Overview

""An ambitious biography – in graphic-novel style – of an early Anabaptist martyr. Intriguing watercolors – evocative of both Hieronymus Bosch and 1970s pop art – precede the opening pages. … The chapters that follow use accessible language and abundant visual cues in softly colored, action-packed art."" —Kirkus Reviews In a time of social upheaval, in a city astir with dangerous new ideas, the son of a Catholic priest becomes a leader of a nonviolent revolution. Five hundred years ago, in an age marked by war, plague, inequality, and religious coercion, there were people across Europe who dared to imagine a society of sharing, peace, and freedom of conscience. These radicals were ready to die for their vision. They were executed by the thousands—by water, by fire, and by sword—in both Catholic and Protestant states. Their stories come to life in this graphic novel series that dramatically recreates a little-known chapter in the history of the Reformation. By Water, is a true story of friendship and betrayal set in the Swiss city of Zurich. It chronicles the conflict between establishment reformer Ulrich Zwingli (1484–1531) and his student Felix Manz (1498–1527), who at first reveres Zwingli as a father figure but ends up drowned on Zwingli’s orders for insisting that only adult believers should be baptized. In this dramatic visualization of the birth of the Radical Reformation, water is both wonder and weapon, a symbol of new life and a death sentence. This action-packed, historically accurate account of young people standing up for their convictions against the corrupt political and religious leaders of their day will awaken courage and commitment in young readers today.

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9781636080536

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Reviews

An ambitious biography - in graphic-novel style - of an early Anabaptist martyr. Intriguing watercolors - evocative of both Hieronymus Bosch and 1970s pop art - precede the opening pages. ... The chapters that follow use accessible language and abundant visual cues in softly colored, action-packed art. Other historical figures come into play as Manz journeys from eager university student to zealous reformer to renegade leading an intentional Christian pacifist community. Under penalty of death, Manz refuses to stop performing adult baptisms - considered heretical - and he utters some of Jesus' final words as he dies. -Kirkus Reviews Opens a fascinating window into the Reformation, not only as a period of great religious upheaval, but also as the growing pangs of a society struggling to emerge from the past. -Mark Russell, Eisner Award-winning author, Not All Robots and My Bad Tense, compelling, and informative ... in an exciting narrative style that delivers information as a seamless part of the action. ... A remarkable graphic novel. -Foreword Reviews Visually arresting... The Felix Manz story could have easily devolved into a dense, boring history lesson. Instead, it's a stylishly dynamic exploration of a tempestuous internal life... An urgent and relevant saga. -Comic Book Couples Counseling The story is a compelling, often underexplored slice of history that the creative shines a brilliant and thoughtful light upon. -AIPT Comics

An ambitious biography - in graphic-novel style - of an early Anabaptist martyr. Intriguing watercolors - evocative of both Hieronymus Bosch and 1970s pop art - precede the opening pages. ... The chapters that follow use accessible language and abundant visual cues in softly colored, action-packed art. Other historical figures come into play as Manz journeys from eager university student to zealous reformer to renegade leading an intentional Christian pacifist community. Under penalty of death, Manz refuses to stop performing adult baptisms - considered heretical - and he utters some of Jesus' final words as he dies. -Kirkus Reviews

Author Information

Jason Landsel is a New York-based writer and illustrator with a lifelong fascination with the history of social and religious radicalism. He is a regular contributor to Plough Quarterly and a member of the Bruderhof, an Anabaptist community movement that traces its roots to the Radical Reformation. Sankha Banerjee has illustrated graphic novel adaptations of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Wind in the Willows as well as graphic historical biographies of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright Brothers. His works have been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Lyon, France and the India International Centre in Delhi. He is an assistant professor in the Department of Multimedia and Animation, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, India. Richard Mommsen is a scriptwriter, videographer, podcast producer, and director of the Bruderhof’s historical archives.

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