundings. On the lower back of this volume it says “SUGGESTED FOR MATURE READERS” and the comic does not shy away from the graphic imagery and even with a number of panels that nothing but the word “BANG”, things get bloody.

As much as Tom King has provided himself as a top writer currently working in superhero comics, i.e. The Vision, The Sheriff of Babylon is a brilliant Iraq-based murder mystery with great distinct characterisation.

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stand-out military/police procedure/crime-noir/political commentary graphic novel masterpiece bar none.
Rereading it made me upgrade my review to 5 stars. A modern classic like the Hurt Locker but better.

[Elizabeth A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book blurb: Baghdad, 2003. The War on Terror has been raging for two years. Iraq's capital city has been devastated, and without a police force to keep its citizens safe. In an effort to establish some semblance of order in the war-torn city, Florida cop-turned-military consultant Chris Henry has been assigned to train a new group of cadets who will take up the cause of law enforcement. But even those with good intentions are not immune to the chaos found in the post-9/11 Middle East.

Yes, war is hell, but the aftermath is hell too.

This graphic novel series follows several people in the aftermath of the Iraqi war, and it is as dark and awful as one would expect. There is murder mystery at the heart of this story, but what is so fascinating is that everyone has an agenda and you're never really sure who is trustworthy and who isn't. I liked the art, but I was really drawn in by the characters and the plot of this story. It is really violent, so if that is not your jam, then you might want to skip it. However, I do think it's too easy for us Americans to ignore the aftermath of the various wars we've been engaged in, and this comic takes on some of the issues without flinching.

I recommend this one to readers of historical fiction and war stories. Isn't it time that the wars of the past decade or so got more coverage in the bibliophile world? I'll be keeping my eye out for the next installment in the series.

[Zedsdead · Rating 5 out of 5]

An American training up police officers in 2004 Iraq investigates the murder of one of his cadets. Aiding him are a politically powerful politician and a weary Iraqi detective. The setting is one of barely contained chaos, frustration, resignation.

Hot damn, the whole volume reeks of realism. Dialogue sounds like people actually talking. Factional infighting is complex and convincing. Dramatic plot points don't feel the least bit manufactured. This is transportive stuff.

The comics structure is top notch as well. Forms are unusual yet functional (tiny insets showing the unpictured speaker in a phone conversations; gunshots each get their own separate panels, BANG, with the aftermath of each depicted in between). One page brilliantly follows down a chain of favors--important currency in post-war Iraq--and back up again, one panel at a time.

Sheriff of Babylon was exquisitely satisfying.

[11811 (Eleven) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was an article in the WSJ today about this writer and what he is currently doing with Batman comics. The article also mentions that he is former CIA with counter terrorism experience overseas, and actually needed to clear this comic with intelligence officials prior to publication.

I doubt anyone else in the comic book industry could have written anything like this with the same level of authenticity. Easily five stars.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid war story based around Iraq and a US policeman training Iraqi soldiers. The story is more character and dialogue driven, with more a emotional response than a lure adrenaline action one. The art is great but I just found the plot a little too think and slow. urn like. Tom King is still one of my favourite writers.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I miss the days of VERTIGO!

Ten months after the fall of Baghdad military contractor Christopher Henry is training new recruits for the Iraqi police force.
When one of them is found dead...Christopher seeks help in returning the body to his family and finding out what happened..
He soon finds himself down a very nasty path ..
Full of contradictions that was the Gulf War it's a gruesome mature read.

[Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sheriff of Babylon, Volume 1 by Tom King is a prime example of what makes Vertigo one of the best comic book publishers to be found. They have been doing books like this for ages and have set the standard for realistic comic book drama. Violent and gritty, The Sheriff of Babylon is one of those comics that transcends the genre and begs to be made into a serious film.

In 2003 Baghdad, The War on Terror has been going on for two years and cop turned military consultant, Chris Henry has a fresh set of recruits to be trained as part of the new police force. But after 9/11, the Middle East is the last place that is open to order among its chaos and when Henry finds one of his recruits brutally murdered, he opens an investigation that is felt throughout the region.

The tender balance between tribal and national politics finds itself teetering on edge and Henry must partner up with the last policeman in Baghdad, Nassir, to solve a crime no one wants to look into. Behind the scenes, an American educated Iraqi woman named Sofia manipulates the people and the underworld. Soon, Henry and Nassir will find themselves no match for the shadowy forces they face and they will pay a high price for their involvement.

The Sheriff of Babylon is an intense and honest look at what transpired in a country torn apart by the War on Terror. Chris Henry is not a lone wolf sent into a country of uneducated policemen to save the day. He is far from that. Instead he is a man doing a job who cannot ignore the atrocity he is faced with. Deciding to investigate what appears to be a murder with political implications, he unknowingly sets even more horror in motion. Resulting in even more death, gruesome torture and the death of those he has come to care about.

Tom King was a CIA operative and had first hand knowledge of what happened in Iraq during those years. The Sheriff of Babylon in an unflinching and honest read. Whatever your politics, this is just a damn good book.

[Kevin Smythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A crime story set in post-Saddam Baghdad. A contractor training Iraqi police finds one of his trainees dead. The search begins to find out what happened. The books follows where things go from there - and, oh, do they go somewhere.

I nearly skipped this book, as the subject didn't really appeal to me. So glad I picked up that first issue, as I was instantly hooked. King's pacing and characterization are perfect. Gerads' art is spectacular and tonally on point. This book has some of the most intense, emotional scenes I've read in a comic; I often found myself holding my breath.

I read this in single issues and really envy those who will read it as a complete volume. I consistently got to the last page of each issue and had to search frantically for one more page, before accepting I'd have to wait a month to find out what happens next.

Easily one of the best comics out there right now: A must read.

[Václav · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book readers (like real, just text, books) sometimes say to me that comics is robbing them from using their imagination. To imagine what is going on. The scene. I do not argue, because I'm biased by my passion for comics. But I do not agree. Not fully. And this is the moment I always remember that. The Sheriff of Babylon is something like Homeland TV series but without crazy bipolar CIA agent. And it is somehow very much likely disturbing, tough, real and fascinating. And Tom King know his trade. Together with Gerads' art he created something I emerged into, got devoured by. And I vividly imagined whole scenes. In my head, panels transferred to frames, my imagination filled the whole scene (but within borders and means the King and Gerads created), people got voices... And that's the feeling I love. Together with one of my favourite topics, we got a bullseye. Everything clicks here. And I approve.

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom King is making it a habit of knocking it out of the damn park with his comic books, and this one is no exception. Grounded in the U.S. Iraq conflict in 2004, this title reads as horrific, and grounded, with a real sense of place and authenticity. It's the world as we know it, with all its ugliness and deformities, and watching Chris and co. fumble through the gutted, post Saddam Iraq is painfully real. The dialogue and characterization are pitch perfect, with gorgeously painted human beings, bleeding out of every page. While the overall plot is taking its time in taking shape, the characters are complex, likable, and expertly crafted. My favorite issue of the whole thing is just two of the characters having a drink together, and talking about their disparate, but familiar lives. King is executing a thing of beauty, and it should be read by every modern comic book aficionado.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

World Wars told us war is hell. Vietnam screamed that war is senseless hell. Conflict and continued operations in the Middle East make us ask what are we doing here?

Tom King paints Baghdad in 2004 with such detail, confusion, pessimistic humor, and severity it could only come from a mind that's been seen "the shit." King perfectly creates a tale that lacks a sense of moral purpose to help each "side" (and there are more than 2, try 10ish) empathize with the other. He then continues to punch you in the face with violent accidents, terrorist attacks, and a general sense of "why the fuck does any of this need to happen."

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, was this depressing. Too close to the reality, too cynical, too full of hopelessness.

Story was good, art was good and very detailed (especially the background scenes) - lots of info revealed in the background vital to the plot. Love that!

I'll definitely be continuing this series, at least to see if the crimes are solved. But I'll definitely need something to lift my spirits afterward!

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collects The Sheriff of Babylon issues #1-6

I'm a huge fan of Tom King's writing, so I wanted to check out his early work. I hadn't got to it yet, because I'm not a huge fan of war fiction, but he is such a good writer, that I knew I had to read it someday. Overall, while I can see some of the strengths, it still wasn't my favorite thing to read. I will, however, complete the series, as I'm a King completionist.

[Fact100 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ve melek gür bir sesle haykırdı: 'Yıkıldı, yıkıldı Koca Babil! Cinlerin barınağı, her kötü ruhun uğrağı, her murdar ve iğrenç kuşun sığınağı oldu!'"

[Yousra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I mostly refrain from reading anything about the Iraqi war (specially since American sniper) as I know I probably won't end up liking it. But I certainly don't regret reading this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this comic. It was so depressing and sad and sometimes anger provoking which made it real.

It's a murder story not a war one but it still sheds some light on different parts of war-torn Iraq.

We have three main characters here:

1) Nassir, the last Iraqi cop who murdered Shias with Saddam though being a Shia himself! (Says a lot about him!)

2) Chris, the American officer training Iraqis in "The free republic of Iraq"

3) Saffyiah/ Sofia. The Iraqi-American diplomat (?) who isn't scared of getting her hands dirty once in a while.

And I love all three of them though I don't necessarily like them.

It's not a "ohmygod wtf happened" page turner but it sure is a "oh, tell me more" one. Specially with the beautiful art that I made sure I enjoy every part of.
I found the portrayal of Iraq very realistic, though I have never been there myself so I can't say for sure.
The only issue I had was with how Iraqi women were portrayed. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't offensive or anything of that sort.. it was just.. confusing ? Like I didn't exactly get what/how/who are they. I wasn't sure how they were meant to be portrayed, if that makes any sense.

Overall, I enjoyed this and I'll definitely continue on with the series.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was disappointed when I came to the end of this first volume, because I wanted to know what happens next. You can't really give a comic much stronger praise than that, can you? I tried to read a galley of this a while back, but it just didn't keep me going. So when I got my hands on a paperback collection, I wasn't really expecting much. But I enjoyed the story, about an American military contractor looking into the death of one of his Iraqi policeman trainees. The situation in Iraq, post-Gulf War II, is a very complicated one, and to pursue a murder investigation is more than a little quixotic, but King does a great job of investing us in this, showing us the investigation from multiple angles. In addition to the American, Chris, we've also got two other protagonists--Nassir, a former Iraq policeman, and Sofia/Saffiya, an Americanized Iraqi woman who has returned to help in the rebuilding effort and who seems to have people from all walks of life owing her favors. This isn't slam-bang action, but more of a slow burn, and it's starting to look as if the solution to this crime is going to go deep into secret political maneuverings. Loved the artwork by Mitch Gerads, which is both realistic and cinematic. Looking forward to more of this story.

[Sonic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like "Unknown Soldier" (2008) and "Scalped" this is one of those books that is both a pleasure to read (as in it's form and style [great writing and art]) while at the same time increasing cultural literacy (through it's content) and potentially makes one more emotionally intelligent, as we see how people are struggling in other parts of the world.

This is relevant because it takes place in Iraq,
and it is refreshing because it does not seem to trumpet the usual U.S. propaganda narrative.

[Koen Claeys · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love 'Scalped', you'll definitely enjoy this!

[Rosemary Standeven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenal graphic novel. The graphics are exceptional – each panel adding so much to the dialogue with the expressions of the characters faces. For each sentence stated out loud, there is another silent novel in the picture.
Christopher Henry, an American has gone to Bagdad to help train the new Iraqi police force. On of his trainees is found dead by the American forces, and in the absence of anyone who knows what to do about the death or the body – the matter is passed on to Chris.

“I don’t remember him. Just another Hajji who worked for me”
“If he is just another one. Why would you care?”
“I am supposed to be here to help these people. If I am not doing that, If I can’t, why am I here?”
“I’m sorry, who are ‘these people’ you’re supposed to help?”
“I don’t know. Don’t you?”

After asking the colleagues of the dead man if they knew him – and all replying no:

“Your man was killed, yes? Trouble, yes? These men are like your man. Boys. They are trying to live fine. They don’t want to be involved in this trouble, so they don’t answer some questions, maybe. I don’t know. But I know not answering, not having trouble, this is not lying. This is telling the truth.”

Chris really does care – but, between the trigger-happy US forces and the Iraqi people trying to make a living, whilst settling their own scores – he is hampered at every turn. The Americans in Iraq will always be at a disadvantage, because they do not understand the culture they have been parachuted into. Chris does try. More than most are prepared to. He tries to talk down a suspected suicide bomber – only to have her shot in front of him by US soldiers, who are not willing to wait, or to countenance a non-violent approach.
There are no certainties in this world, no right and no wrong. All is relative. Fear rules. Fear of death. Fear of failure. Fear of losing face or power. And every action hides a myriad of other actions, decisions, deaths …
This was not an easy book to read. I frequently got lost – though, I am sure that was the intention of the writers. The main character, Chris, is similarly lost and trying desperately to make sense of the chaos in which he finds himself. Once I had finished the book – I started it again.
The book underlines the importance of not trying to fix something, when you don’t understand what has gone wrong, and why. Transplanting Western methods and Western values wholesale into other cultures, with no empathy and no comprehension of the situation(s) on the ground, is bound to cause more difficulties than it solves.
I really, really liked this book. It made me think – a lot! The story is a process – nothing is solved or resolved – it is the journey that is important, not the ending. This is the first in at least 6 issues. I am not sure I have the mental energy to read all of them – but I am very pleased that I did read this one. Highly recommended to anyone who wants a thought provoking and beautifully produced graphic novel.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some chilling moments in this story. It's not the deaths, since the movies have pretty much made us immune to looking at a dead body in fiction. It's the cold determination in some of the characters and their unwavering zeal to achieve their goal. The means are irrelevant - murder, bribes, manipulation. It's a free-for-all to get results. Even better, the line between the good and bad guys is nowhere to be seen. The men aren't the only ones commiting atrocities. The women and childen are involved as well. What can YOU do when a woman empties a shotgun into your back or when a child runs up to you with a revolver pointed at your head?

Baghdad, Irak. Ali Al Fahar is found dead. The man's family is also found dead. He was a police trainee working under Christopher, an ex-cop. Christopher brings Nassir, an old Iraqi police investigator, and Saffiya, a ruthless member of the Iraqi council and his lover, to be involved in solving the suspicious murder. An interested party wants to keep the murder secret and is willing to kill the three to make it so.

Fahar and his family were killed by extremists because he wanted to work with the Americans who are viewed as invaders. The Iraqi faction led by Abu Rahim never supported Saddam, but also wants the Americans out. They try to recruit Nassir and kill Saffiya, but are unsuccessful. The two bad together with Christopher and try to get help from the Americans who seem to be part of the same conspiracy.