Killing Geronimo: The Hunt For Bin Laden is a retelling, in graphic novel form, of America’s global search for the most notorious fugitive in modern times. Beginning with the tragedy of September 11, 2001, to the final events in Pakistan, Killing Geronimo recreates the major events in the timeline of the hunt for Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

While there’s numerous various narratives as to what happened during the manhunt for Bin Laden this graphic novel claims it is “historically accurate.” I want to start with that as it stood out to me as how likely this claim is made. Like the movie Zero Dark Thirty, the graphic novel depicts torture and says some evidence was gained from it. However, there are reports the CIA mislead that movie, and I wonder if some of that trickled over to this graphic novel. My second issue is the depiction of the helicopters the team moved in with. In the graphic novel, they’re depicted as Chinooks. When it’s been reported, the helicopters were modified Black Hawks. When it comes to some of the facts this Vanity Fair article might be good to compare it to. Ok, that’s my two issues as far as the accuracy part that stood out to me. And when the graphic novel claims that, it factors in to my overall thoughts.

Now, when it comes to the covering of events, the graphic novel is really well done. It starts out right away with the event we all want to see, the death of Bin Laden. With that out of the way, we’re able to circle back to see what lead to that. The graphic novel has a job, to lay out what happened without much commentary and not like there can be tangents with events imagined. The graphic novel does that, using quotes from Bush and Obama throughout. It’s more graphic journalism, than a graphic novel.

I did learn a lot from the graphic novel. It seems to cover the hunt in Afghanistan well, showing our failures and the failures of the leadership at the time. But, the comic isn’t political, placing blame. Instead it leaves the reader to take in the facts and decide for themselves as to what to think.

I liked the art. It matched the story quite well with a gritty style. The lack of color also is a nice change. Each panel or page sticks to one color with a shade. Matched with the art, it’s a great combination.

Overall, Killing Geronimo is a good way to learn about history and what happened. Combined with the linked Vanity Fair article and Zero Dark Thirty, I think we get a good idea what occurred during the greatest manhunt in history.

Story: Darren Davis and Jerome Maida Art: Stefano Cardoselli

Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Buy

Bluewater Productions provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review