Louis Riel is a 2003 historical biography in comics by Canadian
cartoonist Chester Brown. It deals with the relationship of Métis rebel
leader Louis Riel (pictured) with the newly established Canadian
government. It begins shortly before the 1869 Red River Rebellion, and
ends with Riel's 1885 hanging for high treason. The book explores the
possibly schizophrenic aspect of Riel's personality—he believed God
had named him Prophet of the New World, destined to lead the Métis
people to freedom. The work is noted for its emotional disengagement,
its intentionally flat dialogue, and a minimalist drawing style inspired
by Harold Gray's comic strip Little Orphan Annie. The lengthy, hand-
lettered appendix provides insight on Brown's creative process and
biases, and highlights where he changed historical facts to create a
more engaging story. It was the first comic book to receive a grant from
the Canada Council for the Arts. It was critically well received, and
won three Harvey Awards. The original serialization (1999–2003) sold
poorly, but the book version was a surprise bestseller. Its success
played a major part in gaining shelf space for serious graphic novels in
mainstream North American bookstores.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1553:
Condemned as a heretic for preaching nontrinitarianism and
anti-infant baptism, Michael Servetus was burned at the stake outside
Geneva.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Servetus>
1644:
English Civil War: The combined armies of Parliament inflicted
a tactical defeat on the Royalists, but failed to gain any strategic
advantage in the Second Battle of Newbury.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Newbury>
1810:
The United States annexed West Florida, the western portion of
the Spanish colony of Florida.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Florida>
1992:
U.S. Navy Petty Officer Allen R. Schindler, Jr. was killed in
Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan, a victim of a hate crime for being gay,
sparking a national debate that led to the establishment of the U.S.
armed forces' "Don't ask, don't tell" policy.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_R._Schindler,_Jr.>
2005:
The deaths of three Muslim youths in the Clichy-sous-Bois
suburb of Paris triggered four months of rioting by mostly youths of
North African origins in various parts of France.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_civil_unrest_in_France>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
wife-beating question:
A question which presupposes some controversial premise, such that it
cannot be directly answered without incriminating oneself; a loaded
question.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wife-beating_question>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at
close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
--Dylan Thomas
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dylan_Thomas>