Crenshaw's Books & Decks

Pride of Baghdad is a beautiful allegory of the events happened in Iraq after the fall of the Hassam Hussein's Regime. It is based on a true event occurred in April 2003: the accidental release of a big group of wild animals from the Baghdad Zoo after a bomb destroyed part of the premises. The book focuses on the wanderings of a group of four lions, two female (Safa and Noor), a male (Zill) and a cub (Ali) throughout the city after their escape.

The story exemplifies the questions that the world was making after the international intervention and occupation of Iraq, and the problems that the liberation and freeing of the Iraqies meant, de facto, for the Iraqies. The book uses the characters and the script to question the real meaning of freedom and living in peace. The book succeeds at presenting, in very simple but very effective terms, dual concepts for further thinking: civilised vs uncivilised, freedom vs oppression, instinct vs reason, wild vs tamed nature.

I would have liked Vaughan giving a step forward and creating something more profound and universal, which is impossible because the story is set in Iraq. For an allegory to be successful, the less time-place references, the better. That is why "Animal Farm" by Orwell is still a classic, understood and meaningful to people all over the world, decades after it was written. While Reading Pride of Baghdad, I thought that the book was very good, but it could have been brilliant, but it never got there because the dialogues and part of the story needed of further developing.

"There were other casualties as well". I loved that!

I absolutely love the artwork. Without Niko Henrichon's vision the book would had been way less effective and enjoyable. Henrichon's drawing technique, composition, colouring and use of lights and shadows are masterful; he is able to create stunning crispy-clear expressive images without crowding the page with too many vignettes, just the right amount. The book has an overall warm golden-orange tone that I absolutely love, with the sporadic presence of luscious bright green natural elements and dark-blue/green interiors and night scenes. One of the things I love more about Henrichon's drawing in this book is the use of sun shadows, I mean light shadows that are not dark, something he does with a wow easiness. The book is visually impacting because of the darkness of the story is rendered in bright yummy colours and aesthetically pleasing images. I always love that.

I thought the rendition for Kindle was pretty good!

A must have for lovers of graphic books lovers. Not for small kids. I think it is great for mid teenagers under supervision.