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Pride of Baghdad

by Brian K. Vaughan, Niko Henrichon (Illustrator)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 9,481 ratings · 665 reviews

From one of America’s most critically acclaimed graphic novel writers – inspired by true events, a startlingly original look at life on the streets of Baghdad during the Iraq War.

In his award-winning work on Y THE LAST MAN and EX MACHINA (one of Entertainment Weekly’s 2005 Ten Best Fiction titles), writer Brian K. Vaughan has displayed an understanding of both the cost of

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Hardcover, 136 pages

Published September 13th 2006 by Vertigo

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Jan 07, 2009 Keely rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, reviewed

Despite the originality of the idea, and the wealth of symbolism and meaning such a story might have held, Vaughan did little with this book. His predictable plot, thoughtless characterization, awkward dialogue and overpowering allegory drained this book of any strength or beauty it might have had.

Start with some factual errors, such as antelopes being kept within sight of lions, sea turtles living in the Tigris, and zoo birds (which would have had flight feathers clipped) simply flying to escap...more Despite the originality of the idea, and the wealth of symbolism and meaning such a story might have held, Vaughan did little with this book. His predictable plot, thoughtless characterization, awkward dialogue and overpowering allegory drained this book of any strength or beauty it might have had.

Start with some factual errors, such as antelopes being kept within sight of lions, sea turtles living in the Tigris, and zoo birds (which would have had flight feathers clipped) simply flying to escape their cages. If they could just fly off, why didn't they do it before? These small errors are negligible but typical of the thoughtlessness with which the plot, characters, and dialogue are treated.

The overt and sensationalized sexism amongst the lions was insulting. Not only because it misrepresented animal sexual behavior (particularly that of lions), but because as a thinly-veiled analogy of human sexual behavior, it was both simplistic and chauvinistic. Like in his 'Y the Last Man', Vaughan is interested in rape and gender inequality only because they give his male protagonist motivation, not because of how they affect his characters or story in general.

One thoughtful commentator pointed out that the rape scene never actually comes to the attention of the protagonist, meaning it couldn't be an attempt to build his character. So I guess it's just extraneous to the plot? I'll beg off debating which is worse.

The animal dialogue was also rather jarring, indicating that lions understood what a 'brain' is, that they measured time in seconds and integers, and that they felt their keepers were beneficent protectors. Vaughan did not make any attempt to create a dialogue based on the individual challenges and experiences of being a lion, he just stuck simplistic human characters in lion bodies.

At that point, it's not even an allegory, it's just a cartoon. Vaughan's lions are not lions, but melodramatic representations of the Iraqi people, a metaphor which becomes increasingly ham-fisted and awkward as the story continues. By the time we reach the climax, we have the antagonist delivering long philosophical speeches about power and rulership.

These prolonged speeches are set directly into the action sequences, so that between winding up and hitting, he delivers a good paragraph of moralism. I can only hope if I'm ever in a fight, my opponent will try to summarize Plato's Republic between blows.

For all that people praise the art, I didn't see much salvageable there, either. It was often difficult to tell the lion characters apart and action sequences were more abrupt than exciting. The cover's pretty, but not a good representation of what's inside.

Tack on a weepy ending, say something unoriginal about American Nationalism, and roll credits. If you want cute, badass animals in comic form, just read WE3. It has better art, better characterization, a better plot, and less pulpit moralizing from the author.(less)

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Dec 08, 2008 Lobeck rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

How did this get on a list of quality comics along with Blankets and Persepolis? This book is complete crap. The story, characters and relationships are dull, shallow and predictable and lack any complexity whatsoever. And those are the books lesser flaws. Most concerning is the translation of human gender roles as conceived by patriarchy to the animal world, thus perpetuating the idea that patriarchy, heterosexuality, and the current gender role paradigm are the "natural" order of things. (If y...more

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Aug 15, 2008 Christina Stind rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone who enjoys beautiful artwork and a compelling story told in the form of a graphic novel

Shelves: 2008, graphic-novels

I tend to be more of a word person than an image person and when reading graphic novels, that's not a good thing. This graphic novel however has such stunningly beautiful artwork that it's impossible to overlook. I found myself looking and absorbing the pictures before reading the words and then looking at the artwork once more with the words in mind.
The story is about a pride of lions who during the bombing of Baghdad in 2003 escapes from Baghdad Zoo and while trying to find out what is happeni...more

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Nov 10, 2010 Seth Hahne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

Sometimes, out of the blue, I'll ask my fifteen-month-old daughter: "How does the lion go?" She will then muster up a metric horse-ton of ferocity a give the best little squeak of a Roar that she can manage. It's pretty thoroughly entertaining. Or at least mildly entertaining. Or at least more entertaining than Pride of Baghdad.

It's not even that there' so much anything wrong with Brian K. Vaughan's WE4. Really, the thing is just rather, well, slight. Shave off 75% of its page count and toss it...more Sometimes, out of the blue, I'll ask my fifteen-month-old daughter: "How does the lion go?" She will then muster up a metric horse-ton of ferocity a give the best little squeak of a Roar that she can manage. It's pretty thoroughly entertaining. Or at least mildly entertaining. Or at least more entertaining than Pride of Baghdad.

It's not even that there' so much anything wrong with Brian K. Vaughan's WE4. Really, the thing is just rather, well, slight. Shave off 75% of its page count and toss it in a handsome colour anthology of worthwhile comics shorts (maybe a less whimsical version of Flight*) and the story could have been wonderful. As it is though, Vaughan's sparse story is not enough to stand alone in its hardcover place on the shelf. It doesn't merit the publisher's treatment.

Vaughan has two interesting things to say in the book. One (1!), through his use of lions as protagonists, we note that the nature of the beast is a ferocious and arbitrary one, both fickle and dangerous. And two (2!), the story isn't about the lions.

Pride, as the play on terms in its title suggests, is about some lions in the capital of Iraq. This takes place in the early days of America's second-millennium military extravaganza in Hussein's country. The U.S. Air Force, in a show of great subtlety, is dropping bombs everywhere. All over the place. Even on the head of giraffes (good aim guys!). Predictably (if only because everything is being bombed), Baghdad's zoo collects its fair share and animals go flying everywhere. Even animals without wings. Like lions.

So the lions beat feet and aimlessly wander, looking for food and a better life. They really find neither and the lesson turns out to be both trite and affecting. Simultaneously. I think this is where length and format hinder the work. Had it been a less self-involved effort, Vaughan's moral could have been on point and well-received. Unfortunately, it makes too much of itself and by the time you arrive, you just kind of stand around looking at the wasteland of Baghdad and say to no one in particular, "Huh. Is that it? (No offense Baghdadians.)"

What else then? Uhm, nice art? I guess? Lion rape? A skinned donkey? Uh huh.

*note: actually, with the theme of the jets freeing the lions, it probably would have sat pretty comfortably in a volume of Flight.(less)

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Oct 03, 2010 Cait rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-selection-of-comics-reviews, comics, currently-unowned, yay-for-libraries

EVEN THE GODDAMNED LIONESS HAD A GODDAMNED RAPE BACKSTORY.

WHAT THE FUCK, COMICS INDUSTRY.

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Mar 19, 2012 Melki rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, lions-and-tigers-and-bears, war

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 11, 2013 Sally Monem rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 24, 2009 syrin rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2009, private-collection, comics

I've wanted to read this book for sometime now, not only because of the beautiful artwork, but because it's always interesting to read war stories from different perspectives. Maybe all that anticipation was the reason the story disappointed me so much.
I was expecting a tale about the real life animals that escaped during the bombings, but found a poorly disguised allegory instead – and a preachy one at that. Yes, the war is terrible. Yes, the crimes, the deaths, the suffering is terrible. Yes,...more

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Sep 08, 2008 Lanica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Most adults.

Shelves: graphic-novels, favorites, fantasy, historical-fiction, read-in-2008, reviewed

My sister is stationed in Afghanistan after having been in Iraq a couple years earlier. I send her a care package about once a month and picked this one up on a whim when I was in Barnes & Noble to grab a couple of my favorite books to fit in the latest package.

I held this graphic novel back from that mailing for a few reasons. First, I didn't want to send something with a political message without having read it first. Second, I'm always on the lookout for new books for middle school boys...more

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Dec 19, 2007 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: visual, read-not-owned

The concept of a comic book about Baghdad, told through the eyes of lions that escaped from the zoo during US bombing, is risky. Overall, despite what I thought were a few problematic moments early on that I won't discuss here (the rape scene, the monkey's scarification ritual), it succeeds in raising concern for animals themselves, while also representing humans, and not in a reductive way.

Turtle: Their lion's a statue of one of your kind trying to eat a man...but the man's fighting off the big...more

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Sep 16, 2010 Alex Telander rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2006

PRIDE OF BAGHDAD BY BRIAN K. VAUGHN AND NIKO HENRICHON: When I heard about this title coming out I was immediately interested; apart from it being by the great writer and creator of the award winning Y The Last Man comic book series, the story sounded provocative, and being based on a true story made even more so.

The true story is a quick and simple one to tell: with the invasion of Baghdad in 2003, one of the first places abandoned was the zoo and when the bombs and destruction hit, a lot of ca...more PRIDE OF BAGHDAD BY BRIAN K. VAUGHN AND NIKO HENRICHON: When I heard about this title coming out I was immediately interested; apart from it being by the great writer and creator of the award winning Y The Last Man comic book series, the story sounded provocative, and being based on a true story made even more so.

The true story is a quick and simple one to tell: with the invasion of Baghdad in 2003, one of the first places abandoned was the zoo and when the bombs and destruction hit, a lot of cages and pens were broken open. A pride of lions escaped and began walking around Baghdad until they were found by US soldiers who were so shocked they just opened fire before the lions could do anything. With the mind and pen of Brian K. Vaughn and the beautiful and detailed artwork of Niko Henrichon, this is the lions’ fictional story.

The pride is composed of an aging male, his mother, his mate, and his single cub. In this world the animals can talk to each other and Vaughn does a great job of capturing attitudes and characters with the different animals. The pride leave the zoo, after rescuing the cub from a hoard of baboons who were about to tear him apart, and travel the streets of Baghdad, looking in houses and palaces, searching for food. In one great palace they find a mighty statue of a lion and take spiritual comfort from it magnitude and the respect that humans give it. In this palace they also find a chained old lion who was a pet, presumably one of Hussein’s sons or family members. There is also a mighty bear, another pet, who has broken free and there is a great fight between the bear and the lions. As the inevitable demise of the pride approaches, their last view is of a beautiful sunset on the city of Baghdad and before the cub dies, he gets to see his one and only horizon.

A very sad story, and yet moving in the way the writing and art adds such emotion and feeling to these animals that one can’t help but feel they deserved so much better than their horrible end.

For more book reviews, and author interviews, go to BookBanter.(less)

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Aug 12, 2007 Teresa Jusino rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: readandreviewed

I'm a sucker for three things, it seems: Brian K. Vaughn, political graphic novels, and animals. I recently picked up a beautiful looking graphic novel I happened upon in a comic book store called "Pride of Baghdad" written by Brian K. Vaughn (writer of Ex Machina, Y: The Last Man, and The Escapists). Its cover has a beautiful, close-up drawing of a lion's face, and Vaughn's name graces the top. When I read the synopsis on the back - a "based on true events" telling of what the streets of Baghda...more I'm a sucker for three things, it seems: Brian K. Vaughn, political graphic novels, and animals. I recently picked up a beautiful looking graphic novel I happened upon in a comic book store called "Pride of Baghdad" written by Brian K. Vaughn (writer of Ex Machina, Y: The Last Man, and The Escapists). Its cover has a beautiful, close-up drawing of a lion's face, and Vaughn's name graces the top. When I read the synopsis on the back - a "based on true events" telling of what the streets of Baghdad were like during the beginning of our war with Iraq from the point of view of a pride of lions that escaped the Baghdad Zoo - I thought, "Brian Vaughn? ANIMALS?! POLITICS?! This book has EVERYTHING!"

Overall, I was not disappointed. This pride of lions escaping a zoo proved an effective literary parallel to an Iraqi citizenry thrust into a new world without a dictator. Vaughn uses this conceit to great effect as we watch this lion family hunt for food and fight for survival in the midst of shelling, rubble, and ruin. Important questions of what freedom means and what price one should be willing to pay for it are addressed as the lions fight amongst themselves and interact with other species. Human beings are relegated to the background, as dead bodies the lions must decide to eat or not, or as American soldiers.

And here, I will say that Vaughn's storytelling would be nothing without Niko Henrichon's stunning artwork. I've said this before: being a writer myself, I tend to notice the writing in comics more than the art. However, sometimes I'll come across an artist who is so obviously an active part of the storytelling that I can't ignore it. From the multi-faceted emotions on the animals' faces throughout the story, to the gut-wrenching, bullet-riddled conclusion, Henrichon's art ends up telling most of the tale, and tells it beautifully.

The one problem I had with Pride of Baghdad is something that is difficult for anyone who has chosen to tell a story through animals. There were certain plot points in the story, or bits of dialogue, that sounded and felt too human for me. While I understand that they are being used to represent the Iraqis, a point is also made in the story (by an old turtle who has seen it all) about how human beings destroy everything. I wonder how the story would've been different had the animals been allowed to be animals. What would an American invasion had looked like from the point of view of total innocence - not only innocence, but creatures who are free of human emotions like anger, jealousy....and pride?

Still, Pride of Baghdad was a satisfying, emotional read, cemented Brian K. Vaughn as one of my favorite writers, and introduced me to a wonderful artistic talent in Niko Henrichson.
(less)

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Jan 31, 2009 new_user rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel

If I could have given this cheesy, extremely simplistic portrayal of the Iraqi conflict less stars, I would. If not for the very human sexual innuendos and scenes (between lions, no less), Pride of Baghdad is what I would expect if Disney produced a film about the escaping lions as a thinly veiled allegory for the Iraqi people, the prevailing message being that only the fear and risk of an uncertain future is preventing the Iraqis from embracing freedom. (Also, that lions are very divided on the...more

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Sep 21, 2007 Sean rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphicnovels

As if being into SF novels and spending my Friday nights outlining torts didn’t label me as a total loser, I have started getting back into graphic novels as well. I don’t really know where this is coming from, but whatever, expect a bunch of reviews in the coming months. There’s a lot of talent people in comics putting out some smart stuff, including this little book.

Pride of Baghdad is about a group of lions set free by the US invasion of Iraq and their attempt to navigate the city during the...more

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Dec 07, 2008 Amari rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel

The upside: the artwork was well done.

The downside: everything else. The story was dull, full of conjecture, and written in a childish manner. The entire story was full of strict (read harmful) gender roles- including an unnecessary, graphic rape scene. This GN is billed as being full of political commentary yet aside from one comment made by a turtle and the ending where the soldier lied about why they killed the lions, there wasn't much political about it at all. I think most reviewers are con...more

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Nov 03, 2007 Trin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphicnovel, american-lit

Based on a true incident: in 2003, a pride of lions escaped the Baghdad zoo during an American bombing. Vaughan uses this as a jumping off point to tell a story that's both an exciting adventure and a painful look at the true cost of war. This could have easily become an anvilicious, MY METAPHORS: LET ME SHOW YOU THEM fest, but Vaughan keeps the symbolism nicely subtle, creating a tale (no pun intended. Really) that works—and is heartbreaking—on multiple levels. A good book to show people who th...more

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Jan 03, 2009 Erik rated it 4 of 5 stars

Inspired by true events during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Vaughn and Henrichon’s fictional account of the short freedom of a pride of lions is both heart-wrenching and stunningly evocative. Who would have thought that there was a story in this? Well, Vaughn found one after it was reported that four lions escaped the Baghdad Zoo during the US bombing of the capital, and then their subsequent deaths at the hands of US forces days later when they were discovered starving and roaming the shell-shock...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Subroto rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels-comics

I picked up 2 animal related graphic novels last night. Zoo by James Patterson (Guinness Record holder of highest no of NYT best sellers) about an apocalyptic world where animals have decided to attack humans and not just attack but annihilate and attack because they are more intelligent now due to an environmental phenomenon (sounds far too stretched ?)

Then try this !

Pride of Baghdad, 3 lions and a cub running around an American attacked Iraq. Supposedly throwing open issues of the true meanin...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Jeb rated it 4 of 5 stars

An incredibly clever conceit and some truly beautiful art come together to form what is often heralded as one of the best (and most important) graphic novels of the last decade. It's even inspired by real events! And we all know that works inspired by real events are more meaningful, right? So it could be that I came in to this book with impossibly high expectations, but nonetheless, I came away feeling slightly disappointed.

First, what works: as I said, it's a very clever idea and by and large...more An incredibly clever conceit and some truly beautiful art come together to form what is often heralded as one of the best (and most important) graphic novels of the last decade. It's even inspired by real events! And we all know that works inspired by real events are more meaningful, right? So it could be that I came in to this book with impossibly high expectations, but nonetheless, I came away feeling slightly disappointed.

First, what works: as I said, it's a very clever idea and by and large it works. 'Pride of Baghdad' functions as something of a modern allegory about war and is largely sucessful at not coming across like a polemic. It's hamfisted at times (more on that later), but rarely distractingly so. I've read some reviews here that criticize BKV's dialogue, which I thought was just fine and totally suited to the story. One reviewer in particular called 'Pride' out for making its characters too human, which made the story unbelievable or too cartoonish. I feel you couldn't miss the point by a wider margin. This *is* a cartoon, no different in style than, say, 'The Lion King.' Of course, substansively the two works couldn't be more dissimilar, and 'Pride' mostly succeeds at living up to its conceit.

What really floored me about 'Pride,' however, was the art, which was masterfully rendered, from the inking style to the subdued (but incredibly visually compelling) colors. I was impressed by the artist's take on the animals, and how well he was able to imbue them with intelligence and humanity, which went a long way toward making this book work. Even more impressive, however, was the depiction of Baghdad itself. The city really came to life, and became as much a compelling character as our four protaganists. Honestly, I would say this book is worth the cover price for the artwork alone, which is why it's getting four stars rather than three.

Where the book doesn't quite work is its ending. Now, I fully understand that the way things go down is meant to represent the senselessness of war and the thoughtlessness of its perpetrators, and for that to work, what happens *should* be sudden and disorienting. Here, however, it simply doesn't quite work. Such endings can be sudden and disorienting and feel like a sock in the gut while still feeling emotionally satisfying. You can ever trick or shock the reader as long as it feels earned. Unfortunately, that's not the case here, and the reader is left feeling sort of jerked around. I'm pretty much always down on works that don't reward the audience (in some way--it doesn't have to be via a happy ending) for their emotional investment. In the worst cases, if there is no reward, you just feel sort of used, the butt of a particularly mean practical joke. You feel like the author wasn't engaging in good faith and doesn't respect your intelligence. I'm not going to say that 'Pride' is quite so demeaning or deceitful as all that, but the ending doesn't feel earned, and there is no emotional payoff. It's also where the book is the most heavy handed, where it comes closest to bludgeoning the reader with its perspective on war and humanity.

More thorough characterization would have gone a long way toward making 'Pride' more sucessful. I wish that our protaganists had been given a bit more room to breathe, so that when they finally meet their untimely demise, it hits us like it should. There's also the unfortunate problem of using rape as an easy substitute for backstory, which the media in general and comics in particular seem to do a rather lot. (This is a topic I hope to explore further in the near future.) I also wish that BKV had given just a fraction of humanity and character to the faceless soldiers at the end, since doing so would have complicated things in a meaningful way--if we relate to the villians, if we see them as human, it is harder to dismiss them. If we see the villians as aspects of ourselves, we are forced to engage with them. By making the US soldiers literally faceless, 'Pride' makes such moral gray area impossible.(less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Jen Hirt rated it 2 of 5 stars

This had potential. Using a pack of lions who escape from the Iraq zoo as it gets bombed (a true situation), writer Vaughan and artist Henrichon create an animal society on the verge of great upheaval. The four lions (one male, two females, one cub) are about to find a freedom (of sorts) but there's no happy ending here -- they all get mowed down on a roof top by soldiers with machine guns. Prior to that downer, the lions encounter the usual tropes of conflict, and that's where the book falls sh...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Doug Stevenson added it

Response to Pride of Baghdad, a graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan and artwork by Niko Henrichon

This is the winner of the 2006 ign.com Best Original Graphic Novel award. It is on the YALSA top ten graphic novels for 2007, but the barcode label on the back cover says it’s “suggested for mature readers.” It deals with small pride of lions, hence the title, who escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It contains standard graphic novel artwork and minimal text.
At first, I th...more Response to Pride of Baghdad, a graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan and artwork by Niko Henrichon

This is the winner of the 2006 ign.com Best Original Graphic Novel award. It is on the YALSA top ten graphic novels for 2007, but the barcode label on the back cover says it’s “suggested for mature readers.” It deals with small pride of lions, hence the title, who escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It contains standard graphic novel artwork and minimal text.
At first, I thought there may be some allegorical context to attach to this about the captivity of Iraq under Saddam Hussein, but then the whole story line gradually unraveled into simply four lions wandering the streets of a bombed city, scared and looking for food as well as safety, and there hatred of man. I really fail to see where the author was going with the story, unless he was pointing out some sort of animal rights problem with zoos in general. I would say the overall theme deals with the cruelty toward animals (especially in the end) in captivity. It’s difficult to see any other message but this in the story; in fact, it’s difficult to see any theme at all, but violence. Nonetheless, the back cover blurb says it “raises vital questions about the true meaning of freedom.” I’m not really sure where it does this but I guess that’s up to interpretation.

Graphic novels are not my cup of tea. I have a very hard time finding and following whatever story line is present. The entire story here seems vaguely conceived and executed. I need words since images are subject to interpretation. I would not recommend a graphic novel, unless a Calvin and Hobbes anthology would count, to my students. I wouldn’t tell them they couldn’t read them, but I just can’t call something that takes ten minutes to read a novel or even a novella. This would be, for some students I’m sure, the cotton candy of reading. A lot of fluff but no substance. Something to occupy a few minutes while waiting for the bus.
I do remember reading comic books, but none of mine were ever this violent, and I know this is mild. However, I quit reading them when they started to cost over a quarter and I had outgrown Donald Duck. I would have to say that this type of reading was not present in any of the independent reading my students did in my student teaching, of course they didn’t read much anyway, if at all, apart from what was required. Something I wish I could have changed in there thinking.
(less)

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Apr 14, 2012 Jean-Paul Bass rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oh, Brian Vaughan, I just can’t get enough of you! After reading Y: The Last Man (posts on that series coming soon), I needed to read everything else his hands have touched. I came across Pride of Baghdad before I read Y, but it sat on the shelf for a few years. After I finished Y, I remembered I had it and couldn’t wait to read it.

Pride of Baghdad was inspired by the true story of four lions who escaped from a zoo during an American bombing in Iraq. Vaughan tells the story from the lions’ point...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Kristin added it

A good way to show the truths of the war on terrorism is to depict it through animals rather than humans which is what Pride of Baghdad does. This way the information seems to come off a bit lighter although it is still very heavy and deep. While some of the authenticity can be questioned, such as captured birds in a zoo having flight feathers that were not clipped, the events shown in this book are real and relevant and should be heard. Also, some of the events were predictable but that did not...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Kristen Fiore rated it 4 of 5 stars

This graphic novel was not only historical, but it gave me an image on how animals were treated in Bagdad in 2003 during the war.
When I first started to read it, I didn’t think it would end the way it did. The plot is these four lions in the zoo think the “sky is falling”; which is just another way for explaining the air planes and the bombing that is going on. The zoo wasn’t hit until after the zoo keepers tossed a donkey carcass in for the lions. They didn’t understand why they would give t...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Bellbomb Bellbomb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have to say I'm not usually a big fan of graphic novel as my taste is more inclined towards Japanese manga. That said, I had to read this book for discussion in my MA class on issues in globalization. One fact I like about Western artworks, though, is that the artists seem to put a lot more emphasis on realistic propotion of humans and animals than the Japanese manga. I love that although the majority of characters in this book are animals, we can still see clearly how their emotions are faciall...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Daquane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Reading this book was very interesting at the beginning, although some may say that reading books that are based on a true story tend to be uninteresting. But reading the Book Pride by Baghdad really inspires you on a lot of things and wants you to learn more about life and reading this from my perspective made me want to know more about the world and what's going on outside of the state. It's very interesting to learn about the war or a little something about it to really understand what goes...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Nicolo Yu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

This week, the American occupation of Iraq ends as the last U.S. troops withdraw and their bases are turned over to the Iraqi civilian government. This event brings back to mind Brian K. Vaughn and Niko Henrichon’s graphic novel, Pride of Baghdad.

A modern fable set at the beginning of the American led invasion of Iraq, it was inspired by a true story of the fate of the animal abandoned in an Iraqi zoo. Some of animals escaped while their caretakers fled to escape incoming American forces.

Pride...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Lori rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, graphic-novel, non-fiction, travel-the-world

I have never read a graphic novel. The only “comics” I have ever been willing or wanted to follow for more than 2 panels are Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes. But, Books on the Nightstand (an outstanding podcast that has greatly enhanced my TBR list!) recently had a list of graphic novel recommendations for those of us book snobs that are NOT graphic novel fans but, after listening to others rave about them might finally agree to give one a try. This was one of those recommendations and I was going...more

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May 03, 2011 Meredith rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, adventure, graphic-novels, realistic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 15, 2010 Nick rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

Judging from the reviews, it seems this is a love it or hate it type of thing, so I'll just be boring and give it two stars. Vaughan is one of my favorite writers mainly due to his superb work on the Y the Last Man series, but his usually clever writing isn't quite up to par here.

Having talking animals star in a serious and tragic story is the inherent problem in Pride of Baghdad. I could partially blame Disney for ruining the possibility of ever having animals talk and not breaking into song,...more

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About Brian K. Vaughan

Born in Cleveland in 1976, Brian K. Vaughan is the Eisner, Harvey, and Shuster Award-winning writer and co-creator of the critically acclaimed comics series Y: The Last Man, Runaways, and Ex Machina (picked as one of the ten best works of fiction of 2005 by Entertainment Weekly).

Recently named "Writer of the Year" by Wizard Magazine, and one of the “top ten comic writers of all time” by Comic Boo...more Born in Cleveland in 1976, Brian K. Vaughan is the Eisner, Harvey, and Shuster Award-winning writer and co-creator of the critically acclaimed comics series Y: The Last Man, Runaways, and Ex Machina (picked as one of the ten best works of fiction of 2005 by Entertainment Weekly).

Recently named "Writer of the Year" by Wizard Magazine, and one of the “top ten comic writers of all time” by Comic Book Resources, Vaughan’s work has been featured and/or reviewed in countless mainstream media outlets, including The New York Times, MTV, National Public Radio, and feminist magazine Bust, which photographed him for their “Men We Love” issue (don’t ask).

As an undergraduate film student at New York University, Vaughan got his big break as part of Marvel’s Stanhattan Project, a workshop for aspiring comic book writers. In the ten years since, he has written nearly all of the major DC and Marvel characters, everyone from Batman to the X-Men.

In September of 2006, Vertigo released Vaughan’s first original graphic novel, Pride of Baghdad, lavishly illustrated by artist Niko Henrichon. Inspired by an unbelievable true story of four lions who escaped the Baghdad Zoo during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Pride is equal parts anthropomorphic adventure and Animal Farm-like parable about the ongoing conflict in Iraq, and was described as "the best novel so far" about the war by the UK's Telegraph.

Along with his creator-owned work, Vaughan is currently writing The Escapists, a Dark Horse miniseries inspired by Michael Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, as well as a new Doctor Strange limited series for Marvel with artist Marcos Martin.

This summer, the new WGA member/CAA client transplanted his poor playwright wife to Los Angeles, where Vaughan is currently working on the screenplay adaptations of Y and Ex Machina for New Line Cinema, as well as other new creations in film and television.

His home on the web is www.bkv.tv, and he’s become the last aging hipster to get a MySpace page: www.myspace.com/briankvaughan

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