Nat turner is a violent story and therefore a violent book. Central to nat turners mission is the question of how one can distinguish between the will of god and the will of the self. Kyle bakers contemporary vision of nat turner island of. Leader of the most important slave rebellion on these shores, variously viewed as a murderer of unarmed women and children, an inspired religious leader, a fanaticthis puzzling figure represents all the terrible complexities of american slavery. To some he is a hero, a symbol of black resistance and a precursor to the civil rights movement. A pioneer in the graphic novel format since the 1980s, baker helped define and evolve the medium with works such as nat turner, why i hate saturn, and king david. Laura lee gulledge, page by paige for assignments that require you to find your own graphic novel or comic book, you can start at million year picnic but you may also want to see other comics specialty stores in our area, such as new england comics, 14 eliot st. The firstperson account of the 1831 virginia slave revolt begins and ends in the prison where nat turner, an african american slave, was held before, during, and following his trial. Born into slavery, this african american youth organized the biggest slave rebellion in the. In my work as a graphic novelist for the uninitiated, a highflown way of saying comic book maker, i often draft my friends and family into service. Read an excerpt from kyle bakers graphic narrative biography of nat turner here as the illustrated pen publishes a selection from the reissue of my book on nat turner, i want to offer some thoughts on the context for its creation. Turner eluded his pursuers for six weeks but was finally captured, tried, and hanged. This comic is not only a great comic by its own rights but also an important one.
The story of nat turner and his slave rebellion which began on august 21, 1831 is known among school children and adults. A man american history fears, where he is listed as being important but only tends to get a sentence or two in most history books. The confessions of nat turner, by william styron, is a work of historical fiction that won the pulitzer prize in 1967. Nat turner comic read nat turner comic online in high quality. Jan 16, 2017 an expertly crafted comic, nat turner offers readers a powerful combination of text and image, and the effect is electric. The confessions of nat turner, novel by william styron, published in 1967 and awarded the pulitzer prize for fiction in 1968. The book follows the story of nat turners slave rebellion, with the type of honesty and integrity modern, historical retellings often lack. Styron based the confessions of nat turner on a pamphlet of the same title published in virginia shortly after the revolt, but he took many liberties in. This novel includes introduction by tbd either stanley crouch, cornell west, or michael dyson, as well as footnotes, a bibliography. The history behind william styrons fictional nat turner. Nat turner is the story of slavery and the horrors that led turner to lead one of the bloodiest revolts of the time.
In 2006, his company, kyle baker publishing, serialized a fourpart comic book series about nat turner, and published the series the bakers, based on his family life, in two anthologies, cartoonist and cartoonist vol. The story of nat turner and his slave rebellionwhich began on august 21, 1831, in southampton county, virginiais known. The confessions of nat turner, the leader of the late insurrection in southampton, virginia, as fully and voluntarily made to thomas. Jun 15, 2006 read for my advanced composition class. With the certificate, under seal of the court convened at jerusalem, nov. For the first time, hear this amazing tale from the last remaining survivor. I had read grays book the confessions of nat turner prior to reading bakers graphic novel, and i find the combination of the hauntingly expressive images with the simple straightforward text an exceedingly effective manner to present nat turners life and activities to a modern audience. Nat turners name rings through american history with a force all its own. The author spent countless hours poring through historical documents to provide a framework for this fictional novel, in which william styron attempts to imagine what kind of man nat turner really was. Nat turner in comics comic superstar kyle baker would be so inspired by the story of nat turner that he would translate nat turners life into a miniseries that would not be published regularly.
In this column, we examine graphic novels, including those that have been targeted by censors, and provide teaching and discussion suggestions for the use of such books in classrooms. Its been years since i picked up a comic book, but reading this and interviewing kyle baker was a fantastic experience. The book was a pageturner, the reality of what slaves went though in those times. Kyle baker has authored more than 15 graphic novels and illustrated hundreds more in a career that extends over three decades. In early 2009, comic book artist and animator brad neely created a web animation entitled american moments of maybe, a satirical advertisement for nat turner s punchout. In nat turner, acclaimed author and illustrator kyle baker depicts the evils of slavery in this moving and historically accurate story of nat turners slave rebellion. Kyle bakers contemporary vision of nat turner by james ainsworth on february 17, 2006 0. The confessions of nat turner tells the story of an actual slave uprising organized by a slave named nat turner in the year 1831. Nat turner was one of the most controversial characters of the nineteenth century america. Nat turner tpb 2008 abrams by kyle baker comic books. Download nat turner txt read information about the author kyle john baker is an american cartoonist, comic book writerartist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a. Read an excerpt from kyle bakers graphic narrative biography of nat turner here. Feb 17, 2006 kyle bakers contemporary vision of nat turner kyle baker is at it again.
Kyle bakers contemporary vision of nat turner island of spice. Nat turner october 2, 1800 november 11, 1831 was an enslaved africanamerican preacher who led the fourday rebellion of enslaved and free black people in southampton county, virginia in 1831. Kyle baker teases a new comic for may 1st with trump and fauci. Aside from its incredibly violent story, the book seems to be, as critic marc singer suggests, an attempt by baker to jazz up slavery. Nat turner by kyle baker meet your next favorite book. William styrons the confessions of nat turner is a lengthy book organized into four chapters, three of which take biblical allusions for titles. Cries of controversythat styron is a racist or that he minimizes the.
The confessions of nat turner themes william styron this study guide consists of approximately 61 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the confessions of nat turner. William styrons account of the confessions of nat turner differs significantly from the original confessions of nat turner garnered by turners lawyer while he awaited his trial and impending execution. It is said the great masters of the comic book art form can tell a complete story. Told nearly wordlessly, every image resonates with the reader as the brutal story unfolds. Americans do not know real history, they only know white supremacist american. The confessions of nat turner by nat turner free ebook. Nat turner was born on october 2, 1800, in southampton county, virginia, the week before gabriel was hanged. Pulled from the pages of historical figure nat turners own confessions, kyle bakers nat turner is an intimate glimpse into the horrors of slavery and the events of august 2122, 1831, the period during which turner led an insurrection that resulted in the death of 55 people. The story is told through images with occasional excerpts of text from turners.
While still a young child, nat was overheard describing events that had happened before. Because of this, the fact of whether it is historicalfiction or historicalfiction, is not an irrelevant minutia. This novel includes introduction by tbd either stanley crouch, cornell west, or michael dyson, as well as footnotes, a bibliography and historical supplementary material and documents. The story of nat turner and his slave rebellion which began on august 21, 1831, in southampton county, virginia is known among school children and adults. Nathanial nat turner 18001831 was a black american slave who led the only effective, sustained slave rebellion august 1831 in u. Nat turner has 31 books on goodreads with 5666 ratings. He also created new comic book series nat turner, the bakers and special forces as well as drawing the maturereaders comic deadpool max ahead of the movies. Gray, in the prison where he was confined, and acknowledged by him to be such when read before the court of southampton. It is told vividly through wordless images and occasional confession excerpts. Home culture, music, entertainment comedy kyle bakers contemporary vision of nat turner. The confessions of nat turner the leader of the late insurrections in southampton, va. The confessions of nat turner, the leader of the late insurrection in southampton, virginia, as fully and voluntarily made to thomas r. An expertly crafted comic, nat turner offers readers a powerful combination of text and image, and the effect is electric. Nate turner is great it was presented in comic book format, it tells the story of nat turner.
Apr 17, 2020 he also created new comic book series nat turner, the bakers and special forces as well as drawing the maturereaders comic deadpool max ahead of the movies. In nat turner, acclaimed author and illustrator kyle baker. And yet we do not know what he looked like, where he is buried, or even. The confessions of nat turner novel by styron britannica. As if his renown as an animator, cartoonist, illustrator and one the comic industries finest artists werent enough, the multitalented writer is turning his prodigious creative energies to writing a graphic novel about the infamous slave rebellion leader nat turner. Nat turner was the leader of a violent slave rebellion in southampton county, virginia, in 1831. The story of nat turner and his slave rebellionwhich began on august 21, 1831, in southampton county, virginiais known among school children and adults. Nat turner character nat turner appears in 8 issues. Nat turner in comics comic superstar kyle baker would be so inspired by the story of nat turner that he would translate nat turner s life into a miniseries that would not be published regularly. I had read grays book the confessions of nat turner prior to reading bakers graphic novel, and i find the combination of the hauntingly expressive images with the simple straightforward text an exceedingly effective manner to present nat turner s life and activities to a modern audience. Nat turner, a comic book written by kyle baker, is about the life of african american slave nat turner and his infamous 1831 slave insurrection in southampton county, virginia. Nat turner takes a horrific event from history and handles it in a realistic and appropriate manner. We as a society cannot just bury our heads in the sand and try to forget the more unpleasant aspects of the past.
Nat turner is in no real sense historical fiction of the kind we are familiar with such fiction, if it works as literature, has, i might add, no more connection with history than the wish to use it as. Nov 07, 2019 nat turner was the leader of a violent slave rebellion in southampton county, virginia, in 1831. Nat turner in comics comic superstar kyle baker would be so inspired by the story of nat turner that he would translate nat turners life into a miniseries that would not be published regularly as. Turner becomes first a selfappointed minister of god and then a self. In my work as a graphic novelist for the uninitiated, a highflown way of saying comic book maker, i often draft my friends and family into service as an.
As the illustrated pen publishes a selection from the reissue of my book on nat turner, i want to offer some thoughts on the context for its creation. Mar 12, 2005 the confessions of nat turner the leader of the late insurrections in southampton, va. The story of nat turner and his slave rebellionwhich began on august 2. He is the winner of eight eisner awards and four harvey awards, among others. In 1831, nat turner led one of the largest slave rebellions in the united states after witnessing a solar eclipse. See fifteen pages of kyle bakers brilliant comic nat turner.
Baker draws on thomas grays 1831 the confessions of nat turner, rather than. Welcome to using graphic novels in education, an ongoing feature from cbldf that is designed to allay confusion around the content of graphic novels and to help parents and teachers raise readers. Born into slavery on october 2, 1800, in southampton county, virginia, an area with more blacks than whites, turner was recorded as nat by benjamin turner, the man who held his mother and him as. Gray of the said district, deposited in this office the title of a book, which is in the words as following. The drawing style was really good, it was like a comic.
Kunka 169 inviting the audience to read that section like. What the history books wont tell you is that nat turner and many of his fellow slaves gained superpowers from the eclipse. Nat turners rebellion put an end to the white southern myth that slaves were either contented with their lot or too servile to mount an armed revolt. Nat turner was the leader of a slave rebellion that took place in 1831. Nat turner graphic novel the seattle public library. In southampton county black people came to measure time from nats fray, or old nats war. In graphic novel format, depicts the life and times of the selfeducated african american preacher who led a slave revolt in southampton county, virginia, in 1831, believing that god wanted him to free the slaves. The story of nat turner and his slave rebellionwhich began on august 21, 1831. Moved to anger and tears, were reminded both of the horrors of slavery. A fictional account of the virginia slave revolt of 1831, the novel is narrated by the leader of the rebellion. Be it remembered, that on this tenth day of november, anno domini, eighteen hundred and thirtyone, thomas r. Nat turner comic read nat turner comic online in high. In my work as a graphic novelist for the uninitiated, a highflown way of saying comic book maker, i often. Jul 01, 2008 the story of nat turner and his slave rebellionwhich began on august 21, 1831, in southampton county, virginiais known among school children and adults.
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