Educational comics and graphic novels is a growing genre that’s becoming more popular not just in academia, but also for every day readers. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Big Bad Ironclad! are two of the latest examples delving into our rich American History. With story and art by Nathan Hale, One Dead Spy tells the story of Revolutionary War spy Nathan Hale (yes I was confused as the writer has the name name of the subject) while Big Bad Ironclad! skips ahead in time to the Civil War and the race between the North and South for supremacy in the waters.

Both digest sized graphic novels are great for kids learning about American history or adults wanting to go back and brush up on what they might not remember from school. The most important thing though is they’ll be entertained while learning. It’s a novel concept but key.

Hale (again the creator, not the spy) fills both books with solid writing, creating a flow to the story that keeps you engaged and making the reading go with a breeze. The art too helps a lot with a cartoonish quality that kids will enjoy as well as adults.

It’s seems like a rare (but becoming more common) case that a comic or graphic novel can be entertaining and educational and Nathan Hale achieves both. And it’s great to be able to read something that’s entertaining for both kids and adults (and educational)!

It’s no-brainer to recommend both as they’re the same quality. If you have a kid in school, just getting started on American history, these are absolute buys to get the kid excited and also educated.

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Big Bad Ironclad!

Story: Nathan Hale Art: Nathan Hale

Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Abrams Books provided a FREE copy of both to Graphic Policy for review.