Written and Illustrated by Ben Towle
Published by Dead Reckoning Graphic Novels
Ben Towle is the creator of this young adult-friendly graphic novel.
Focused on animals and how they have served various nations in combat, it chronicles how thousands of years ago there were elephants in wars and all the way to today carrier pigeons have been used when technology has failed.
There are individual chapters that examine famous dogs, cats, and odder animals such as how slugs were incredibly important in World War I (they detected mustard gas before humans could).
I actually learned a lot of interesting things about how animals have been used in all kinds of conflicts, but don’t think Towle presents all this as a dull illustrated textbook.
Towle crafts his chapters about various creatures in an engaging manner, often telling a story that is peppered with the facts.
One example would be how a Confederate soldier being exchanged for a Union troop brags it must be an important officer he’s getting traded for…only to learn its a Union dog named Jack–the only animal ever used in a prisoner of war swap. It is both funny and hearing about Jack’s impressive exploits is intriguing too.
Four-Fisted Tales, is not a purely enthusiastic book, doing something like exclaiming, “Yah, animals helped us in war!”
It takes pains to point out that, “They had no choice,” a quote from an Animals in War Memorial. There is a chapter discussing the use of dolphins by America and how we’ve horribly mistreated these intelligent (and admittedly dangerous when well-trained) creatures, with the government denying much of what has been unearthed over the decades.
Four-Fisted Tales, is sure to make it clear that any kind of combat is terrifying and difficult for humans or animals alike, it just also points out how integral our furry/feathered/slimy friends can be in our lives not just in peacetime, but in wars too.
Drawing animals can be hard, ask any artist. Towle has an imposing task then as this whole book is about animals! He excels at everything though. His bear living on a Polish base is big and impressive, his dogs are kinetic and full of energy, and you can practically hear his pigeons flapping their wings when you look at pictures of them.
Between the engaging story, fun facts, and stellar illustrations, Four-Fisted Tales,”is a fantastic book for younger and older readers alike.
Whether you’re a fan of history, animals, or just enjoy some great artwork, I’d recommend giving this book a read.
5 out of 5 stars.
