1. Eric Shultz

2. The story that I read for the Reading Rainbow Project was, I Killed Adolf Hitler by Jason. The story starts out in an apartment with an assassin stalking his next victim. The assassin then goes to another assassin so that he can take out his neighbor because he is getting way too annoyed with him. After the meeting with the other assassin he runs into one of his former clients that he did a job for about four years back. They both went to the bar and had a drink. Once he was done drinking with his former client he went home to do the same thing that he does every day, he goes and listens to what his future clients need him to do for them. There was one particular person that came in and had a strange task for him. He wanted him to travel back in time to kill Adolf Hitler. So, he attempted to complete that his client asked but he was unsuccessful. Adolf managed to get into the time machine and travel to the present time. When the assassin gets back to present time he runs into to his wife before he left, but she has no idea that they were ever married. Sometime after he goes to the bar because he is unable to find Adolf Hitler and there he was killed. So about five years later his wife before we went back in time saves him so that he can come back and complete what he was unable to do. To kill Adolf Hitler.

3. The artwork in the book is abstract. All of the characters have an animal look to them. They do walk and stand like humans, but they have this almost dog looking face in them. The textures of the pictures are pretty rough. There are hardly and curved lines in the story. It has lots of straight lines. The colors that were used in the story were very neutral. They never really caught my eye.

4. I wasn’t that sure what the author was aiming for in this story. I think that he is trying to say that changing the past can’t happen. If it could happen it could lead to bad thing in the future that we may not like. And that we may want to change again, which would lead to a circle. We would never be happy with what happened and always want to change it.

5. This was my first time reading a graphic novel. I thought that for the most part it was a good book. The timeline of the book was good in terms of how things happened. At first I was a little confused about what was going on in the story and where it was going. Then about like ten or so pages in the transitioned so that the comic as well as the text matched with each other.

6. At the beginning of the story he was doing a parallel between the text and the comic and the text, which confused me towards the beginning. Once, he did the transition it was a lot easier for me to follow what was going on in the story and where it was leading to.

7. I think that the readers that were intended for this book were college students. I believe that the book is too gory for high/middle school students. There is too much blood and violence in the book. Also, in the beginning I thought that the language was for a mature audience. The age group that I would recommend to read this book would be 18-22 year old. I think that males would like this book more than females would.

8. Some other books that Jason wrote are; “Left Bank Gang” and “Why Are You Doing This?” They are both graphic novels as well.

9. I would give Jason’s, “I Killed Adolf Hitler” a 3/5 stars.

1. Emmy Elliott

2. This graphic novel is about a mediocre, simple character, named Alex, who is heartbroken and in search of a more exciting life. His best friend Claude is an upbeat, likeable, and caring guy who wants to help Alex move on from his ex-girlfriend. Claude goes on a trip for two weeks and asks Alex to come by to his apartment and water his plants while he is away. While Alex is watering the plants he notices a dark and shadowy figure in a nearby apartment window.  He doesn’t think much of it until he meets up with Claude at his apartment later in the week.   When Alex arrives to welcome Claude home from his trip, he finds him murdered in his apartment. Alex is in complete shock. Why would someone murder his friend? Before he even has time to think about the reasons behind his friends abrupt and tragic death, the police arrive banging on the door.  Alex flees the scene of the crime, in an effort to protect himself from being accused of the murder. He isn’t captured but his picture is posted all over the town and news. He is now a convict on the run and is taken in by a complete stranger named Geraldine. Geraldine was abused and left by her husband; leaving her with her daughter, Sandra. Although Geraldine has been through much heartache, she is an unconditionally kind and caring person who only wants to help Alex through the chaotic situation that he found himself in. The two worked together to research the murder and found out that earlier in the week, someone had been murdered in the apartment across the street in an act of revenge. Alex connected the dots to realize that the man in the window he had seen while watering Claude’s plants was the murderer and that he was trying to get rid of any witnesses. He mistook Claude for Alex and Alex was left to clean up the pieces and clear his own record. The book reaches its climax when Sandra is held hostage with the murderer who demands to meet with Alex face to face. The ending takes a surprise twist that will leave you thinking of the message and the relation of the characters to your own life.  This book focuses on what it means to live and what you do in your life that defines who you are. Alex is constantly asking others “How many stories do you have to tell at parties?” He is focused on leading a life that is exciting not only to him, but the important people in his life as well. It is a common feeling that we as humans have of feeling incomplete and that where ever we are, we find ourselves looking out the window wishing we were somewhere else. It also focuses on the theme of loss; not just of physical things such as Alex losing his best friend and his girlfriend, Geraldine losing her husband, and Sandra losing her father, but also on losing memories and time. The title “Why Are You Doing This” relates back to Alex’s relationship with Geraldine. She knows that he is wanted for murder and she still takes him in and helps him in a way he never thought of asking for. He asks her “why are you doing this?” Geraldine responds “Isn’t that what people do?”  It is a universal truth that these acts of kindness are viewed as shocking which forces us to ask ourselves the question why is it so shocking when we come across someone who is nice just for the sake of it and doesn’t have other motives?

3. The artwork in this book is in ink and is Jason’s first full color graphic novel. He uses a dull color scheme that adds an air of somberness to the novel. He purposefully used a simple and elementary style of rendering to get his message across to the audience.  There is also use of silhouettes and an oversimplification of the characters themselves. The main characters are all a hybrid of a dog head and a human-like body. I think that he purposefully makes these figures in a way that we can relate to them and form an attachment, like we would with a human or dog.  These abstract creatures are also showed with little facial expressions and the only way we can tell who they are is by reading the text to go along with it. The overall artwork and scenery in the novel is minimalistic and simplified which makes the novel easy and enjoyable to read. Jason used some lines for the scenery but his characters were filled in with very little detail. In my opinion he does this to make the characters more relate-able and universal. The shapes he uses are basic shapes that appear to have been drawn with a quick hand in a manner that makes them look unfinished. There is no attempt made to make things look realistic- there is no depth being created and no use of overlapping to make objects recede or come forwards. This isn’t a bad thing because if Jason had made the drawings too ornate and detailed we would be distracted from the deeper message that he is trying to convey.  His drawings contain no volume and are very flat. There is no attempt being made to distinguish visual textures from one another; for example the grass is just a filled in green rectangle. All of the scenes and characters in this novel are very concrete which are harmonious with his message.

4. Jason’s purpose for writing this novel is to shed light on the simple man who is in search for a better life. It is a universal story that everyone can relate to in some aspect. The message that stuck out to me was simply the title “Why Are You Doing This?” which relates back to a scene in the book where Geraldine is helping Alex hide out from the police and recollect his life.  Jason wants us to think about the main feelings that drive us as humans; why do we help others? Why do we have to experience loss? Why do we cope with loss by seeking revenge? How does this affect others around us? Jason’s modern and classic tale is one that we can relate to now and that we can think about later.

5. This novel is strong in its presentation and is easy to read. This story has surprising aspects and turns.  It is a very cleanly written mystery that takes you by surprise (especially the ending!) I looked at the book before I read it and upon first examination I thought it looked very plain and that it was going to be a juvenile message. I was surprised at the maturity and impressed of the combination of the somber and melancholy message mixed with the child-like drawings. I have to admit that I had to read the novel twice to get the full appreciation and understanding of it but it was well worth it and is a quick read.  The more I paid attention to the subtle irony and humor that poked fun at some stereotypes, the more I enjoyed it and had a few good laughs. The flow of the novel is excellent and easy to comprehend. The scenery transition and minimal use of text makes it even more powerful. The story and setting is believable and familiar.

6. This novel was very short; I would like to see him flesh the story out a bit more. The climax of the novel occurred at the very end and only lasted a few pages. He could’ve made the story a bit more gripping by adding more time for the reader to anticipate what was to happen to the characters. I also enjoyed his sense of humor and wish he added more humor into the novel- maybe he could’ve played up the character’s expressions more? This is his first graphic novel with the use of color; it will be interesting to see how his use of color develops, or if it will even change at all. I enjoyed how he used sad and simple colors that went with the context of the novel.

7. This book is for college students and older. It isn’t inappropriate or vulgar by any means, but there is a certain level of maturity that you need to have when viewing this novel and a respect for the work that I think a younger person wouldn’t be able to understand or pick up on. I think that it is a novel that you either “get” or don’t get. It has some indie and quirky qualities to it which appeal to the youth and to someone with an open mind. It is appealing to both sexes and isn’t bias in any cultural categories. It is a very safe novel for someone exploring graphic novels to read. I also think that people who frequently read graphic novels would enjoy this novel. My sister is really trendy and has a bit of an indie vibe to her and I know she would love this novel. I can imagine Urban Outfitters selling this novel in their book section of the store, and not to be stereotypical I think it would appeal to the demographic that shop there.  I am not a graphic novel reader, I had always ignorantly assumed that graphic novels were superman or Spiderman and just for boys. After reading this I definitely would read more graphic novels and enjoy them.

8.  Jason has also written:

“Hey, Wait….”

“Sshhhh!”

“The Iron Wagon”

“Tell Me Something”

“You Can’t Get There From Here 0”

“Why Are You Doing This?”

“Meow, Baby!”

“The Left Bank Gang”

“The Living and the Dead”

“I Killed Adolf Hitler”

“The Last Musketeer”

“Pocket Full of Rain”

“Low Moon”

“Almost Silent”

“Werewolves of Montpellier”

“What I Did”

“Isle of 100,000 Graves”

“Athos in America”

9. I give this book a 4/5. 

1. Lucas Huffman

2. The world exists in a truly abhorrent state in which “murderer-for-hire” is a legal and commonplace profession held by those that can handle it.  I Killed Adolf Hitler begins with the crosshairs of the leading character’s rifle set on an intended target while his girlfriend calls for sexual attention.  Immediately afterwards, he suggests they see other people.  Throughout the week many persons seek out the murderous skills of the mercenary, he performs the jobs in a blur of dealings.  One day, a scientist visits the protagonist with a surprising request—he wants him to kill Adolf Hitler.  The mercenary travels to the past using the scientist’s time machine and enters Hitler’s quarters.  However, while drawing the gun he’s spotted by a guard and his attempted homicide is foiled.  In a terrible turn events Hitler discovers the time machine and sneaks back to the 21^st century leaving the would-be killer stranded in the Nazi era.  Suddenly, out of nowhere the mercenary—only seventy years older—barrels into the scientist’s lab as Hitler steps out of the time machine and fires his gun at his chest.  They try to move the body, but can’t due to Hitler’s immense weight.  The mercenary returns to his much younger ex-girlfriend (the only person he has) to ask for help.  The two return to the lab and discover the scientist knocked out on the ground and Hitler missing.  Adolf Hitler, one of the most gruesome and vicious leaders of all time is now loose in 21^st century Berlin!  The mercenary and his ex must now take on the difficult task of locating and killing the fearsome leader amidst thousands of people.  For the remainder of the story, you’ll just have to get your hands on a copy and discover it for yourself.  But be prepared for a surprising ending!

3. I Killed Adolf Hitler holds a unique type of artwork that both appeals visually and cultivates Jason’s purpose and meaning within the graphic novel.  The book’s primary medium is crisp, minimalist drawings augmented by understated color.  The played-down contrast between colors makes them less distinct and brings a type of flat imagery to the piece.  The drawings are also very abstract, flat-looking, and greatly resemble the work of Belgian artist Georges Remi (Hergé).  The characters are anthropomorphic animals and generally lack significant emotional expression.  In addition, the characters and objects of the comic are more along the crude, childlike, airy and light, and unrealistic side of the naturalistic spectrum. 

In addition to media and general style, Jason utilizes several formal design elements to distinguish his art.  The gutters of his graphic novel are uniform in length and width and colored in a clean, crisp white.  This feature somewhat underscores the un-emphasized colors of the book while fostering readability and flow.  He combines his pictures and words in an often intersecting way in which the words and pictures work together in some mode while adding more information separately.  Though, Jason does utilize picture-specific combinations in pages completely void of dialogue.  In these instances the images perform most of the work and transfer the purposed information.  Finally, Jason utilizes action-to-action transitions between panes in which each alteration features a single subject in distinctive progression.

4. Jason’s work holds several discernible background intentions expressed through the comic’s setting, plot, and characters’ dialogue and complexions.  As stated above, the characters of I Killed Adolf Hitler generally remain expressionless throughout the book.  When the do express emotion, they’re usually articulating anger, dismay, surprise, and other emotions near the darker end of the spectrum.  In addition to low contextually emotional information, there is also little or no talking throughout the comic, forcing the reader to observe and interpret the images provided to understand the turn of events.  The child-like nature of the cartoony animals (Disney-like) juxtaposed with their often violent and sexual lives somewhat reveals a possible purpose in Jason’s work.  His efforts combine the baser features of life—death, sex, lies, and violence—with these cartoon points of view and creates a situation in which these familiar aspects are now unsettling.  Through this method Jason makes the well-known bizarre and forces readers to confront their assumptions about prominent concepts in current society.

5. I deeply enjoyed reading this novel; likewise I believe there are several expressed strengths through his work.  The anthropomorphic animals were a new twist on comic art that I found very interesting.  In addition, the style and form of art and caricature design synchronize well, in fact, much of the baser meaning requires the form and style to be fully expressed and articulated.  The title is what initially drew me in, and the minimalist art was very new and also conquered my attention.  I also continued to discover new aspects of the plot and story each time I returned to the novel.  My gut reaction was mainly surprise at how simplistic and short the story line was, though this did not subtract from the appeal of the comic whatsoever.  The overall structure of the comic’s entirety was also rather attractive and flowed very easily.  Each page is broken up into six-panel grids that give the story a cinematic feel.  The progression of the story line also duplicates “jump cuts” in the movie industry.  Suddenly one portion of the story ends and another quickly picks up to replace it.  There are many aspects of Jason’s work that immediately attract and hold the attention of the reader, it is worth anyone’s time to pick up I Killed Adolf Hitler and immerse one’s self in its appealingly minimalistic pages.

6. Though I have mainly positive comments toward this book, it did contain a few weaknesses.  The short storyline was slightly disappointing, though it was a sensational and pleasing one.  The only portion of the book that took me off guard was the opening scene in which the protagonist’s girlfriend acts sexually aroused and calls for attention in the explicit way she does.  Depending on how bothersome Jason aimed to be, I would possibly suggest decreasing the subtleness of the book if his main intention is to be unsettling.  Aside from these minor points, I Killed Adolf Hitler was a very enjoyable read.

7. This novel does retain a certain level of restriction as far as an audience that will comprehend and enjoy it.  The artwork seems to be reaching out to a younger, more childlike audience, though this is not the case whatsoever.  Due to the somewhat explicit opening scene, immediately the range of intended viewers is narrowed to an older audience (young adult and up).  This graphic novel is not particularly gender biased and could appeal to either sex.  The progressing love story in the background may also indirectly appeal to viewers who find such narratives appealing.  Personally, I would pass this book to my father who—with a dry sense of humor—would find the graphic novel entertaining and worth reading.  Aside from the initiating scene, there are not very many aspects that would likely cause a necessary censorship in choosing the recommendation of this book.

8. A few other books published by this offer that I would like to read and may suggest to others might include Hey, Wait…—in which Jason starts off with a melancholy childhood memoir then shockingly twists to a summary of lives lived, wasted, and lost—The Iron Wagon—a novel using two-color drawing style and re-casting his iconic animal character from Sshhhh—The Left Bank Gang—A story in Paris in which cartooning is the dominant form of fiction—Isle of 100,000 Graves—In which a fatherless boy enlists a ship full of pirates to discover the hidden island and his lost father—and Pocket Full of Rain—wherein a bird-faced hobo transforms into a working stiff bound by schedules and responsibilities.

9. I give I Killed Adolf Hitler by John Sæterøy (Jason) four out of five stars.