A Couple Months Early

I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that made my stomach hurt. My head, sure. My eyes, of course. But my stomach?

And yet, I don’t think I’ll be able to say that anymore. And, unfortunately, it’s not because the book was disgusting, but because the book is disgustingly real.

The 9/11 Report.

Granted, there’s no way I could sit through 600 pages of stomach ache, so I bought the “Graphic Adaptation.” At first thought, a graphic novel about 9/11 seems incredibly crass and insensitive. But then I realize that even for people with better digestive systems than me, who wants to read an impersonal account of 9/11 (in fact, can there be such a thing?)?

And the amazing thing is, the 9/11 Commission realized this. In the forward, the chairs of the commission wrote:

“It was the goal of the commission to tell the story of 9/11 in a way that the American people could read and understand. We felt strongly that one of the most important and tragic events in our nation’s history needed to be accessible to all. Our goal in The 9/11 Commission Report was not only to inform our fellow citizens about history but also to energize and engage them on behalf of reform and change, to make our country safer and more secure.”

Probably realizing that this might not happen with dry prose, they commissioned two artists (a Commission commissioned . . . another time, perhaps) to adapt the report: Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colόn. These two did such an amazing job condensing those days and the commissions recommendations into language and images so simple and yet so profound – it’s the reason that poetry is different than prose.

One thing that will probably strike you is the style of art: it’s very old-school. I think that’s the reason these two artists were tapped instead of someone more contemporary (say Todd McFarland – I haven’t read comics in a while, so he’s about as contemporary as I get), because they didn’t want it to “feel” comicky. So although it’s not the most “pleasing to the eye,” would you really want it to be? It’s telling a story (one we’re all familiar with), and so we already have images in our minds. We don’t need vivid detail. We just want the truth.

Now, I’ve read some critics who think that the 9/11 Commission Report was biased and political to begin with. That might be. But I don’t think the graphic adaptation does anything but try to be objective. The report is critical of pretty much everyone, including Bush, and if it isn’t in depth about its criticisms, clearly the bullet-pointed recommendations (by far and away the most valuable product of the commission) are executed well.

Perhaps the best part (if there can be such a thing), is that they made 9/11 into art. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the idea that “there can be no poetry after Auschwitz” (Adorno—I’ve mentioned him before). Well, I think that did a disservice to the memories of the victims, because it’s saying evil can win. I know that’s clichéd (“the terrorists win!”: we’ve all heard that one), but I think to be so pessimistic, to give in to horror is a cop-out. You may not feel like writing poetry. And maybe you won’t. But you can’t let the music die, and you shouldn’t command others to kill it.

Maybe that’s schmaltzy; I’m a bit of a sentimentalist. But I’d rather have art (that’s also informative) then “news.” The fact that the art is accessible to everyone (including teens) makes it an invaluable text. There are probably people who hate the idea that this is a comic, just like they hate the idea of a comic bible. But what’s more important? That people are able to actually interact with such important information, or that we maintain the intellectual integrity but keep it obscure.

I think the Commission got it right.

Read the book.