Uncle Sam, written by Steve Darnall and (the amazing) Alex Ross, takes the reader on a journey through American history though the eyes of a man who may be either Uncle Sam, the incarnate spirit of the United States, or a homeless man with significant mental disorders. Uncle Sam begins with the titular character depicted as a bum, dressed in ragged (yet still flamboyantly patriotic) clothes. As he has flashbacks that place him in a variety of historical settings, ranging from the American revolution and Shay's rebellion to the civil rights era and assassination of JFK, Sam finds himself wondering what has happened to the United States.
Uncle Sam is not your typical comic book. It's a look at the United States and the history of our country at both its best and its worst. Kirkus Reviews called it "a damning account of American political history that also affirms basic democratic ideals." This comic book carries more intellectual baggage that many things that I've read. Darnall and Ross manage to force the reader to think long and hard about the nature of the United States; what it was meant to be, what it is, and the disparity between those things.
While the artwork is beautiful, what struck me most were the thought provoking lines of internal dialogue that Sam has during his flashbacks. The most haunting line comes as Sam finds himself at the site of the Kennedy assassination, sitting in the presidential convertible, alongside Jacqueline Kennedy. "Ask not what your country's done for you -- ask what your country's done to you."
Sam's odyssey through both history and present day ultimately culminates with his own self-searching discussions with a number of other incarnations of modern nations. Finally, feeling himself again, Sam confronts a twisted, ultra-capitalist, super-consumer parody of himself. The final battle is a climax fitting for this book that is more loaded with symbolism than most literary works.
Overall, I highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone with an interest in U.S. history or politics. It's a deep read with many points that I think are relevant to our current political climate. Even though it was written in 1998.
