Part two encapsulates Riel's life from 1870 to 1876 when he moved around the northern U.S. Macdonald, the Prime Minister of Canada, negotiating the sale of Rupert's Land from the Hudson's Bay Company, and part one ends with the execution of Thomas Scott, the arrival of the Wolseley Expedition and Riel's flight to the U.S. Riel, Louis, 1844-1885-Comic books, strips, etc.Ĭhester Brown celebrates the life and times of Louis Riel in this marvellous biography told in comic-strip style.

Montreal, PQ: Drawn and Quarterly Publications (Distributed by Raincoast Books Canada), 2004. (Nov.CM Magazine: Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography. This is an ingenious comic and a major achievement. Instead, Brown calmly lets his story unfold, making the reading process deeply affecting. All of this will hook readers' minds and eyes, but never tell them what to think or feel. He brilliantly renders a lengthy courtroom sequence by setting figures against a black background, heightening the tension of the events by employing minimal effects. And while the book concerns imperialism, empire, nationalism and the chaos that results, Brown maintains a still, almost silent atmosphere. Brown doesn't deviate from a six-panel grid for the entire book, telling his story in a cartoon realism style reminiscent of Little Orphan Annie Not surprisingly, this request is denied, and the conflict is set in motion that ultimately consumes Riel's life. Riel is bilingual and becomes a de facto leader for the Red River Settlement, demanding the right for them to govern themselves within Canada.

The area is inhabited by the French-speaking Métis, of mixed Indian and white ancestry, who are looked down upon by the Canadians.

The story begins in 1869, with the sale of the independent Red River Settlement area of what's now Canada to the Canadian government. Over five years in the making, Brown's work is completely realized here, from the strikingly designed two-color cover to the cream-colored paper and pristinely clear drawings. Brown's exploration of the life of a fictional 19th-century Canadian revolutionary Riel is a strong contender for the best graphic novel ever.

Louis riel a comic strip biography