The Sons of Liberty

The Sons of Liberty #1

by Alexander Lagos, Joseph Lagos, Steve Walker (Illustrator)

Forget everything you thought you knew about America's early days—history packs a punch in this full-color, two-fisted, edge-of-your-seat adventure!

Graphic novels are a revolution in literature, and The Sons of Liberty is a graphic novel like no other. Visual and visceral, fusing historical fiction and superhero action, this is a tale with broad appeal—for younger readers who enjoy an exciting war story, for teenagers asking hard questions about American history, and for reluctant readers of all ages.

In Colonial America, Graham and Brody are slaves on the run—until they gain extraordinary powers. At first they keep a low profile; but their mentor has another idea—one that involves the African martial art dambe . . . and masks.

With its vile villains, electrifying action, and riveting suspense, The Sons of Liberty casts new light on the faces and events of pre-Revolution America, including Ben Franklin and the French and Indian War. American history has rarely been this compelling—and it's never looked this good.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Comics, Teen

176 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2010

Reviews

[L. McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this is much different than what I expected. I thought that this was a comic about the founding fathers and revolutionary war. While it does take place around that time and Benjamin Franklin is one of the characters, this is very different.

What’s it about?
A couple of young slaves are trying to run away from their cruel owner. They find a white man who hates slavery and he tries to help them escape. Oh yeah, also the revolutionary war is either happening or about to start and there is a sci-fi twist.

Pros:
The story is very interesting and cool. As a fan of sci-fi and historic fiction I found this one to be interesting.
The art is fantastic! There are a few iffy panels but for the most part the art is great and very fitting for the story!
The 2nd half of the story is quite exciting!
I like the way racism and slavery is approached. Not only does it talk about how horrible they are but it isn’t hypocritical. I notice a lot of books that approach such things are pretty much all about how racism is bad and bad things are always white people’s fault... yeah, that kind of thing is stupid so I was happy to see that this book makes the point that racism is shitty and that not all white people are shitty. Good message without the hypocrisy.
The ending is really cool.

Cons:
The characters are not very well written or interesting.
The 1st half is kind of boring. I frequently found myself wanting it to just move on.
This story is very predictable.
The dialogue is poorly written. Almost everyone didn’t use proper grammar or speak well.
So, there’s a lot in this book to do with dogs which is normally something I like but in this, they are always used for bad things and some of them are hurt or worse so I hated that!
The beginning includes some tiny boxes written in cursive that are unreadable. I couldn’t make out what the hell they were saying.

Overall:
The story is very interesting and the art is very good but the writing is not very good and honestly, I’m not bothered to read volume 2. It’s very mediocre overall, I don’t think it’s bad but it’s not good either. If you are really into historic fiction and your library has it or something than this might be worth checking out, otherwise I would pass.

3/5

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two boy slaves escape from their master and gain supernatural powers along the way. This setting uses some authentic American History and then mixes things up a lot, too. Artwork is average to very good.

OVERALL GRADE: B.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first experience with a graphic novel. I was enthralled with both the story and the illustrations. Fantastic job, Alex!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved this one. Set just prior to the American Revolution, Brody and Graham are two young runaway slaves who somehow develop extraordinary physical powers. With some helpful coaching from historical figures like aboltionist Benjamin Lay and Ben Franklin, they hone their talents and learn to make their way in the world as apprentices in a print shop. While there's a lot of action, there's also some real telling points of emotional and philosophical conflict as pre-America struggles to find itself---this conflict is appropriately and wonderfully developed through the straining relationship of Ben Franklin and his son William. The artwork takes a fairly traditional superhero approach to the layouts and panel design, but it works with this type of story. The artwork itself shows a Real sense for developing mood and emotion through the imagery. Good fun for superhero fans who want something just a little different.

[Galileo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big reader of comics and graphic novels and I can tell you there are very few books like this. This book is a blast! The story hooked me within the first few pages. I was glued to it from beginning to end and the art and color are nothing short of stunning. When I finished, I was like "Man, I need book 2 now!"
This book is smart, thrilling, informative and completely unique.
I couldn't help but keep thinking this would make a great movie, because it feels like a movie.
Brilliant A+

[Ange (Our Epic TBR List) Schmelzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really something and definitely needs more volumes! It's set in 1777 and the next decade. The story has many different story lines running involving slaves, Benjamen Franklin, Quakers and more. All these plots come together to create a wonderful "what if..." in our history.
I thought this was really well done from the drawings to the plots! Wow! I hope there are more volumes on their way! Try it out and see what you think!

[Steve Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is phenomenal! It's a refreshing perspective of history and the art was breath taking. Thumbs up to these authors, I can't wait until part 2 comes out!

[Jonathan Sambuchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "Sons Of Liberty" was a very interesting book. The main characters Brody and Graham were former slaves until they escaped captivity and realized that they had powers, when there master/teacher Benjiman lay died they would end up becoming the warriors that Ben always wanted them to be. overall this book was interesting and had several good plot points and always kept you on your toes as the reader.

[👎 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love his books I wish he came out with a third of was going to be the best of all but the publisher didn't publish it. I know because I am his sons😊







,
























,WHICH MEANS THEY DON'T NEED A RIDE HOME NOW BUT I LOVE MY NEW CAR AND I THINK IT'S GOING PRETTY AWESOME!

[ಥ_ಥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like it, I'll read the next one

[Jpage20 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book entirely different that I thought it was going to be. It first introduces two men dressed up as revolutionaries and their rebellion against Britain. It then immediately transitions to farmland and black slaves working under white men in power. It then focuses on two young black slaves who decide to run away from the farmland. They get help from some white people such as Benjamin Franklin, but are chased by hounds for a short period of time. The book showcases their struggles as runaway slaves, but also their breakthrough for successfully getting away, and acquiring a special new power that gave them immense strength and mobility. I liked the book overall, but it would have been better if it had more pages to explain more. The art style was pretty good, nothing that I could specifically say something about, and was solid instead of all stiff art. I would recommend this book for probably anybody because this story doesn't really go in depth, but shows the slave days from the black slaves perspective and some of their struggles.

[Amy Lignor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic middle-grade graphic novel that immediately grabs hold of the reader and doesn’t let go. This extremely fast-paced, and eloquently-told tale was written by two brothers and illustrated by a Marvel comic veteran named Steve Walker, and Oren Kramek.

Directly after the war for America’s independence, the reader is soon shown that not all Americans earned the right to their freedom. In fact, on the Sorenson plantation, like so many others, there are hundreds of young men and women who are slaves to the “respectable” families. When we begin the story, we meet up with Cole Walker – a horrific man who is the overseer of the large tobacco plantation. Walker is the owner of dogs that are equal to the Hounds of Hades. These horrible animals, with Walker by their side, race through the forest to bring back the slaves who try with all their might to escape their world and find freedom elsewhere. After an altercation with Sorenson’s son, two young boys by the name of Graham and Brody find themselves on the run, trying with everything they have to escape the cold, bitter forest and the relentless pursuit of the hideous dogs.

The story takes a turn to Philadelphia where we soon meet up with Benjamin Franklin and are introduced to his son, William. Now, William has some of the same pursuits as his historic father. Unfortunately, though, his own electrical experimentation is centered in the world of the macabre, where he tests various things out on animals and…children. When Graham and Brody meet up with the man near his cabin in the woods, they wake the next morning to find that they have gifts that include glowing eyes, the ability to jump streams in one leap, and an undeniable power that they’ve never known.

When Benjamin Franklin comes to their rescue, the boys find themselves placed with a man by the name of Lay who has worked for many years to educate the masses so that they will finally give up their beliefs in slavery. Lay tells his back story to the young boys, and the world begins to change around them. Soon, the Quakers, and others, realize that all men should be created equal and they begin to cancel their contracts with landowners who still want to whip other men’s’ backs.

The fight between good and evil is so engaging in this tale, that I feel any age group would be interested in the telling. I also have to say that the most exciting part for me is the fact that this is simply the first of four books that will be coming out in this graphic-meets-historical quartet.

The writing is superb; the excitement nonstop; the morals far-reaching; and, the artwork so stunning that you’ll read this again and again. I can’t wait for the next one!

[Travis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate to deride a well produced independent comic but this graphic novel disappointed in a variety of ways.

The flow of the story was very disjointed. It felt like it flipped between scenes without much rhyme or reason. Time passed at vastly different rates with no explicit update, yet the young boys didn't really appear to age.

Apparently this entire volume is a setup for the second volume. I feel like it was a bait and switch. The prologue promises lots of American Revolution ninja action but then the entire book rewinds to show the origins of the two protagonists.

Speaking of the prologue, there is no clear demarcation that it ends and the story proper begins. There is a clear jump in time and setting but considering there's a banner declaring the beginning is a prologue and the ending is an epilogue there really should have been something to announce the story itself. This is one issue of several with the production of the book. Narration bubbles are often used for characters speaking out of frame, which makes it confusing to tell whether it's narration or dialogue. Additional panels or different framing of existing panels should have been used to avoid so many out of frame characters. There are also appears to be several grammatical errors, to the point the dialogue is almost gibberish in a few instances. All of these issues would have been cleaned up with a better editor, something that is often lacking in independent comics.

As historical fiction the story is ridiculous. Granted the author's note states they took judicious liberties but there are just too many fallacies and fictions added. They might as well not even used real people like Benjamin Franklin (although as far as I can tell he's the only real historical figure). Setting a story focused on slavery in pre-Revolution America is also an oddity since most people associate battling slavery more with the Civil War. It's good that the book tries to raise awareness that slavery was an issue from the beginning of our country but it also feels forced.

At least my copy was signed by the authors. I guess that's a small bonus?

Even though the entire book is setup for a second volume I have no interest in continuing this story. There are far better options for historical fiction and graphic novels.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of historical fiction and a fan of graphic storytelling, so when I saw this first book in a projected series set during the time of the American Revolution, I snapped it up. The story follows two young Pennsylvania slave boys who run away from their master's plantation and obtain unlikely superpowers, training in the African martial art of dambe (aka kokawa), and some possibly magic relics. In the parlance of the superhero genre, this is an "origin story" book that sets everything up for the series to come. The premise is a strong one -- we're used to slave stories set in the 1860s, but not the 1770s, so the idea of two young slaves of that era becoming heroes is a great one. The story does a nice job of mixing fictional characters with historical ones (like Benjamin and William Franklin, and the Quaker abolitionist zealot Benjamin Lay), and mixing history and fiction. (The one aspect I wish had hewn closer to historical truth is the story of Benjamin Lay -- contrary to the book, he did not self-exile from the local Quaker group, he was formally cast out, and again contrary to the book, he was never invited back with open arms. I would have preferred young readers to see the true price of standing up for unpopular beliefs, rather than the happy ending depicted here). There are strong villains (a cruel slave-catcher and Franklin's nasty British loyalist son), and strong heroes (the boys and Lay). The story (like a lot of origin stories) is a little choppy and bouncy in both structure and tone, as it switches back and forth between the boys, Lay, and the Franklins -- bookended by an action-packed prologue and an unnecessary epilogue. The artwork is sometimes vivid and compelling, but often suffers from excessive use of computer effects to simulate lighting conditions and a general weakness in depicting faces. However, the premise for the series is so strong that I'll be keeping my eye out for the next installment: Death and Taxes.

[RachelAnne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know I'm a stickler for historical accuracy, but I don't think it's a minor detail to point out that Quakers believe in NONVIOLENCE! Benjamin Lay did exist, he was a FASCINATING anti-slavery activist, but he relied on non-violent methods; he would NOT have become some sort of abolitionist ninja, nor would he have taught others to fight! Also, the Philadelphia Meeting of Friends formally urged others to denounce slavery in 1754, and by 1761, a consensus had been reached that anyone who owned or trafficked in slaves could no longer call himself a Friend/Quaker. So, it's hardly plausible that Benjamin Lay would be encountering such a level of resistance from slave-owning Friends in Abington at such a late date as 1760!

The main characters were frankly the least interesting characters in the story, and showed very little development. Auxiliary figures plucked from American History were the most intriguing figures in the book, not because of the authors' art, but because of their own deeds. Franklin's son might be a good villain if he were better developed, but despite its graphic-novel length, this volume has the level of resolution and plot exposition of one or two regular staple-bound comic books.

[Katieb (MundieMoms) · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you get when you mix beloved American history, with character's who have paranormal powers? You get a dark, edgy, riveting, action packed graphic novel.

The story follows two young male slaves who are on the run. When someone tries an experiment on them, they are left with little memory and super human powers. The novel opens with some scenes from 1777, and as we journey through the novel, we will see life as it was in 1760, the start of the boy's story.

Shady deals, the fight to free slaves, Benjamin Franklin's journey for a better America, life as a slave and the war with England are just a few topics found within this novel. I think The Sons of Liberty will be quickly swept up by those who not only love graphic novels, but those who like history books with a twist. Marvel comic fans will love the illustrations, as they're done by Marvel comic veterans. This is a graphic novel I'd recommend for those 14 years and older.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graham and Brody are two escaped slaves. They are on the run from their former master as well as an evil slave hunter. While hiding in the wilderness on the way to find a abolitionist named Benjamin Lay, they run into William Franklin, embittered son of the great Benjamin Franklin, doing his own illict electrical experiments on animals. He grabs the two boys and does his experiments on them. They wake up frightened and alone and able to due extraordinary things. They make their way to Benjamin Lay and learn to use their power as well as the African fighting style Dambe. Sponsored by Benjamin Franklin, the boys are sent to Philadelphia to learn the printing trade on the Eve of the American Revolution.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had been awhile since I picked up a graphic novel to read. I had read several reviews and finally decided to pick this one up. Not bad. I think graphic novels and manga are an acquired taste, but I enjoyed this one. Probably because of the history major in me. It's really an alternative history in which two runaway slaves become this superpowered ninjas fighting the injustices of early America. I know it sounds a little strange, but art is pretty good and the story easy to follow. The story definitely leaves in a cliffhanger, so I'm eager to see what happens next. If you like alternate history revolutionary ninjas, this would be a wonderful choice.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. What an awesome concept! Two young runaway slaves get caught by none other than William Franklin, Benjamin Franklin's son, who performs a bizarre experiment on them. Graham and Brody remember nothing, but now have super powers and no explanation. They're taken in by Benjamin Lay, an eccentric abolitionist and are trained in dambe, an African martial art. That's about as far as this volume goes, but I am super-psyched for the next one. The characters are interesting, the social issues are a core to the story but don't get in the way of Graham and Brody's story. This is such a great 'underdog fights back' story, can't wait for the next!

[Wes Lisi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about two escaped slaves who were experimented on by someone who lived in the Franklin manner. When they recovered they realised that they had superhuman abilities. This they had to keep in secret so they would be able to live normal lives. meanwhile, Ben Franklin would be going to parliament in the honor of the states.http://www.armchairgeneral.com/wordpr... This art style can be very dark at times because of the bold, organic and naturistic. The main characters changed through the book from being scared kids to kids who would defend their friend from the threats that came after them.

[Jeremy Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think this book is so cool. because it is about the old days and how there was slaves and how they got beat if they did something wrong. this book is about two laves that are about 8 and 10 and they run away and try to find a person that will help them. they are going and they get attacked by this guy that is a slave hunter and the two kids got whiped on there spines and it put an electrical charge though them and they became imortal and they could do anything. i like this book and i think you will to.

[Raina · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seems like a good idea. Superhero former slaves fighting baddies in revolutionary amerika. The cover is great.

But I only got a third of the way through or so before I gave up. I don't find the illustration style particular appealing (inside), it was hard to keep characters straight, and there's not enough superheroness or action to keep teens reading.

It certainly has an audience (the copy I have from the library has been so well read the binding is loose), but that audience isn't me.

[Skip · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a big fan of the American Revolution and fantasy, I was intrigued by the book's concept and unimpressed with its execution. Brody and Graham are two runaways that get caught by Ben Franklin's evil son William and subjected to electrical experiments that give them inhuman physical powers for short periods of time. They link up with abolitionist Benjamin Lay, and take some vengeance on the Sorensen family's slave hunter and his dogs. A dark book, with only mediocre artwork -- faces, in particular, were quite inconsistent.

[Jj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite possibly one of the best graphic novels I've read in a long time.
I was sold on the concept alone, but once I got a hold of this book, I was sucked in. The dialogue is smart and clean, the art and color amazing. The action is very dramatic and intense, but should be fine for younger readers.

This series should go a long way in the pantheon of comics and graphic novels. I CANNOT WAIT for the next book.

[necrow thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved it

[Sri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rate this book a 4.5. This is a good book for people who like fast paced action, history, and suspense. It has a great story with very interesting characters like Benjamin Franklin and runaway slaves. With its menacing villains,action, and amazing suspense, The Sons of Liberty shows what it was like in the events of a young nation. It is also a really good book for young teenagers who like history and action. It shows the hardships of slaves and how harsh people were to them back in the day. I certainly liked this book because it shows the hardships of slaves and is very story driven. As I read the book, it only got better and better. The book also has very good art because it’s a graphic novel so it’s nice for people who like to look at visual representations. It also has a very good representation of benjamin franklin. At the end of the day, it's a very good story driven book with great characters as the story goes a long.

[Jennessa Embair · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first Graphic novel and I think it was a amazing story to introduce me to them. As someone who loves Historical Fiction this was beyond anything I expected. The story was interesting for the most part and the illustrations worked so well with the theme of the book. I desperately wanted to give this four stars, but I just couldn't force myself to do it. I wish that we followed the two main characters more (Brody and Graham) and less of the Franklin Family. For the first Graphic Novel of two I was hoping that the superpowers would be introduced more and we'd get to see more them use more of it.

[Molly Dawes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book looked really interesting and I was excited to read it because I love researching the Revolutionary War. The book had some great parts that were compelling and serious. The art was interesting and a little messy but I thought it fit the narrative very well. My biggest problem was the book was slow. We got glimpses of the boys using powers and never got the full potential. The outfits on the cover art was not to be found in the book, which always bothers me. This was a long starter story but it didn't pull me in enough to want to read the second. I most likely will read the second but I hope it gets more exciting from the first.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Benjamin Franklin's mad scientist of a son uses two young runaway slaves for his medical experiments, he accidentally endows them with powers beyond anything Revolutionary War can handle. Of course, Graham and Brody are concerned with their former master and terrifying slave catchers, not the political climate. Fortunately, with the help of noted abolitionist Benjamin Lay, they learn to control their powers.

This is one heck of an origin story and a lot of fun. I highly recommend it. Particularly for readers who enjoy YA comics.

[Isaiah Miesle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is an interesting graphic novel with great mysteries in the beginning and in the end the your mysteries are figured out. The great mysteries that I read in this book are who are the people behind the masks that tried to rob the capital in Boston. Also why people disagreed with people they didn't even know. I think that this book is very interesting because there is a lot of action in it and conflicts that get resolved in the end. I would rate this story a 4 stars out of 5 stars because of all of the action and the violent action stuff in it. I would recommend this book to people that like action, violence, and history all combined into one book.