March (Book One) – Review

By: Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin (writers), Nate Powell (art)

The Story: John Lewis shares his story and his history with non-violent resistance and social justice.

The Review: It may seem strange to think that Congressman John Lewis and one of his staffers attended this year’s San Diego Comic Con, stranger still to imagine they went there to speak, but I assure you that that’s exactly what happened.

Congressman Lewis and Andrew Aydin were there to discuss this book, the first of three volumes chronicling the Congressman’s story and the nation-changing events he was a part of. And while neither of them has ever penned a graphic novel before, the result is something special.

Congressman Lewis, if you’ve never heard him speak, is a talented storyteller and the comic reflects this. Indeed, the comic focuses around the congressman’s narration, diving into stories from his past as they arise. Sections of the book vary drastically in how important dialogue is to the scene, but there’s always a rich symbiotic relationship between words and pictures that helps you feel a part of Lewis’ tale.

As much as the book documents Congressman Lewis’ life, it’s also a meditation on social engagement, the start of the civil rights movement, and how far the legacy of that struggle has brought us. No matter how familiar you are with the racial injustices of the 1950s, seeing them illustrated, both literally and figuratively, can really drive them home. I expect that each reader will relate to March differently, depending on their thoughts, feelings, and relationship with the issues described, but the graphic novel makes a concerted effort to break though the history to the truth and to share that truth in simple, human terms.

Though the narration is the driving force behind much of the comic, the dialogue is sharp and cleverly delivered. In many ways the dialogue is as much as part of the art as it is part of the writing, if you subscribe to such distinctions. Swooping tails lead word balloons from one panel to the next as they snake around the action and words grow and shrink to represent volume and importance.