Hi all,
After a much-needed break, I’m back at UBC and back in my ASTU class. The term has started off with Joe Sacco’s comic Safe Area Gorazde which illustrates the Bosnian War, primary from the city of Gorazde. The book itself was a difficult read for me because of the ways in which the shocking events of the war are shown. This is the second comic we’ve read, and it is in many ways different that Persepolis. I personally believe that Joe Sacco’s style of illustration makes his point clear, and as it’s drawn in the eyes of a reporter it does a fantastic job at giving the public an inside view that is both shocking and saddening.
While reading this book it is impossible not to notice how unique Sacco’s illustrations are. His style is bold and grotesque. In my opinion, he seems to draw the worst physical qualities and does not sugar coat the reality of the situation. Sacco draws the people with hollowed cheeks, and missing teeth, their eyes wide and skeleton like. Seeing them made me take a step back and actually think about their reality. As a reporter, writing about this horrible event must have been no easy task. Which is why I think bringing in in the medium of comics is an effective way of showing the world what happened. Sacco’s blunt and almost gross illustrations made sure that the horrors of what happened during the Bosnian war would never be forgotten.
I think that like many, I became very self-aware of my current position in this world while reading this book. My privilege was just staring at me in the face. Of course, my life has never been perfect, but my life has never been endangered, and I am lucky enough to have my family with me. Like who am I to complain about any aspect of my life, it when could’ve been a lot worse for me. I’m attending an amazing university, I’m healthy, I’m happy, I’ve gotten more than most get.
This book to me is unforgettable, it did what not many articles can do, it makes you think about what happens outside of your own world. Atrocities happen every day, you hear about them on the news, read about them online, but for them to be drawn in front of you is a different story, one which I don’t think many journalists have been capable of doing.