'The Stretcher Bearers' with art and story by brothers Reid and Ryan Beaman is a graphic novel about a young medic in World War I.

When we meet Maxwell Fox, he is a raw recruit in the trenches in France. He learns his way from an older experienced veteran named Graham. Through the course of the book, the horrors of war are made real through Maxwell's eyes.

I really enjoyed this engaging story of a young soldier. The story has heart and horror. The illustration style was a hit too.

This is an excellent graphic novel. I loved it from the very start. I actually felt quite emotional while reading it. It had a fantastic sense of atmosphere and tension. I became so engrossed in it that I couldn't put it. I just had to read it all in one sitting. I thought the story line and pictures were stunning. If I am honest this novel only didn't get 5 stars because I would of loved to see more colours in the pictures. The pictures were amazing and it beautiful detail. I would recommend this for ages 16+ as there are a couple of curse words. But as an adult I absolutely loved it. I will definitely be looking out for more from the author and publishers. 

So much praise goes out to the authors and publishing team for producing this spectacular action and emotion filled graphic novel.

The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/the-stretcher-bearers-by-reid-beaman-ryan-beaman-dead-reckoning-4-stars either under my name or ladyreading365 or lady Reading365 or ladyc reading

Another excellent graphic novel from Dead Reckoning, an imprint from the US Naval Institute. This one focuses on medical teams during the war in France. Very well illustrated. I like this series because it usually focuses on less well known aspects and stories of war.

Really different but enjoyable type of book, that I wouldn't normally pick up. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher and author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. As they say, a picture tells a thousand words, and perhaps a graphic novel is a great way to illustrate the challenges of war. Many of us don't understand the atrocities faced by soldiers and civilians during the Great War. And yet, we can all learn something from their sacrifices.

I'm always on the lookout for nonfiction graphic novels to engage my students. This one did not disappoint. What a gripping tale of the bravery of WWI medics. It is easy to overlook the service of those who fight to save lives rather than take them, but this graphic novel does not shy away from their difficulties.

I’ve been on a huge World War I kick lately, as part of a summer project I gave myself to avoid going stir crazy from Covid-19 boredom, I read a ton of history books and went to a ton of museums. Living near Kansas City, I visited the National World War I Museum no less than three times and read a bunch of books, listened to podcasts and more. Leave it to The US Naval Institute Press / Dead Reckoning to keep my summer obsession going by releasing The Stretcher Bearers, a graphic novel by Reid Beaman and Ryan Beaman. When you have a war in which most armies were referred to as “Lions led by Donkeys”, it’s great to highlight some of the more unsung heroes of the battle. Stretcher bearers were some of the most vulnerable troops on the battlefield, with one report from 1917 stating: “Stretcher-bearers suffered very heavy casualties, one unit having 42 casualties out of 48. All units have emphasized the excellent work of their Battalion Stretcher-Bearers.” This is one such story.

“Maxwell Fox didn’t know what he would witness in France. America had only been in the Great War since April 2, 1917. Nothing could have prepared him for the horrors that awaited him and the rest of the men of the 4th Infantry “Ivy” Division. As the Meuse-Argonne Offensive raged on, Maxwell became assigned to a unit of stretcher bearers, men who were tasked with running into harm’s way to rescue their fallen brethren from the clutches of death. This wouldn’t be an easy job, but with Graham, Frank, and Ralph by his side, Maxwell had to rely on his team and hope to survive. A dark and honest look at the bond of brotherhood during war, The Stretcher Bearers tells the unforgettable tale of a young soldier trying to save the lives of wounded soldiers and keep the men he’d formed a bond with alive. But in the “war to end all wars,” no one was safe. ”

Some of the things that these 4th infantry boys witnessed were truly rough, and this book is full of every unspeakable horror of war one can think of. One scene in particular involving a crashed barrage balloon got to me a bit. It rivals some of the horrors seen in films like Saving Private Ryan and Tae Guk Gi for being a sandbag to the gut if you stop and think of some of the horrendous things soldiers have to deal with. The flaming wreckage of the balloon crashes nearby nearly wiping them out. The first thing a soldier named Ralph tries to do is heroically save the man inside, it’s his job as a medic. Sadly, by the time he gets there, the occupant has been rendered into a charred mass scarring Ralph for life. With pieces of burnt flesh wiped off on his fingers, he bursts into tears and has to be comforted by his brothers in the trenches. Scenes like this make this book, and show how rough WWI was.

This comic is illustrated with a subdued monochrome blue color palette. It’s art is somewhat similar to another Dead Reckoning book, Four Fisted Tales-Animals In Combat, which I also enjoyed a lot. With war comics, this sort of art style can symbolize sadness, which is pretty fitting for a war as needlessly bloody as “The Great War”. The style reminds me of older comics, like some of the gritty pulp comics that were eventually replaced with endless superhero books. I absolutely LOVE stuff like this for the simple reason that it’s different. I think it’s why I have fallen in love with books from the USNI so much, because books like this are largely ignored in favor of superhero books even today. I’m not sure if any other comic publisher specializes in war comics, but Dead Reckoning is the best I’ve found for the genre.

It was interesting to see the almost familial relationships that built up during the war in this book. The chief protagonist, a young man named Matthew Fox, was only 16 years of age when he ran away and enlisted in the army. As a result, his direct command basically becomes his surrogate father in many ways, making some of the more intense scenes that much more powerful. While most men had a horrible time in the war, Fox was able to finally belong to something, to feel like he mattered and have people count on him. War changed him for the better.

As with the above mentioned gruesome scenes, not everyone was so lucky. The book touches of things such as shellshock and PTSD early on in the war, and thankfully by 1917 this sort of afflictions were actually being treated rather than punished. In the early years of the war, some armies treated such ailments as “cowardice” and punished soldiers for it. whether it be executions performed by French commanders, or the practice of “decimation” (aka killing a random selection of clerks after a loss to prove a point) performed by the Italian army, it was not a great time to be a soldier.

I absolutely loved this book for many reasons. As many of my readers know, I’m not a fan of the overdone part of war history where everyone hyper-focuses on one battle (Gettysburg, D-Day etc) and every historian churns out constant books on that one thing. I came across The Stretcher Bearers right when I was looking for information on atypical WWI war experiences, and you can’t get much more “off the beaten path” than a group of field medics in the infancy of the position. The story finds an amazing balance of showing the war as an inhuman meatgrinder with no regard for any of the human pawns doing all of the fighting, and showing that glimmers of hope can come through the chaos in the most mysterious of ways. I wasn’t expecting such an emotional script by The Beamans, but they achieved the sort of impactful roller-coaster few comics pull off. Great work as always being highlighted by Dead Reckoning, and I can’t wait to see what the authors have in store next time.

NOTE: I received a free preliminary, and likely unedited copy of this book from Netgalley for the purposes of providing an honest, unbiased review of the material. Thank you to all involved.

The comic was beautifully wriitten and well written, will definitely be adding to my personal library but would be unable to add to my class library due to its graphic nature.

I regret that I cannot review this work. I tried on multiple occasions to open the book, but failed every time. Each time I downloaded it and opened it, the same sort of code appeared. No text or pictures. I do not know if the acsm file needs some sort of password or what. My apologies, as this looked very interesting.

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Very cinematic and moving depiction of what it was like to be in the trenches in World War 1. While the character revelations, plot beats, and resolution are a bit standard, the horror of trench warfare and the bonds and friendship that were formed (and what happened when they were so violently severed) was really well explored. The art was a bit cartoonish, but it somehow didn't take away from the oppressive atmosphere and terrible aspects of war.

Most accurate rating is 3.5 stars, I rounded up to reward the history lesson it offers. This graphic novel is done in a monochromatic color scheme....using black, blue, gray, & white....all the way through the book. The only colors/other coloring is on the front cover of the book. This coloring lends a dark, dank, dreary, almost fearful, hopeless mood to the book. The drawings also convey the noise, chaos & mess that was WWI trench warfare...& yet also the bravery & determination of those who fought there. The title is perfect, & this offering (the 1st from this illustrator & author brother duo) is well done. A good portrayal of WWI history in GN form.
I received a complimentary e-ARC of this book from publisher Dead Reckoning (a division of the Naval Institute Press) via NetGalley, in return for reading it & posting my own fair/honest review.

Maxwell Fox is a stretcher bearer with the AEF at the Battle of Meuse-Argonne. The opening scene sets the stage for what the reader will experience as Maxwell's mind flashes back to when the battle begins. He and his mates (Ralph, Frank, & Graham) go over the top following the infantry as they advance on the German lines. Over the next two weeks, the group bring wounded back to the aid stations, suffering through rain, mud, shelling, ambushes, rats, wolves, and gas attacks until the opening scene plays out. In all, a grim tale of courage not in facing the enemy, but of facing one's own fears while trying to assist others in need. The color scheme is very appropriate to setting the mood of the story. A very interesting story told well.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this tale.

I appreciate how graphic this graphic novel is, the illustrator does not shy away from showing you the horrors of war.

While this story focuses on a group of four American stretcher bearers during World War I, it also provides a glimpse into the type of warfare used at the time and the horrific conditions the soldiers had to endure (i.e. never ending rain, delays of reinforcements and medical aid due to road conditions, inability to heat food, etc.). The author and illustrator did a good job of highlighting the mental and emotional tolls the war took on the soldiers as well.

Overall, a good story. Would recommend.

This graphic novel takes place during WWI. It follows the experiences of four members of the Medic group, The Stretcher Bearers. They had to follow behind the troops, waiting for someone to call out for a “stretcher”, then find a way to get the wounded to the first-aid tent before they die or they get shot trying.

They saw some very horrible things, men shot, blown-up, some clinging to life even when pieces were missing, having to collect the miscellaneous pieces of soldiers who had been hit by shelling. Not pretty stuff at all.
Yet in the middle of all of this, a brotherhood is found, care is given, even love. The main protagonist, Maxwell Fox, was underage when he joined up. Just 16 years old and seeing such terrible things in the trenches of France. But he was looking to belong to something, to be wanted and needed by anyone for something good. He found that in the service. Yes, it was hell, but for the first time, he belonged and felt cared about and cared for.
When he is finally sent home, he finds that the affection he found from his fellow soldiers and mentors, would bring him the one thing he never dared wish for or dream of.

It seems strange to call a book about such a gruesome subject beautiful, but that is exactly what I found it to be. Beautiful.
It makes it so obvious that even though it didn’t have a name then, PTSD existed long before now. Soldiers had scars that could not always be seen on the outside.

The ending actually brought a tear to my eyes. Recommended, but be aware the pictures can be quite graphic in nature.
Thanks to @netgalley, Dead Reckoning, and Reid and Ryan Beaman for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion

This historical graphic novel is well written and well illustrated. While the images can be considered graphic it is appropriate within the context of the book. This is a good representation of a young soldier's experiences in WWI. I recommend this for adult graphic novel collections.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of The Stretcher Bearers by Reid Beaman and Ryan Beaman. I love historical fiction and this graphic novel fit the bill. It is set in WW1 with a group of soldiers that work through their fluctuating emotions of as part of the crew that run into the fray to pick up injured men to get them to the field hospital. At first, I wanted the illustrations to be in color, but the more I read I grew to like the two tone colors better as I could see the colors in my mind of the events on the page. I loved the characters Maxwell and Graham and how the veteran helped the young soldier and then how at the end the young soldier returned the favor. As a new graphic novel reader, I am looking forward to more stories by these authors.

I have to be honest, I did not know the United States was involved in World War I. Certainly shows my ignorance, BUT.. it's never too late to learn.. So here we have the story of a unit of stretcher bearers for the American 4th Infantry Division, specifically about a young soldier called Maxwell Fox.

It's a gripping story, that doesn't shy away from the horrors of war - how could it be, it's literally a book about the people carrying away the wounded. There is a slight disonance between the art style regarding characters, which makes me think of original Archie comics, and the pretty graphic violence, but it works.

I thought this was an intense and needed WW1 graphic novel. The story and history is intense just like in the book. I liked the art work and the ending.

Not a huge fan of war stories but this made me tear up. The things these men went through were incredible and horrible and stories like this ensures they are never forgotten.

Solid story with a touching end, but the illustrations were too graphic and gruesome for me (not inappropriate or inaccurate, just too much for me to take personally).

In October 1918, Private Maxwell is running from a bomb during World War I. In flashbacks, it is shown how Maxwell got there as one of The Stretcher Bearers in the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne.

The book puts the reader directly in the action as a stretcher bearer in WWI. It shows the painful aspects of war including shell shock (aka post-traumatic stress disorder) and the randomness of war’s victims. The color work is all in teal reflecting the grimness of the location.

If you enjoy WWI stories, you should enjoy The Stretcher Bearers. 3 stars.

Thanks to Dead Reckoning and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.