PEREMOHA: Victory for Ukraine

Шлях до ПЕРЕМОГИ

by Tokyopop

IF YOU WERE ATTACKED, WOULD YOU FIGHT BACK?

What if your family, your hometown, your entire way of living were threatened by force?  That’s what the people of Ukraine faced when Putin’s Russian army invaded their sovereign land, displacing millions of refugees and causing an international crisis threatening democracy across the globe.  But the Ukrainian people refused to cave — and these 9 stories weave the greater tale of their resistance — and fight for Victory!

This anthology is a collection created by Ukrainian artists during the first weeks of the Russian invasion, channeling all their emotions — their anger, courage, dreams, and despair into one goal, one manifestation of their nation’s fight for survival!

A portion of the proceeds for the paperback will be donated to

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, History, Politics

96 pages, Paperback

First published August 23, 2022

About the author

Tokyopop, stylized TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and original English-language manga in English, German, and Japanese. Tokyopop was originally founded in 1997 by Stuart J. Levy.

On April 15, 2011, Tokyopop announced that it would close its Los Angeles, CA-based North American publishing operations on May 31, 2011.

Reviews

[Nataliya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here’s the thing — if you expect to see me review this with any objectivity, that’s really not going to happen. It’s been over 6.5 months since Russia invaded Ukraine and has been trying to blame the victim for the actions of the aggressor.

This can’t be justified, understood or forgiven.
Not after Bucha. Not after Mariupol. Not after any of this horror.

Russia should do exactly what was suggested its warship should do to itself.

So in short, this will be a non-objective rating. I wouldn’t care if the pages were blank except for a variety of curses aimed at the invaders that in their own country are jailing people for calling this war a war. (Actually, I’d probably have been jailed over there for this review. Great place, no?)

So read these 9 very short stories, more sketches than anything, all united by refusal to give up. And that’s brave and necessary.

5 stars.

Buy this book, show support for Ukraine. Don’t stop caring, even if prices are high or you’re looking at a cold winter in your home. However bad you think you have it, there are devastated places in Ukraine that have it much worse than you do, and they need help, support and prioritizing what’s right over what’s comfortable.

——————

Thanks to NetGalley and TOKYOPOP for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Marquise · Rating 3 out of 5]

With nine short stories, this anthology of war stories in comics format was a mixed bag for me as some of the stories were good, some needed more polish, some would've been better left out or published on their own.

I understand that, with the aim being to support Ukrainian artists that are in very strained economic circumstances right now as well as the fact that the Russo-Ukrainian War is still ongoing, there probably wasn't enough time to work more on the stories as needed. If I were an artist and my country was being bombed day and night, I wouldn't have all the time in the world to create my stuff at a leisure pace either, more so because in times of war art isn't a priority people are going to spend money on, with food and shelter and safety being priorities. I also do get it that art is an outlet for all the stress, pain, rage, and trauma Ukrainians are experiencing on a daily basis, which explains the narrative choices made in this collection that would otherwise have a different, likely less kind, interpretation of the authors' intentions.

That said, I'm going to focus on the better stories and offer what constructive critique I can provide. For me, out of the nine short stories, these were the best:

THE GHOST OF KYIV
by Oleksandr Koreshkov & Denys Fadieiev
The opening story is about the aerial dogfight between a daring Ukrainian pilot and a Russian jet fighter over the skies of Kyiv from the POV of a citizen on the ground that observes their confrontation and is saved by the actions of the pilot. It goes by too quickly, and leaves a few questions unanswered, such as how does the narrator on the ground know this is the Ghost, and I wish the dogfight had been shown for longer.

THOUGHOUT THE CENTURIES
by Maksym Bohdanovsky & Denys Fadieiev
This was the most original plotline, in my opinion, and had a story you won't read about in the media nor will make it into memes all Westerners know about like the tractors and the Ghost. It's about how an old grandpa that's manning a checkpoint on the road with just a rifle, a walkie-talkie, and a dog for company manages to trick a column of Russian tanks into climbing a seemingly harmless hill to circumvent his checkpoint, only to end up being shelled on there by the Ukrainian artillery for their trouble. The historical lesson the old grandpa gives by the end is interesting, though the dialogue in that part feels a bit forced. This story is simply the best, the most credible without a need for literary embellishment, and that shows the value of ordinary heroes.

THE PRICE OF VICTORY
by Kyrylo Malov & Denys Fadieiev
The last story, it's about a group of partisans equipped with old weapons, mature and young both, bent on ambushing and blowing up Russian troops that must cross by in their way to the front. It's the most "war movie" of all the stories in the sense that it has the hallmarks of an adventure film, from action sequence to dialogue. This felt like a chapter in a larger story, and I wish the ending had been more somber given the plotline.

And as an honourable mention:

THE BRAVE LITTLE TRACTOR
by Bohdana Vitkovska
This was weirdly childlike for the anthology and didn't quite fit with the rest in terms of tone and genre. But on its own it's a good story, and very sweet, that tells the tractor-towing-Russian-tank meme (that really happened, several times) using a sentient tractor called Taras. It is similar in style to Thomas the Tank Engine, which is why I think this story in particular should be its own book. Expand it, polish it a bit, and republish it separately. It'd be a hit with children, I'm sure, and it'd be a good opportunity to teach children outside of Ukraine (but I'm sure even Ukrainian kids would like it) about the war, why it happened, and why it's important to support the victims of the invasion.

The rest of the stories weren't bad exactly, just rushed and in need of polishing, as I said. I think the only one I didn't like was "The Witch," because the plot was over-the-top and the fantastical style (it has magic) felt so out of place compared to the rest of the stories, all of which are inspired by or allude to real events. Though I imagine it could be meant to mock the claims by Russians about the existence of witches in Ukraine; over-the-top claim is met by over-the-top story, I guess. I also felt that the story entitled "Looters" had a style of drawing that didn't quite fit in with the rest because it was cartoony whilst the rest go for a semi-realistic (as in, non-cartoony) comics style of drawing; but I wonder if the cartoonish style was also deliberate due to how hilariously cartoon villainy-like the real stories of Russian looting sound.

To conclude, I do think this gives a good feel of how the future war stories (and films) about this conflict will be. 3.5 stars!

Thank you to TokyoPop for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Caro the Helmet Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, far from being a masterpiece, or shall I say masterpieces, this is what we need right now - a good old morale raising bird flippin' at the face of an enemy. Peremozhemo!

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's start out by saying that the intentions of this book are unassailable - Russia's completely unprovoked attack on the Ukraine is unconscionable, a crime against humanity.

And then there's the book itself, which is mostly written by one author, with the art divided up between several artists - all of them Ukranian. Are these the best stories? No. They become a bit repetitive, and they are, in essence, propaganda. Propaganda from the right side of a horrific war, absolutely, but still propaganda.

Most of the stories are in-war spins on superhero origin stories, and the odd more humorous story.

The art fares better, is more diverse, and overall is pretty good. Even better when you consider all of this work (including the writing) has been done during an actual war.

All in all, 3 to 4 stars for its content, and 5 stars for its intentions.

(Thanks to Tokyopop for providing me with a review copy through NetGalley)

[Ana-Maria Bujor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Propaganda gets a bad rep (thanks, Goebbels), but it's a means to and end. You can use it to dehumanize a country in order to invade it. Or, you can use it to boost morale, bring support, and tell your side of the story. With a few flourishes, but hey, you do what you have to do.
I feel like this little book will be analyzed in the future by historians as an example of what I described above. I cannot be super objective as I am quite invested in this war and one extra reason I bought the book was that part of the money would be donated. But even so, some of the stories made me feel things, the artwork is really good, and giggled a bit at some jokes I got better due to having been to Ukraine after 2014, when some of the messaging was starting to develop.
Overall, if you want an objective look at the war, read the press. If you want to support Ukraine, pull out your wallet.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

I was surprised to see a comic book about the Russian invasion of Ukraine come out so quickly, and perhaps that speed explains some of the awkwardness in script and art. Some of the stories have either a fantasy element or a willingness to print the legend. In many ways it seems more like a Sgt. Rock treatment of the conflict rather than a nonfiction documentary take.

Regardless, it is a good cause. I hope the Ukrainians succeed in pushing the Russians out of their borders, and I'm happy that my government is supporting them with arms and other aid.

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:
• Victory for Ukraine: Letter from the Publisher / Stu Levy
• Cultural References from Ukraine
• Episode 1. The Ghost of Kyiv / Denys Fadieiev, writer; Oleksandr Koreshkov, artist
• Episode 2. The Witch / Denys Fadieiev, writer; Kateryna Kosheleva, artist
• Episode 3. Azovstal / Denys Fadieiev, writer; Yevhenii Tonchylov, artist
• Episode 4. Looters / Ruslan Samaryk, writer; Volodymyr Povoroznyk, artist
• Episode 5. Zmiinyi Island 13 / Denys Fadieiev, writer and dialogue; Viacheslav Buhaiov, dialogue; Ihor Kurilin, artist
• Episode 6. Throughout the Centuries / Denys Fadieiev, writer; Makysm Bohdanovskyi, artist
• Episode 7. Brave Little Tractor / Bohdana Vitkovska, writer; Bohdana Vitkovska, artist
• Episode 8. Cyber-Kherson / Denys Fadieiev, writer and dialogue; Viacheslav Buhaiov, dialogue; Nazar Ponik, artist; Ihor Kurilin, storyline/colors
• Episode 9. The Price of Victory / Denys Fadieiev, writer; Kyrylo Malov, artist
• Creators

[Inga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nėra lengva vertinti tokią knygą. Iš vienos pusės - ji yra beprotiškai vertinga kaip Ukrainos palaikymo karo metu, vaizduojanti ukrainiečių karių narsą, bei eilinių žmonių dvasią.

Iš kitos pusės, kaip bežiūrėsi, tai yra karo propaganda. Taip, naudinga ir tikrai reikalinga, tačiau meniškai ne visuomet turininga.

Istorijos nėra labai įdomios, jos gan paprastos ir labiau perteigia idėjas, nei rodo kažkokius įtraukiančius pasakojimus. Tikrai yra gerų momentų. Pavyzdžiui, istorija apie Kiyvo vaiduoklį yra labai gerai ir dinamiškai iliustruota. Istorija apie raganą man taip pat patiko. Tačiau kitos istorijos tikrai neįsiminė, nors, atrodo, palietė svarbius karo aspektus. Manau būtų geriau, jei istorijos būtų paremtos tikrų karių bei civilių patirtimis.

Aišku, taip pat lieka mano avesija patriotizmui. Jis dabar be galo svarbus ir aš tą suprantu. Bet sunku man mėgt patriotizmu persmelgtą literatūrą, nors tu ką.

Neradau informacijos ar lietuviško leidimo pardavimai kažkiek prisidės prie paramos Ukrainai ar jos žmonėms, tačiau greičiausiai parems knygos autorius, kad irgi yra gerai.

[Rūta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antologija, paliečianti karo Ukrainoje legendas ir  ukrainiečių kovinę dvasią.

[Doc · Rating 4 out of 5]

On February 24th 2022 a monster and the nation he ruled escalated their conflicts with the Ukrainian people in an all out invasion.

First off I want to say thanks to the folks at Tokyopop (which I believe is a German business so much closer to the horrors than I) for putting together this collection of 9 stories created by people affected by the unjust bullying of neighboring Russia. By buying a copy of the book you are not just supporting Tokyopop but you are also donating to help folks in the Ukraine through the RAZOM charity "https://www.razomforukraine.org" through Tokyopop's profits.

Although each story is not very long and some feel like they should keep going they each have a little of the hearts of those that worked on them early in the invasion as I am sure emotions and thoughts must have been running wild as uncertainty became the normal routine. With a mix of stories ranging from the gruesome to cartoony not every story will be enjoyable to every reader but so long as we remember no matter how far the conflict is there are still innocent people who have lost everything to a mad tyrant desperate to conquer what he could not coerce others to surrender. By the way if you would like some insight on how the war has affected some of the writers and artists be sure to check the section after the comics to get a taste of what life was like after it all began.

[Yaroslav Chernovol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Непогана збірка історій. Деякі хороші, деякі не дуже. Це нормально, так зазвичай буває в антологіях. Але враховуючи, що збірка орієнтована на міжнародну аудиторію для підтримки України. То дуже навіть добре. Звісно дуже віддає подіями та спогадами.

P.S. сподіваюсь видавець таки видасть її українською

[Bohdana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Comics are not my favourite medium but I love all the references (some which might need more explaining to a general audience). There’s a bit of legend and fantasy thrown in a few of the stories (The Ghost of Kyiv ; The Witch ; Smiinyi Island). The art is nice. And it’s good to hear that part of the proceeds will go to Razom (“Together”) for Ukraine.

[Corinne S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought one for me and one for my roommate, who is Ukranian. He doesn’t give a shit about graphic novels, but he kept this one.
It’s impactful. And my new favorite fixture in my historical graphic novel collection.

[Genis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Out of all the stories, my favorites were the Witch and the one about the tractor.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short graphic stories that take place within the first five months of the Ukraine invasion. All the artists and all the authors are Ukrainian telling the stories as they or their friends and family have lived them. This compilation is fresh because each story is different, recognizable from the news. My favorite chapter is the one with the tractor. I remember the news telling of tractors pulling tanks, and in this you see the tractor as a character (similar to Cars movies) get really mad that these tanks are tearing up the land. Tractor is going to go get them. This is set up to be a book not only to share what’s going on but to help raise funds for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. For something that was put together in very little time it’s fantastic.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Propaganda comic

A comic centered on Russian invasion over Ukranian. The content was mini wars that occured in Ukraina (most probably fiction, especially chapter 2 😅) and being win by the Ukrainian.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like comics & anime type things, you'll probably like this. Some are kind of simple story lines, but I think it is overall representative of this genre. This is not my favored genre, but I do support Ukraine!

[Scott Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plight of the Ukrainian people in 2022 has been seen and felt across the world. Most humans sympathize with a country whom a rival invaded for doing nothing but existing. Generally, I have mixed feelings about war because it’s incredibly destructive towards universal human life, but the philosophical category of a just war surely exists for situations like these. The Ukrainian military needs to be supported to defend their right to exist. This short comic exists to trumpet the Ukrainian cause while establishing a national narrative.

This work is not quite a novel because it contains nine short stories instead of a central plot. Still, it teaches recently developing aspects of their war story, like the “ghost of Kyiv” who shot down multiple Russian warplanes in the early days of the conflict. Though clearly propaganda that depicts Russians as heartless and evil, this book can rally readers to the Ukrainian side in their struggle to exist.

I’m not sure this book will appeal much to the Russian people, who can (and should) stand up against their ruler. That would bring this crazy “adventure” to a quick resolution. But it addresses an audience that is not normally addressed by literature – an audience of comic readers. The drawings are of good quality, and I learned something from each story. The stories, though short, are entertaining as well. I was also interested in the short biographies of the authors at the end.

Wars quickly bring complex human situations into black-and-white, us-versus-them situations. The Ukrainian situation is no different. This book seeks to inform us of their struggles while keeping this conflict on the world radar. While reading the newspapers, I try to keep informed by the latest happenings, and I support the plight of the innocent refugees. I hope and pray for continued victories for the Ukrainian people and am grateful to support their cause in the small way of reading this collection.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing stories about victories in Ukraine against Russia's tyrannical war.

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well I didn't care if this came drawn in blood and stained by the sweat of the frontline, this book about the invasion of Ukraine as seen from Ukraine might as well just not exist. It's shite. The main author has a fixation not on good war comics or anything else, like heartfelt journalism or anything useful, but myth – so in the first story a bell-ringer in the cathedrals of Kyiv reports to a friend about a phantom fighter pilot and his manoeuvres against a Russian jet, in the second a woman proves to have super-powers against the invaders where their tanks are concerned, and again later on the surprise defeat of a Russian warship attacking a piddly little island is down to a legendary artefact and a pure heart. The art is as brash and cartoonish as the nonsensical mythologising we get, and anybody who thinks this will help any of the displaced millions or the Ukrainian soldiers facing a winter war as I type needs to give their heads a wobble.

Much, much better – and yet still heavily flawed – is a look at Russians and what they manage to achieve when they go a-looting the deserted homes they've created. I say flawed because once the initial joke is over and done with it still continues, and by names and signs and places mentioned it just seems to be for the Ukrainians who made it and those who might possibly have the leisure to read it. Which is the point to be had with the entire thing – the myth is for Ukrainians, and not for the western audience. It's not helpful, informative, entertaining or anything necessary to justify its existence – it just pampers one small mythical strand of the Ukrainian mindset and ignores the reality of so many lives. So even its inherent, bulging-at-the-seams optimism is really misguided and not worth thinking about.

My advice? Ignore this. Consider how much – or how little – buying it would actually put in the charity box from the publishers, double that amount and donate that yourself directly to the cause. That way the people who need to benefit will do so, you will save half an hour of your reading life, and the naive nonsense here that just cannot hold a simple idea about the reason for its existence and its intended audience can fester as it should.

[Alan D.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se trata de una lectura bastante corta hecha de historias sencillas y directas con mensajes más que obvios: Ucrania no se ha rendido, ni piensa hacerlo. Hay un poco de todo para cada tipo de público, desde el humor hasta la fantasía, drama, e incluso historias con tintes infantiles, todas en un mismo entorno, en un mismo contexto, pero cada una independiente de la otra.
Reseña completa:https://tintanocturna.blogspot.com/20...

It's a fairly short reading made up of simple and direct stories with more than obvious messages: Ukraine has not given up, nor does it intend to. There's a bit of everything for each type of audience, from humor to fantasy, drama, and even stories with childish overtones, all in the same environment, in the same context, but each one independent of the other.
Full review:https://tintanocturna.blogspot.com/20...

[Durian Jaykin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.

Pros:
The drawings are nice, colourful and detailed.
Historical references and Ukrainian tidbits.

Cons:
Writing is sometimes too fantastical that it's hard to take it seriously as an adult.
Strong bias towards Ukraine, brushes over the far right. I don't why, but it seems the comics give me the impression that the characters accept them, but it is a thin line with toleration.

Maybe give it to your kids? But I'm afraid they may come away thinking every Russian is some kind of genocidal maniac.

[Mohan Vemulapalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice sampling of contemporary Ukrainian comic artwork and writing that directly addresses the current suffering of the Ukrainian people while highlighting their determination and drive to resist the Russian onslaught. For comics fans with an interest in the region this book should be indispensable. Additionally, it should be noted that some of the funds generated by this book are destined for a known and reputable charity.

[Dovile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little pieces about heroes

Very short stories focusing on today's heroes and the hope of Ukraine's victory. I've been following the war for the entire 10 months so far, so I'm familiar with most of events the stories were based on. It was difficult to read knowing how much worse the reality is.

[Holly Letson · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it is propaganda, created to make you choose a side in said war, some of the stories are nice. I enjoyed the tractor story.

[Roo · Rating 4 out of 5]

RUSSIAN WARSHIP... GO F#@& YOURSELF!

[Anna Kļaviņa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw on Telegram that vatniks were upset by this comic book and of course I had to check it out on GR, and as soon as I saw that some part of proceeds goes to United24 I bought it.

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idealistic stories of the strength of the little person and how the horrors of war unfold with the civilians and soldiers front and center.  There are war images, some language (though some is "bleeped out") and just the idea of war could be triggers, however, overall, well done and not graphic for graphic sake. Most of the action happened in 2022 so it has become a piece of history and not current events, but of course it is still happening. 

[Chris Meichtry · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was...bad. Poorly written with terrible translations, which made the book confusing and the dialog dull and awkward. It was also super cheesy. Some of the artwork is great but it wasn't enough to save what could have been a really good book.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel is an *adult* level book. It is full of bad language and violence. The message is fine, which is that the Ukrainians are fighting to defend their country and their way of life. I really liked the comics drawn by P. Povoroznyk!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a number of different stories told from a number of different authors and artists. It is engaging interesting in the artwork is fantastic. It will give readers an interesting glimpse into the war in Ukraine. A great read for reluctant readers.