Nate Powell's first graphic novel, "Swallow Me Whole," absolutely blew my mind and his follow-up, "Any Empire," is another blast of pure artistic talent and narrative bravery. Powell is a daring and original voice in comics and his passionate political and moral beliefs mesh perfectly here with his stunning artwork.Though not as surreally inventive as "Swallow Me Whole," "Any Empire" is more grounded yet still trippy and challenging. Powell effectively uses flash backs and flash forwards to give the story a disjointed, unsettling effect, perfect for his take on war and violence. He again weaves together unique characters, giving them each a distinct story within the overall plot. His inks are, of course, beautiful and subtle (the part where - *spoiler* - Purdy steps on a mine and has his arm and leg blown off was particularly cinematic and startling). It's another great achievement.Though I didn't respond as personally to the themes of "Any Empire" as I did to the mental health aspects of "Swallow Me Whole," I still really like this book. Powell's confidence in his artistic and storytelling abilities are awe-inspiring and I always finish his books feeling creatively energized. This was another book on my to-read list that I was so looking forward to only to be left disappointed in the end. I'm not a huge reader of graphic novels; not that I don't enjoy them, they're just not a large part of my usual reading. That being said maybe I'm totally missing something with this work because I was left so confused by the end. The story was so disjointed and kept switching between past and present, and it was very hard to keep up. I gave it 3 stars because I thought the artwork was beautiful, but definitely lacking in other departments.
What do You think about Any Empire (2011)?
I thought this was going to be awesome, and what I got was disappointment.
—graffitimysoul
Beautifully and expressively drawn, but a confused (and confusing) story.
—zanewestover
An exploration of war and violence seen through the eyes of kids.
—Aditya
