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The Stan
The 'Stan is a collection of short comics about America's longest war. Individual stories highlight different perspectives--one through the eyes of a Taliban ambassador and others through the eyes of Afghan and U.S. Army soldiers--but every account highlights the human element of war. The tales in this book--based on reporting by David Axe and Kevin Knodell and drawn by artist Blue Delliquanti--are all true and took place in roughly the first decade of the U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan. While the stories are from the recent past, The 'Stan is still very much about Afghanistan's and America's present--and likely their future.
128 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 25, 2018
Most people, in their day to day lives, in the US, have forgotten that we are still at war in Afganistan. We still have soldiers over there. There is still fighting going on.
This book is not one long story about one solider over there. This is a collection of many stories.
There are stories of the children who get shot, by accident.
There are the stories of the women who sign up to fight.
And there are the stories of the children born in reguee camps, to people that helped the Americans, but can't get into America.
Each story is about five or six pages long, and tells one story. But taken all together, you get the story of the people over there. Of civilians giving their food to tired soldiers. Of translators, who can not go home again. And of soldiers who have grown numb to the killing.
Well written, moving, good collection of stories. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This book is not one long story about one solider over there. This is a collection of many stories.
There are stories of the children who get shot, by accident.
There are the stories of the women who sign up to fight.
And there are the stories of the children born in reguee camps, to people that helped the Americans, but can't get into America.
Each story is about five or six pages long, and tells one story. But taken all together, you get the story of the people over there. Of civilians giving their food to tired soldiers. Of translators, who can not go home again. And of soldiers who have grown numb to the killing.
Well written, moving, good collection of stories. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
February 2, 2019
Frustratingly brief oral histories with U.S. soldiers and Afghan citizens give a mere glimpse into the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Each story is worth reading, but viewed as a whole, they seem sort of random and lacking in deep insight into the conflict.
The art is fine if a bit sketch-like in places, but I'm not sure the cartoonish style was the best choice for the stories being told. I thought briefly this was being pitched toward younger readers, but the language used by the soldiers is quite adult.
The art is fine if a bit sketch-like in places, but I'm not sure the cartoonish style was the best choice for the stories being told. I thought briefly this was being pitched toward younger readers, but the language used by the soldiers is quite adult.
November 16, 2018
Dead Reckoning is a (fairly new) imprint of the Naval Institute Press that publishes military-themed graphic novels and books (e.g. they have published “All Quiet on the Western Front” as a graphic novel). The Stan is a comic book based on stories collected by two American journalists (autors Kevin Knodell and David Axe) who have spent a long time covering the war in Afghanistan. The only story not based on their work is the opening chapter, which is a comic based on the life and words of former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, Abdus Salam Zaeef. They use this first comic as a capsule history of the background to this war as well as a prediction of its futility and eventual failure. This is the only comic that gives a nod, albeit a minimalistic and relatively simple one, to the “big picture” of the Afghan war and it is a strictly anti-war and anti-interventionist one. The other comics are all about the “little people”, ordinary soldiers, an Afghan interpreter, an Afghan soldier and an Afghan policeman. The last comic is about one of the authors (Kevin Knodell), who may have some PTSD, and his parting words are that “America’s longest war was going to stretch on longer”.The stories are simple and the authors make little or no editorial comment. There is nothing revolutionary about the comic, but the overall effect is to humanize everyone involved, from the frequently idealistic and well-meaning American soldiers to their Afghan friends, hosts and enemies. Apart from the American soldiers doing various jobs there is an Afghan interpreter who can never go back home, a trainee policeman who wants to use his position to settle old scores in the village and another who wants to be Rambo. Sadly there are also kids who get blown up because the Taliban kidnapped someone and forced his brother to wear a suicide vest.
The stories shed some light on the day to day conduct of the war from a foot-soldier’s point of view and the American soldiers depicted in the book are mostly trying to do their job as best as they can, but a sense of tragic futility does hang over all of them. Unfortunately there is almost nothing from an officer’s point of view and other than Abdus Salam Zaeef saying “the American’s should have used their mind and logic after 9-11. They should have investigated. Their haste and hubris was their biggest mistake” there is no discussion of the strategic or “big picture” aspects of the war. If you want that, you will have to read some other books, but if you want a grunt’s eye view presented with sympathy for the soldiers as well as ordinary Afghans then this is not a bad place to start.
The stories shed some light on the day to day conduct of the war from a foot-soldier’s point of view and the American soldiers depicted in the book are mostly trying to do their job as best as they can, but a sense of tragic futility does hang over all of them. Unfortunately there is almost nothing from an officer’s point of view and other than Abdus Salam Zaeef saying “the American’s should have used their mind and logic after 9-11. They should have investigated. Their haste and hubris was their biggest mistake” there is no discussion of the strategic or “big picture” aspects of the war. If you want that, you will have to read some other books, but if you want a grunt’s eye view presented with sympathy for the soldiers as well as ordinary Afghans then this is not a bad place to start.
March 4, 2019
The stories are all too short to really grab me, but it is still worth your time to read some first-hand accounts of the war.
June 13, 2018
I feel that I don't know enough about the war in Afghanistan to truly appreciate this, but one thing is for certain, the bravery of our servicemen and women is certainly captured in this book. I liked that it gave many different perspectives and stories.
June 29, 2020
'The 'Stan' by Kevin Knodell and David Axe with illustrations by Blue Delliquanti is a series of 17 illustrated nonfiction stories from the recent conflict in Afghanistan.
The stories are from people who live in Afghanistan and American soldiers who were in the country. There are stories of diplomats and soldiers embedded with locals. There are ex-soldiers and soldiers who defused bombs. There are people whose lives changed due to helping and how they had to change their lives.
The stories are all fairly short, but still really interesting, and help tell the story of a long and ongoing conflict. The art by Blue Delliquanti really works to tell these personal stories.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Myrick Marketing & Media LLC, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
The stories are from people who live in Afghanistan and American soldiers who were in the country. There are stories of diplomats and soldiers embedded with locals. There are ex-soldiers and soldiers who defused bombs. There are people whose lives changed due to helping and how they had to change their lives.
The stories are all fairly short, but still really interesting, and help tell the story of a long and ongoing conflict. The art by Blue Delliquanti really works to tell these personal stories.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Myrick Marketing & Media LLC, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
June 13, 2021
There are a number of stories illustrated within this book, and not a single one is fleshed out in a meaningful way. They’re all far too short to get into the details of the stories, and it was quite frustrating.
Also, I love Blue’s artwork and art style, but I’m not sure it was the best choice for this
Also, I love Blue’s artwork and art style, but I’m not sure it was the best choice for this
November 25, 2018
Fascinating stories. Average art. Weird cover.
March 25, 2022
Looking back at the US occupation of Afghanistan, one has to sit and wonder if it was all worth it – especially with what happened earlier this year in regards to the Taliban largely “winning” for lack of a better word. When looking at the near twenty year conflict as a whole, one could focus solely on politics, but that is done to death at this point and lacks the human element of a book such as our topic for today. The ‘Stan by Kevin Knodell, David Axe, and Blue Delliquanti is an older book by Dead Reckoning, a comics imprint of the US naval Institute Press, that tackles the occupation from the one viewpoint that really matters – the soldiers themselves that shed blood, sweat, and tears in the name of a cause that many hoped was bigger than any sabre rattling leader – Democracy.
“The ‘Stan is a collection of short comics about America’s longest war. Individual stories highlight different perspectives–one through the eyes of a Taliban ambassador and others through the eyes of Afghan and U.S. Army soldiers–but every account highlights the human element of war. The tales in this book–based on reporting by David Axe and Kevin Knodell and drawn by artist Blue Delliquanti–are all true and took place in roughly the first decade of the U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan. While the stories are from the recent past, The ‘Stan is still very much about Afghanistan’s and America’s present–and likely their future.”
The ‘Stan is a collection of short comic vignettes, mostly three or four pages in length that detail various viewpoints on the War in Afghanistan. Each tells a wildly different story including a take on what it was like to be a woman in the front lines, the stress inflicted on IED removal crews, worrying about how trustworthy various “allies” were, and even shady arms deals to keep the war machine afloat. These stories appear to have been collected via interviews with numerous soldiers, all from different career paths within the military with varying rank. Some stories are tales of bravery, and others are stories of sadness, weakness, or even wrongdoing.
I tip my hat to the authors as they have gone a great length to ensure the whole war is looked at vs one part that only paints us in a good light ala most war propaganda. I especially liked that it spoke of the hardships of the Afghani people that were allied with the US, many of whom can never return home in fear of reprisal from The Taliban. With me working in Immigration, this part always hits hard with me, because US policy usually leaves these people “high and dry” when “the war is over”. Images of the recent Afghan airlifts can attest to the shaky ground those allegiances and guarantees of safety actually consist of.
Some stories are definitely better than others, and I felt like most of them ended far too abruptly, but what we do have is interesting and did it’s job of being a snapshot into what life was like in various points and times during the war. The artwork is reminiscent of some of the modern art styles that a lot of cartoons use nowadays, which is an interesting choice for a series of potentially violent tales. If the authors ever decided to do more of these, I’d absolutely love to read it, especially if they broadened it to other recent conflicts. If you are a fan of military comics and war biographies this is a somewhat different take on that genre, but it was very successful. Dead Reckoning always has an eye for great content, and I’m glad I’ve dipped back into some of their older material.
http://arcadiapod.com/2022/03/25/revi...
“The ‘Stan is a collection of short comics about America’s longest war. Individual stories highlight different perspectives–one through the eyes of a Taliban ambassador and others through the eyes of Afghan and U.S. Army soldiers–but every account highlights the human element of war. The tales in this book–based on reporting by David Axe and Kevin Knodell and drawn by artist Blue Delliquanti–are all true and took place in roughly the first decade of the U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan. While the stories are from the recent past, The ‘Stan is still very much about Afghanistan’s and America’s present–and likely their future.”
The ‘Stan is a collection of short comic vignettes, mostly three or four pages in length that detail various viewpoints on the War in Afghanistan. Each tells a wildly different story including a take on what it was like to be a woman in the front lines, the stress inflicted on IED removal crews, worrying about how trustworthy various “allies” were, and even shady arms deals to keep the war machine afloat. These stories appear to have been collected via interviews with numerous soldiers, all from different career paths within the military with varying rank. Some stories are tales of bravery, and others are stories of sadness, weakness, or even wrongdoing.
I tip my hat to the authors as they have gone a great length to ensure the whole war is looked at vs one part that only paints us in a good light ala most war propaganda. I especially liked that it spoke of the hardships of the Afghani people that were allied with the US, many of whom can never return home in fear of reprisal from The Taliban. With me working in Immigration, this part always hits hard with me, because US policy usually leaves these people “high and dry” when “the war is over”. Images of the recent Afghan airlifts can attest to the shaky ground those allegiances and guarantees of safety actually consist of.
Some stories are definitely better than others, and I felt like most of them ended far too abruptly, but what we do have is interesting and did it’s job of being a snapshot into what life was like in various points and times during the war. The artwork is reminiscent of some of the modern art styles that a lot of cartoons use nowadays, which is an interesting choice for a series of potentially violent tales. If the authors ever decided to do more of these, I’d absolutely love to read it, especially if they broadened it to other recent conflicts. If you are a fan of military comics and war biographies this is a somewhat different take on that genre, but it was very successful. Dead Reckoning always has an eye for great content, and I’m glad I’ve dipped back into some of their older material.
http://arcadiapod.com/2022/03/25/revi...
August 7, 2020
A collection of 17 anecdotal stories from soldiers and survivors of the war in Afghanistan.
Told in graphic novel frames, this collection of stores about the war in Afghanistan is haunting - much of it never told to citizens in the U.S. It opens with words from Abdul Salam Zaeef, Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, a veteran of the war with the Russians, and a former prisoner at Gitmo: "This whole plot of war was decided very soon after September 11, 2001. America's blood had already started to boil before that time: they were just looking for an excuse. America should have used its mind and its logic after September 11; they should have investigated. Their haste was their hubris. The war itself was their biggest mistake." It continues with tales from a soldier/CIA operative given carte blanche to buy whatever weapons they needed using a governmental American Express card, tales of peaceful sorties, ambushes, cultural learning curves, equipment failures, doctored sortie reports, treachery by Afghani soldiers, fear of landmines and IEDs, a female intelligence collector and a female nurse. It closes, appropriately enough, with the stateside transition of some newly returned soldiers and the PTSD experienced when they hear fireworks for the first time after leaving Afghanistan.
Wow! This is an easy, compelling read in one sitting. Knodell and David Axe, both wartime journalists, present the underside of war using authentic language. It is not sugar-coated. It is ugly. It is gritty. Illustrations by Blue Delliquanti are equally compelling. They are full of detail of life in and traditions of Afghanistan as experienced by Americans. Not as dark or gory as those found in Machete Squad (Dead Reckoning, c2108), these are more hopeful and life-affirming.
A must read for those considering a career in the military - particularly the army - and those who served our country in the military. Thank you for your service!
Highly Recommended for Grades 9-adult.
Told in graphic novel frames, this collection of stores about the war in Afghanistan is haunting - much of it never told to citizens in the U.S. It opens with words from Abdul Salam Zaeef, Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, a veteran of the war with the Russians, and a former prisoner at Gitmo: "This whole plot of war was decided very soon after September 11, 2001. America's blood had already started to boil before that time: they were just looking for an excuse. America should have used its mind and its logic after September 11; they should have investigated. Their haste was their hubris. The war itself was their biggest mistake." It continues with tales from a soldier/CIA operative given carte blanche to buy whatever weapons they needed using a governmental American Express card, tales of peaceful sorties, ambushes, cultural learning curves, equipment failures, doctored sortie reports, treachery by Afghani soldiers, fear of landmines and IEDs, a female intelligence collector and a female nurse. It closes, appropriately enough, with the stateside transition of some newly returned soldiers and the PTSD experienced when they hear fireworks for the first time after leaving Afghanistan.
Wow! This is an easy, compelling read in one sitting. Knodell and David Axe, both wartime journalists, present the underside of war using authentic language. It is not sugar-coated. It is ugly. It is gritty. Illustrations by Blue Delliquanti are equally compelling. They are full of detail of life in and traditions of Afghanistan as experienced by Americans. Not as dark or gory as those found in Machete Squad (Dead Reckoning, c2108), these are more hopeful and life-affirming.
A must read for those considering a career in the military - particularly the army - and those who served our country in the military. Thank you for your service!
Highly Recommended for Grades 9-adult.
September 22, 2018
I really appreciated this graphic collection of first person narratives from U.S. soldiers. They remind me of the incredible sacrifice these men and women make and the physical and psychological toll of their peacekeeping efforts.
These vignettes are quick flashes, reminiscent of the IUDs of modern warfare. They are unfinished stories that leave the reader slightly unsettled, wanting a resolution or a happier ending.
Powerful and important.
These vignettes are quick flashes, reminiscent of the IUDs of modern warfare. They are unfinished stories that leave the reader slightly unsettled, wanting a resolution or a happier ending.
Powerful and important.
August 14, 2018
This collection of short comics about what is now America's longest war are true stories drawn from reporting by David Axe and Kevin Knodell and take place in roughly the first decade of the U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan.
March 17, 2025
Short 5 or 6 page stories from soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Afghans themselves. It can be tough stuff. Some of them are touching. All of them remind you that there were no real winners in the war.
June 29, 2019
fuck America
January 27, 2020
important stories told tastefully.
January 3, 2022
Realist modern war memoir.
Read
May 28, 2022I picked this up to learn more about the illustrator, but this book was not for me.
Read
December 2, 2025The book was really good and gave a bunch of different perspectives on the Afghanistan war.
February 26, 2019
Enjoyed this book immensely but the stories were waaaay too short and I just simply wanted more! Lots of action, politics, tragedy and even some military humor make it worth checking out! It had the ring of truth to it and sometimes just made you shake your head at how ridiculous or futile it all seems! Bravo to this newer press for being brave to print this book! 👏🏻
October 7, 2020
Fascinating stories from those who served nicely illustrated.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews