Pride of Baghdad

Product Information

Time Abyss: The sea turtle, being old enough to remember the first Gulf War is this to the lions due to their shorter lifespans. Ali, a young lion cub, has never lived outside the zoo and is eager to venture into the new jungle of Baghdad, where he anticipates being a king. His youthful optimism and curiosity about the world supply the group’s energy and levity. Eye Scream: Safa TWICE. She is blind in one eye by the start of the story, and is blinded in the other by Fajer. Lavishly drawn, and devastating...Vaughan has his marvelously imagined characters debate the concept of freedom versus desire for safety...the total effect is memorable."-- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred★

Zill doesn’t have strong opinions about whether freedom or captivity would be better. Ultimately, his concern is the well-being of his pride regardless of what happens. He represents pragmatic Iraqis trying to adapt to the chaos while protecting their families. The overt and sensationalized sexism amongst the lions was insulting. Not only because it misrepresented animal sexual behavior (particularly that of lions), but because as a thinly-veiled analogy of human sexual behavior, it was both simplistic and chauvinistic. Like in his 'Y the Last Man', Vaughan is interested in rape and gender inequality only because they give his male protagonist motivation, not because of how they affect his characters or story in general. The four lions wander the streets of Baghdad as bombs fall, tanks rumble and their preconceived notions of freedom shatter.During the invasion, four lions escape from the Baghdad Zoo, and make a perilous journey to the centre of Baghdad. They long for freedom but eventually get it in the form of death. Caught up in a war not of their own making, the lions and other animals are depicted with distinct personalities, and behave like humans. Each character has a different view on freedom, and the author has explored their conflicting consciences on the subject of freedom in an attempt to elicit readers’ emotional response to reaction to victims entrapped in a war not of their own making. From this graphic novel, it is clear that although life is meaningless without freedom, freedom has a very high cost, and sometimes it costs the life itself. The Ghost: Humans rarely appear in the story, and when they do, their faces are never shown. The effects of their actions, however, are everywhere. Driven home when the pride is shot to death at the end. The humans who kill them are completely unseen by the reader until after the pride is dead. The direct lines between the lions and specific human perspectives aren’t necessarily clear, but each lion feels intended to represent some individual or groups of individuals impacted by the Iraq War. The specifics are murky but the general parallel sits front-and-center: a family, torn from their home by war, forced to wander and search for shelter and sustenance, each member considering their future differently. If you have ever felt uncertain about where you were and dreamed of reaching a place or position you wanted to be, a good chunk of Pride of Baghdad will resonate with you. What does it mean to belong or find a home when both seem distant or, more tragically, stolen? Feelings are poured liberally into the cauldron: a sprinkling of excitement, a heaping dose of uncertainty, and a whole lot of fear. The resulting dish is garnished with hope, and I invite readers to discover whether hope is a mere decoration or a vital theme. It's virtually impossible for a male lion to rape a female. All she has to do to avoid his advances is walk away, or sit down, and he isn't going to risk serious injury trying to force her.

In 2003, the Iraq war was triggered because of Hussein's violent suppression on the people, who have their own political views, but also his possession of the large amount of illegal weapons. The novel not only presents the consequence of dictatorship, but also satirizes the interference of U. S. army because the public opinion says that the reason of U. S. involving the war is impure since no evidence has been found to prove that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction. The main purpose of U. S. army invading is the oil resources in Iraq; however, by coincidence, Hussein is on the reign, which causes the U. IGN named Pride of Baghdad the Best Original Graphic Novel of 2006, calling it a "modern classic", and commenting that the book "can be enjoyed on several levels. Those wanting a 'simple' tale of survival and family will find that. Those wanting a powerful, gripping analogy of war will find that as well. Writer Brian K. Vaughan was also careful to avoid pinpointing any one particular viewpoint—each lion represents a different attitude, which is refreshing since many books do not allow that choice. Featuring stunning artwork by Niko Henrichon, there is no way any comic book reader should pass up this graphic novel". [3] Dorkgasm described it as "one of the most poignant anthropomorphic stories since Animal Farm". [5] The book was listed in the ALA's Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten in 2007 and Booklist Editors' Choice: Adult Books for Young Adults. [6] See also [ edit ] Would Hurt a Child: When the soldiers kill the lions in the end, Ali, who is still a cub, is not spared AT ALL.

GRAPHIC NOVEL GUIDE

The primary themes of the story are war and freedom. War is a clear narrative force, constantly endangering the protagonists while also raising fundamental questions about the effects of war as an inter-species event. Read as a parable, this interpretation is best expressed by the loss experienced by the turtle, representing the plight of Iraqis caught in the conflict. In a silent moment of remembrance, the reader sees the turtle’s family drowning in the oil that spewed into their river. The parable angle also helps explain why the lions continually choose not to eat the other animals they encounter. Reception [ edit ] Writer Brian K. Vaughan signing a copy of the book at Midtown Comics in Manhattan. Noor, a younger lioness, mother to Ali, and Zill's current mate. She longs for freedom from the zoo. She and Safa rarely agree, and they often fight verbally. A brightly colored tragedy, Pride of Baghdad is as unblinking as the perils faced every day in the real Iraq."-- USA TODAY It’s easy to start to draw comparisons, in a novel you come to with political expectations, between the zoo keepers and the previous Iraqi regime or US occupation, but it’s not that simple. Vaughn hasn’t followed Orwell’s lead here, and the interaction between the lions and the various species they meet are not supposed to be an allegory for the nations involved in the war.