Whenever the US Government holds itself out as a defender of freedom and human rights, I always cringe because it isn't. Present day mass incarceration, police brutality, gun violence and racism show that the US certainly isn't the wonderful example of democracy that it says it is. Like many other countries in the world today the US has feet of clay and an underbelly of injustice. Many countries have this.

One of the ways to confront this underbelly is to recognise differing views of history and listen to the stories of the powerless and the marginalised in history. In this way the lessons from history can be heard and learnt and steps can be taken to make society more just. That should be the work of Governments but many times it isn't.

This book tells the story of one of those powerless people. As we hear stories of people taken from US streets by secret service agents, this story gives hope and encourages the reader to focus on the story of the Attica brothers who did not allow themselves to be defined or limited by those who weilded power against them in oppressive and violent ways.

The US is powerful in some ways but so was Rome. In history kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall but in the midst of this history individuals find ways to live against the tides of oppression and brutality that are so common in our world today. This is an excellent graphic novel because it gives us the chance to focus on the life of one of such individuals. I didn't know anything about Frank Smith and I certainly didnt know anything about Attica but now I do.

I always think that graphic novels are a powerful way of telling stories and this story is one that should definitely be told in this way. It is painful, hopeful, and portrays oppression but it also gives voice to a group of men who were powerless and very much despised. It shows that even the despised and rejected have dignity and agency even if they are in prison.

This is an incredibly powerful graphic novel and I am glad I read it although I am not a fan of the artwork. The colouring of the artwork was a bit dull for me but I overlooked that because the story is powerful, educational and gripping.

Excellent portrayal of a story that reminds us that justice, fairness and human rights need to be the bedrock of any country that holds itsefl out as being great.

Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Big Black Stand At Attica shines a spotlight on the sad events that surrounding the riots in New York's Attica State Prison in 1971. It focuses on the acts of one, prisoner, a governor, the police, the press, and nation unwilling to see past superficial narratives.

WHY I LOVE THE BOOK
There is a lot of nuance in this book - no black and white treatment. The authors give us an insight into the faults of the prison systems, the role of the media in such crises and how politicians' ambitions can make a bad situation worse.

The book does not stop with the prison riots at Attica. We are shown its aftermath - the difficulty of obtaining justice and the inability of a system to reform itself.

DISLIKES
None.

WHO IS IT FOR
For every adult or young adult. This is an educational material that helps in understanding how the present world works and how we can make things better.

Many thanks to Archaia for a review copy.

LOVED this! I will be buying this for my home collection

Informative. Great graphics. A must read!

The book follows Frank "Big Black" Smith and his story about the 1971 Attica riots. His story illustrates the horrifying conditions faced by the inmates which ultimately leads to this altercation. The standoff ultimately turns violent where he faces traumatic abuse from the hands of racist guards, who shoot blindly into crowds of unarmed black prisoners.

This graphic novel is definitely difficult to get through at time as it leaves nothing to the imagination however I think its a very important story to know. Before this I knew nothing about what happened in Attica in 1971. This only shows how this important event has been buried in history. Stories like this need to shared more often especially in the time we are living now. Events like this shaped and validate the BLM movement. By the end, I felt for each of the characters as if I was right by them. It felt very personal.

The art is horrifyingly beautiful. It really highlights the emotions felt in each chapter, Not only that but it also compliments the plot, adding a sense of rawness.

I highly recommend everyone read this!

This book is a powerful look at one of the many dark chapters of the American penal system. Its more important now than ever as the standoff, its violent end and even the dark legacy of Attica prison itself in that period has largely slipped out of the public consciousness. With the massive groundswell of protests following the murder of George Floyd and this new period of reckoning with both America’s history of racism and the utter failure of its culture of incarceration it is the perfect time for this book’s arrival.

It does justice to the life of its protagonist. There are other (good) books you can read on the Attica prison riots, that go into greater detail, that provide a wider frame of reference, but few that can tell such a personal story and present a participant’s perspective so vividly. The artwork in this book is incredible, carrying the load of conveying the tension, anger and violence in each page while keeping the focus on the humanity of Big Black and the other prisoners. It is a very emotionally evocative read.

Thank you Netgalley and BOOM! Studios for a copy for my true and honest opinion.

Wow, this one graphic book I think should be mandatory reading for high school students. So, that they can understand BLM movement is protesting the systematic racism that Black people in America face. It is not something that just recently occurred, but is so ingrained within their system that people do not truly understand the effects and reality.

In this graphic novel we follow the real events that occurred about the people imprisoned at Attica, the maximum prison in upstate New York. In 1971, the government ordered a violent retaking of the prison by ordering indiscriminately shooting by troopers at the prison. 29 prisoners and 10 guards died.

It follows the story of Frank "Big Black" Smith and the horror that he faced by the hands of state police and guards. I definitely recommend it! To learn about Frank "Big Black" Smith and his story.

5 stars

I received a copy of Big Black: Stand at Attica from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off this is a very heavy book and deals with some really trigging topics such as racism, PTSD, Physical and mental abuse, and body mutilation, so please be warned before reading this.

I really didn't know what to expect from this graphic novel since I have only heard the name Attica before and knew it was a prison but I knew nothing about the riots or how much it played a part in the civil rights movement. The book follows the Attica prison riot that took place in the '70s and one particular inmate named Big Black who was a central figure during it and the absolute horrors he survived during them, as well as the extreme mental aftermath he had to deal with.

Like I said this was a very heavy book that at times was kind of hard to read but it is also an import book to read especially in the times that we are in now.

5 Stars ( I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

TW: Extreme racism, a lot of physical abuse, body mutilation, and PTSD
A very important read about an event that is not as well known as other civil rights movements and black panther moments. As a reader who is Canadian I don’t have a lot of knowledge of the United States history but this definitely was one of the most brutal and terrifyingly racist events. This is very relevant to our time now, this shows how little has changed since the seventies, but in this time frame we didn’t have a social presence to show the truth. Especially when it comes to the white authorities try to twist the narrative that the prisoners killed the hostages when it fact they died of gunshot wounds. Also we get to see cameos from influential Black Panther members such as Angela Davis and we follow the life of Big Black from beginning til the outcome of the trial. This is a great and accessible form of history that should be taught in schools, more specifically high schools as some of the material is quite graphic.

This is a great introduction to the Attica prison riots. The book focuses on "Big Black" who was an inmate during this time and ended up being a central figure during this event. He was an interesting person but I also felt like the book didn't let us get too deep into his mindset until the end of the book. The graphic novel definitely gives us a great overview of the racial tensions and politics that went on before and after the riot. This book makes me want to read a little more in-depth on the subject to learn more about the major players in the riot, the politics, and how the media portrayed the riot at the time. There was so much to cover but I think the graphic novel did a good job of giving the reader an understanding of how and why the prison riot happened.

Very good introduction to the history of famous prisoners' upraising in New York Attica State Prison in 1971. It explains why and how it all happened, telling the story of one of inmates, Frank "Big Black" Smith - a victim and a true hero. The illustrations are perfect, very expressive and moving.

Thanks to the publisher BOOM! Studios and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

"Big Black: Stand at Attica" by Frank "Big Black" Smith, Jared Reinmuth, Ameziane is the true story of the 1971 rebellion by prisoners at Attica State Prison. Words cannot give justice to Ameziane's illustrations and his ability to depict the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the prisoners who were involved. There were several points throughout my reading of this book to turn back to look at the images on previous pages. Aside from the excellent graphics, this book provides extensive historical details about the many forms of oppression that the prisoners were facing, both inside and outside of Attica, that led to the rebellion, how it was viewed by outsiders, and how it was ultimately settled. Sadly, almost 40 years later, it seems like not much has changed in how we treat incarcerated and returning citizens. The settlement Frank Smith ultimately receives is not enough to compensate for the trauma he endured many years ago. This is a definite must-read for those interested in social justice.

This graphic novel tackles yet another important historical event (but not that far back in history) in the US that is not taught in schools or talked about nearly enough. I knew little to nothing about uprising that took place at Attica Prison, and I won't say I know a lot about it now but this book certainly has whet my appetite. There are so many parallels to the present and important lessons to be learned, but now I'd like to read something that goes into more detail. I like how this centered Big Black, but again, I wanted more. The layout was at times confusing and led me to read squares out of order. This was an ambitious undertaking and a good intro to what happened, but I will have to seek out more in order to get all the information that I now want.

Very interesting true graphic novel about the Attica Prison Uprising. I knew nothing about this topic & was very informative about what happened. Very good!

This book tells a story that will sit with me for some time. It's haunting, mind-blowing, and historical. The use of images and words capture much of this emotional content. Big Black: Stand at Attica is a book well worth reading for mature audiences.