Women in Battle (2018)
What I love the most about non-fiction comics is the thing I also appreciate in Women in Battle: it is an engaging introduction to a complex topic with its own long history of ups and downs and characters which have played key roles in its advance. That is exactly what make Women in Battle worth the read. It quickly and snappily goes through the history of women’s fights for freedom, equal rights and equal opportunities, and it does it in a fun and engaging way – from the story of the the Iranian poet Táhirih to that of Malala Yousefzai, the book shows the development of the movement through its most prominent figures and historical milestones and its monumental achievements during the last 150 years. It also does not shy away from pointing out there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.
A big plus of the book is that it shows the involvement of the feminism in the movements for slave abolition, equal rights and LGBTQIA+ rights. An intersectional approach is especially necessary in the historical discourse in order for feminism to be represented accurately not as an isolated movement, but as an active player in world-changing events such as the USA Civil War and the World Wars, for example. And it is even more useful for that information to be featured in an introductory literature such as Women in Battle.
Marta Breen (text) and Jenny Jordahl (illustration) have collaborated previously on other works such as The F Word: 155 Reasons to Be a Feminist and 60 Women You Should Have Known. Sadly, I couldn’t find in English either fo those in English; I assume they’ve been published only in Norwegian so far.
Personally, I feel the book is not really children’s comic, as there are concepts that could be foreign to young kids (e.g. contraception and voting rights). Puberty and teenage hood are probably better periods for this book to be introduced. But having said that, I should also point out that the book is accessible and enjoyable to everyone, and does not feel even one bit juvenile or talking down to its readers. Heck, as an adult male, I found it full of new and interesting information. So kudos to Breen & Jordahl for creating such a delightful and informative introduction to history of feminism!