DEFIANT: THE STORY OF ROBERT SMALLS / Script by ROB EDWARDS / Art by SEAN DAMIEN HILL & ALEX PATERSON / Colors by MAURO SALGADO & BLOND / Layouts by DARRELL MAY / Edited by SEBASTIAN A. JONES & JOSHUA COZINE / Cover Art by NIKOLAS DRAPER-IVEY / Published by STRANGER COMICS & LEGION M

In a better world, the story of Robert Smalls would be as well known as American icons like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and George Washington. He was one of the first Black men to be elected to the American Congress. He was instrumental in developing the modern public school system. And he is also credited with helping convince Abraham Lincoln to allow Black men to serve in the Union Army.

Before he accomplished all that, however, Robert Smalls was a young man determined to live free or die. Born a slave, he decided at a young age that he would not remain one and began working to try and buy his freedom. A succession of odd jobs ultimately led to his position on a Confederate ship during the American Civil War. It also led to a chance at freedom and the single greatest heist in American military history, as he stole a warship and all the weapons on board it.

Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls presents this epic within a frame story, as an elder Smalls tells his tale to his grandson while fishing. Writer Rob Edwards manages to spin an engaging story despite the ending never being in doubt. Indeed, Smalls points out to his awe-struck grandson (with no small amusement) that if he didn’t survive his ship almost being blown up at one point, he wouldn’t be there to tell the story at all!

As with most tales worth telling, the journey is more important than the destination. The action, as illustrated by Sean Damien Hill and Alex Paterson, brings history to life and speaks to the character of Robert Smalls in subtle ways. Praise must also be given to the color art of Blond and Mauro Salgado, which adds another level of depth. This is particularly true of the book’s climax, in which Smalls tries to guide his ship through a succession of checkpoints by night while racing the drunken captain who realized, too late, that his command had been liberated.

Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls is a must-read for all fans of historic graphic novels. Indeed, I would recommend it to any history buff who needs convincing that there is value in the power of comics to tell stories that might otherwise be ignored. (To that end, I should note that publisher Stranger Comics does offer discounts for educators and librarians interested in adding this to their collections and curriculum.)