On this first day of the Battle of the Somme-July 1, 1916-almost half the 120,000 British troops who had somehow expected an easy victory were dead or wounded by nightfall. Third, it is chronological, to be viewed (read?) from left to right, as the optimistic illusions of the British soldiers advancing on Germans turns into a tragic, bloody massacre. Second, it is pageless-a 24-foot-long panorama, which opens like an accordion. First, it is wordless-no dialogue, no narrative. Sacco ( Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt, 2012, etc.) has long focused his artistry on conflict, but this is a radical formalistic departure. An illumination of a crucial battle within “the war to end all wars” redefines the power and possibilities of graphic narratives.
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