Louis Riel (comics) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louis Riel |
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Cover to the first edition of Louis Riel
(Drawn & Quarterly, 2003) |
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| Creator | Chester Brown |
| Date | 2003 |
| Page count | 271 pages |
| Publisher | Drawn & Quarterly |
| Original publication | |
| Published in |
Louis Riel
(Drawn & Quarterly) |
| Issues | 1–10 |
| Date of publication | 1999–2003 |
Louis Riel is a historical graphic novel created by Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown. It was first published as a book in 2003, after being released in parts from 1999 to 2003. The story tells about Louis Riel, a leader of the Métis people, and his struggles with the new Canadian government.
The comic starts just before the Red River Rebellion in 1869. It ends with Riel's execution in 1885 for his role in the rebellions. The book also looks at Riel's strong beliefs. He thought God had chosen him to be a prophet and lead the Métis people to freedom.
Contents
About the Graphic Novel
This graphic novel is known for its unique style. It has a calm way of telling the story and simple conversations. The drawings are minimalist, inspired by the old comic strip Little Orphan Annie.
What makes this comic special is that it includes many scholarly details. It has a foreword, an index, a list of sources, and notes at the end. These notes, written by hand, show how Brown created the story. They also explain where he changed historical facts to make the story more interesting. For example, he included a theory that most historians do not widely accept.
Chester Brown's Research and Views
While researching for the book, Chester Brown became very interested in property rights. This led to a change in his political ideas. He moved from believing in anarchism to supporting libertarianism. Anarchism is about having no government, while libertarianism is about having very limited government.
Publication and Success
Chester Brown originally wanted Louis Riel to be published only as a full book. However, his publisher decided to release it first as a series of comic books. There were ten issues in total.
This series was the first comic book to receive a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. This is a special award that helps artists. The comic received good reviews from critics and won three Harvey Awards. Even though the individual comic books did not sell very well, the full book became a surprise bestseller. Its success helped other serious graphic novels get more space in bookstores across North America.
Adaptations
In 2016, a group in Montreal called RustWerk ReFinery turned the book into a play. It was called Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Stage Play. This play used black-and-white cut-out puppets, live actors, and shadow effects. It was performed in both English and French.
