Its success played a major part in gaining shelf space for serious graphic novels in mainstream North American bookstores.

The serialization sold poorly, but the book version was a surprise bestseller. It won a favourable critical reception and three Harvey Awards. The series was the first comic book to receive a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. Brown became interested in the issue of property rights while researching the book, which led to a public change in his politics from anarchism to libertarianism.Īlthough Brown intended it to be published only in book form, his publisher had him first serialize Louis Riel as a comic book, which lasted ten issues. The lengthy, hand-lettered appendix provides insight into Brown's creative process and biases and highlights where he changed historical facts to create a more engaging story, such as incorporating a conspiracy theory not widely accepted by historians. Unusual for comics of the time, it includes a full scholarly apparatus: a foreword, index, bibliography, and end notes.

The work is noted for its emotional disengagement, its intentionally flat dialogue, and a minimalist drawing style inspired by that of Harold Gray's comic strip Little Orphan Annie. The book explores Riel's possible schizophrenia-he believed God had named him Prophet of the New World, destined to lead the Métis people to freedom. It begins shortly before the 1869 Red River Rebellion, and ends with Riel's 1885 hanging for high treason. The story deals with Métis rebel leader Louis Riel's antagonistic relationship with the newly established Canadian government. Page-turner in the guise of a 19th-century history book.Louis Riel is a historical biography in comics by Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown, published as a book in 2003 after serializion in 1999–2003. called Brown's unique book 'a deeply personal, utterly compelling The excerpts on this and following pages come from Chester Brown's (Close this pop-up window to remain on this page) The Story of Louis Riel: Excerpts from a Comic-Strip × Check-out the new Famous Trials website at The new website has a cleaner look, additional video and audio clips, revised trial accounts, and new features that should improve the navigation.

Louis riel a comic strip biography