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Joseph Kony graphic novel illustrates personal stories of violent campaign Joseph Kony graphic novel illustrates personal stories of violent campaign
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Joseph Kony's campaign of violent conflict in the Congo became the notorious cause of well intentioned teens last year when millions shared a viral video.Joseph Kony's campaign of violent conflict in the Congo became the notorious cause of well intentioned teens last year when millions shared a viral video.
Now Kony is the unlikely subject of a comic book, created by freelance reporter David Axe who spent six weeks in 2010 reporting the violence of the Lord's Resistance Army. The result, published Tuesday, is the graphic novel, Army of God: Joseph Kony's War in Central Africa – the latest addition to the niche genre of "conflict-based, nonfiction comic reporting".Now Kony is the unlikely subject of a comic book, created by freelance reporter David Axe who spent six weeks in 2010 reporting the violence of the Lord's Resistance Army. The result, published Tuesday, is the graphic novel, Army of God: Joseph Kony's War in Central Africa – the latest addition to the niche genre of "conflict-based, nonfiction comic reporting".
It is not, of course, a light read. A chapter in the book is devoted to Patricia, a 14-year-old girl who was captured by the LRA at 13 and saw her father murdered and her brother kidnapped before being "taken as a wife" by the LRA, which means she was raped. She was then told to kill someone with a machete, which she refused to do. After speaking with her, Axe knew he had to write the book.It is not, of course, a light read. A chapter in the book is devoted to Patricia, a 14-year-old girl who was captured by the LRA at 13 and saw her father murdered and her brother kidnapped before being "taken as a wife" by the LRA, which means she was raped. She was then told to kill someone with a machete, which she refused to do. After speaking with her, Axe knew he had to write the book.
"Her experience is both horribly common and one of the most terrible things I've ever heard," Axe said."Her experience is both horribly common and one of the most terrible things I've ever heard," Axe said.
Army of God reports on the key players in the conflict including residents of the Congo, Hillary Clinton and international aid organizations. The latter includes Invisible Children, the California-based advocacy group that gave Kony his sudden notoriety with the Kony 2012 film, released just over a year ago.Army of God reports on the key players in the conflict including residents of the Congo, Hillary Clinton and international aid organizations. The latter includes Invisible Children, the California-based advocacy group that gave Kony his sudden notoriety with the Kony 2012 film, released just over a year ago.
Axe spoke to members of Invisible Children during his 2010 reporting trip and has a positive opinion of the group.Axe spoke to members of Invisible Children during his 2010 reporting trip and has a positive opinion of the group.
"Anything that draws attention to this conflict from the outside world is a good thing, unless of course it's egregiously inaccurate, but Invisible Children is not a propaganda outfit," Axe said. "They produced a video that millions of people watched; millions of people learned more about the Congo conflict than they would from another source.""Anything that draws attention to this conflict from the outside world is a good thing, unless of course it's egregiously inaccurate, but Invisible Children is not a propaganda outfit," Axe said. "They produced a video that millions of people watched; millions of people learned more about the Congo conflict than they would from another source."
Axe's story was first serialized on the Dutch website Cartoon Movement, which showcases graphic journalism and political cartoons created by authors from all over the world.Axe's story was first serialized on the Dutch website Cartoon Movement, which showcases graphic journalism and political cartoons created by authors from all over the world.
Though graphic journalism might sound like a buzzphrase, covering conflict through comics is not new. "Comics is a medium. It's like TV, it's like print, it's like radio, it's just a medium – you can do anything with it," Axe said. "People have been doing serious comics for decades."Though graphic journalism might sound like a buzzphrase, covering conflict through comics is not new. "Comics is a medium. It's like TV, it's like print, it's like radio, it's just a medium – you can do anything with it," Axe said. "People have been doing serious comics for decades."
He became interested in that method of reporting after stumbling upon Ted Rall's To Afghanistan and Back which covers the Afghanistan war in comic, photo and written form. "I had never seen this before, this land of comics and prose, covering nonfiction, covering war," Axe said. "It was amazing, I loved it, I devoured that book."He became interested in that method of reporting after stumbling upon Ted Rall's To Afghanistan and Back which covers the Afghanistan war in comic, photo and written form. "I had never seen this before, this land of comics and prose, covering nonfiction, covering war," Axe said. "It was amazing, I loved it, I devoured that book."
Axe began his freelancing career in Iraq a few years later and approached the publishers of Rall's book to see if they would publish his graphic novel about his experience in Iraq. The publishing house did, and the result was War Fix, which he wrote with Steve Olexa. For Army of God, Axe collaborated with artist Tim Hamilton, whose past work includes a graphic novel adaption of Fahrenheit 451.Axe began his freelancing career in Iraq a few years later and approached the publishers of Rall's book to see if they would publish his graphic novel about his experience in Iraq. The publishing house did, and the result was War Fix, which he wrote with Steve Olexa. For Army of God, Axe collaborated with artist Tim Hamilton, whose past work includes a graphic novel adaption of Fahrenheit 451.
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