How would you define war? A conflict? A mistake? A lesson? Is it good? Bad? A necessary evil? A thing of the past? With the many questions that arise, at least we can agree that it is a complicated subject. And in these confusing times, this is the kind of subject we need to discuss. We should talk about it, listen to different perspectives, and learn from it; so we can grow as individuals and as a society. So let’s get into it!
War is a part of our history. It is one of the aspects that makes us human, as it has been a constant over all our existence. It has shaped the society that exists today and still defines the lifestyle of many people. It can be beautiful, strategic, a well-thought chess match. It can also be ugly, raw, cruel, or disgusting. But ultimately, it can show us the extent of human capabilities. How far anyone can go to achieve their objectives.
History is written by the victors. But in reality, there are no good or bad guys. Everyone is the good guy in their story. Nevertheless, from our perspective - many years later - we can tell who was right, who was wrong, what were their successes and failures. And it is crucial to study and learn from them. There are many ways to do it: attend a class, debate with the elderly, or consume different media. I will discuss the latter.
There are two types of war entertainment: conflict-driven and peripherical.
Conflict-Driven
These stories focus on the conflict itself. The combats, the destruction, the joy of victory, and the sadness of defeat. All the character's emotions, while fighting for their own reasons: belief, divine purpose, duty, politics, money, or land. It shows the brutality of the battlefield from multiple points of view and how it shapes its protagonists. It also shows the extent of human endurance and audacity.
Examples: 300, Troy, 1917, Saving Private Ryan.
Peripherical
On the other hand, these stories focus on some other aspects set during wartime, for example, the lives of innocent civilians. They don’t tackle the conflict directly but use it to set the stage for other events. Usually, they occur before or after the war (at least partially), so they detail how society behaved in the face of conflict, which we can compare to what is happening in the modern-day.
Examples: Gladiator, Vikings, Jojo Rabbit, Inglourius Basterds.
Both types allow war entertainment to convey an array of feelings and teach multiple lessons. One of the most popular ones is to keep fighting in the face of adversity, even when the odds are not in your favor.
Now we pivot to comics. Superhero comics take a lot from human history, particularly wartime. And epic hero tales have shaped our past too. Hercules, Thor, Anubis. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon. These are examples of ancient gods and historical figures that could be comic book characters (some of them are), and their stories could be the pages we read every month. There is a clear relation between history and comics because art is a reflection of society, and the evolution of society is closely related to the evolution of art. Superheroes are the newest form of mythology.1
War and conflict are a reflection of mankind. We are constantly taking sides, planning and executing a strategy. Sun Tzu’s The Art of War illustrates how war isn’t necessarily about the fight itself. The war principles that rule this book apply towards daily life and business, giving us significant lessons on everyday planning, decision-making, and relationships. Overall, conflict solves all of our problems, from family arguments to politics. And hero comic books, in their way, reflect these. Civil War, World War Hulk, and Star Wars portray two colliding sides with human motivations and tackle sensitive ethical dilemmas such as which is better for society: order or freedom?
Nevertheless, hero comics can only take us so far, as some lessons are better seen and understood using a more realistic setting. Luckily, there are creators out there telling historical (non)fiction stories that show us how the past resembles the present and how the mistakes made in the past that seem so obvious now may be the same we are committing in modern-day society.
In that sense, I wanted to discuss a comic book series I’ve enjoyed a lot because it embodies all I’ve said before, and it inspired me to write this post. We Only Kill Each Other from Comixology, a peripherical wartime book set in the 1930s with WWII2 at the horizon.
We Only Kill Each Other
WOKEO by (W) Stephanie Phillips, (A) Peter Krause, (C) Ellie Wright, and (L) Troy Peteri tells the story of Levi Solomon and Jonas Kaminsky, two rival mobsters that team up to fight against the rising fascist movement forming on American soil during the 1930s; led by Fritz Kuhn. But they are not doing it because that is what heroes do; they are saving their skin: by fighting the Nazis, they will be pardoned for their crimes by the District Attorney.
I want to highlight some aspects of this book that resonated with me. First, it is a tale of overcoming overwhelming odds and personal differences. The protagonists team up with the lesser evil to face an oppressive enemy. It is also about identity and how your ethnicity or religion can wrongfully define you in the eyes of others. Finally, it is a setting with no good guys or bad guys. Our protagonists are criminals, facing another type of criminals. It is a relevant reflection of society, where no one is truly good or bad.
Because of the age gap of the main characters (Solomon is older and more experienced), there is a clash of generations: they have conflicting thoughts and perspectives, which further hinders their relationship. To start, their place regarding their Jewish heritage. Solomon is connected to it, while Jonas has left his heritage aside, prioritizing his greediness and own beliefs. Second, how to tackle a problem and take responsibility. Jonas has a more direct and combative approach, while Solomon is more strategic and logical. Their interactions are interesting because, nowadays, we see a complete disconnection between generations, and it makes you think that the same was happening 90 years ago. This is another aspect of war: it connects us to the elderly, as historical events affect all our society.
On the other side, war can tear society apart. In this book, there are profound reflections on what it means to be a part of a group. Us against Them. How an uncontrollable notion of race, ethnicity, or nationality can make you a part of a group of strangers that may share your preferences and beliefs; and support you during the hard times. But may also have other strangers oppose you just because of who you are. While fighting the Nazis, our protagonists realize that what they are doing is correct because of everything they have experienced during their life being a part of the Jewish community.
These teaching moments are possible because of the context of an impending war and the sides emerging in preparation. It pushes the protagonists to grow in record time and be the best versions of themselves. They need to do this to face a life-threatening menace. Also, the war augments the tension and creates a familiar context for the reader. Therefore, the book can focus on the sides of this conflict instead of the world-building. Because we already know what was happening in this world, to some extent.
WOKEO shows how war sets the stage for stories that teach relevant lessons. Because there is nothing more human than fighting for what you want, even if the methods are not the correct ones. It also shows how history repeats itself, as you notice many of the situations in the book are happening in current times. It is a book with outstanding characters, an intriguing story set during wartime, and detailed art that transports you to another time. I couldn’t recommend it enough.
In conclusion, read more wartime comics. Consume historical content. Read about our history and learn from it. Because in our lives, sometimes we don’t know what to do, why things happen the way they do, or why people behave a certain way, and the answer is in the thousands of years of recorded history. Despite our fancy technology and modernity, we are still human. Relationships, emotions, and conflict are similar to 100 or 1,000 years ago. History repeats itself. So let’s make sure to repeat the success and avoid the failures.
Hey guys! Thank you for reading. This article was awesome to write because it made me investigate various topics and connect my ideas regarding history, war, and good comics. Although I think this is a vast topic that could lead to a bigger (or even a series of) article(s), I wanted to share my general thoughts on the importance of learning about our history.
Ever since I read issue one of WOKEO, I felt how relevant it was, and as a comics lover, it is great to see this kind of book out there that, as you could see, align with my love for wartime entertainment and history. And in addition, it teaches lessons that go beyond these aspects.
Next time, we return to Marvel for the clash of the century: Thor vs. Hulk by Donny Cates. Until then, stay awesome and go read something.
Chip Zdarsky plays with this idea in his and Jason Loo's fantastic series, The All-Nighter.
WWII is the historical event I’ve seen more in comics. Nonetheless, relevant books, such as Pride of Bagdad (Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon, 2006), are set during different conflicts. These are essential to read and learn what was happening. Each chapter of history teaches a unique lesson.