Through their art and words, eighty-five artists and writers express their grief and horror in response to the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., and the ill-fated attempt that ended in the fields of Pennsylvania. With contributors ranging from well-known creators such as Will Eisner, Harry Pekar, and Jeff Smith, to newer talents, such as James Kochalka, Frank Cho, Metaphrog, and Scott Morse, the intensely personal reactions to the horrific events are portrayed through the unique style of each. Some artists were in New York that day and witnessed the attack; others reacted from far away. Author, cartoonist, and fifth grade teacher Brian Clopper writes of how he, his students, and his family stumbled through that day. Citing the earliest estimated death toll, cartoonist Tom Beland, who lives in Puerto Rico, writes of how the deaths of strangers made him want to cling to his family and appreciate the simple things: "For 6,000 people... coming home has lost its magic. But I appreciate this moment that much more." Editor and publisher Mason himself gathered all the talent to depict their experiences in this volume that will benefit the American Red Cross. This collection is just one of several comic book projects to salute the everyday heroes, allow people into personal lives of the creators, mourn the dead, and carry on for the living. Readers will respond to the diverse reactions on these pages, which might help them sort out their own thoughts and feeling about September 11. All libraries, including middle and high school media centers, should have this book in their collections. Illus. VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P J S A/YA (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses;Will appeal with pushing; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 2002, Alternative Comics, 200p,
— Kat Kan
Publisher and editor Mason has put together an impressive black-and-white anthology recording the responses of many members of the comics community to the crisis in New York City on September 11, 2001. Contributors include comics legends such as Will Eisner, whose one-page statement is heartbreaking, while others are relative newcomers such as Jessica Abel. Some stories record the actions/reactions of the cartoonists on that fateful day, while others are impressionistic. What shines through this collaborative effort is individual reaction to a collective sense of terror. Of particular interest is the piece "Down & Out," which takes place on the lower level of the World Trade Center. The comics industry has had a strong response to the events of September 11, with DC Comics and Marvel Entertainment also producing tribute books, perhaps because heroism is one of the focal points of American comics. 9-11 tellingly depicts an uncertain and hesitantly optimistic worldview. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. Stephen Weiner, Maynard P.L., MA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Adult/High School-More than 60 sequential art pieces address the responses of their creators to the events of September 11, 2001, in a collection conceived as a fund-raiser for the American Red Cross. Harvey Pekar, Jeff Smith, Jessica Abel, Ted Rall, Peter Kuper, and Will Eisner are among the dozens of creative artists who share their feelings, thoughts, and activities in the wake of the destruction of the World Trade Center and the other airline attacks on that day. While some, including Sam Hester, Josh Neufield, and James Kochalka, provide simple and explicit reports of having an ordinary day in the life of a working artist turn into an extraordinary confrontation with politics, bloodshed, and emotional upheaval, others offer complex tales and scenarios fraught with psychological peril or personal responsibility. Brian Clopper spent the day teaching elementary school students whom he had been told not to inform of national and world events, while Jenny Gonzalez, newly released from a psychiatric hospital, had to contend with her own breakdown and dental surgery. Most of the pieces here provide reportorial accounts, but a few offer brilliant metaphor instead. With so many viewpoints, the surprise is that the collection as a whole is even in quality and absorbing from beginning to end or as an anthology to be consumed in any order. This is important for school and public library collections, as well as for book discussions and auxiliary reading in social science curricula.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
