The Other Side

Howdy there, our little Doom Patrollers. I know you’ll all be crestfallen, but I’m going to be out of town the rest of the week and have no time for the weekly Worst to First roundup. To make up for it, I have a review of the new graphic novel The Other Side, a Vietnam tale that’s out this week.

By Jason Aaron (W) and Cameron Stewart (A)
Published by Vertigo, 2007, originally as five-issue series. $12.99

The Plot: A story set in Vietnam, how original. That’s what you’re thinking, right? While the source material for thousands of movies and books has been well covered, The Other Side manages a somewhat fresh take by creating a dual narrative, with Pvt. Billy Everette on one side and soldier Vo Binh Dai on the other. It’s clear from the get go (the intro is very Full Metal Jacket) that the two stories are heading toward a head, and much of the interest lies in becoming invested in these two characters and wondering who will live and who will die. Along the way, Aaron and Stewart show a nitty gritty view of America’s ugliest (for now) war as their two main characters begin to see ghosts and hear voices, so traumatized are they by the insanity and violence consuming them.

The Positives: This might sound quite strange for a book that’s very action-heavy, but the Vietnam movie this book reminded me the most of was the documentary Fog of War featuring Robert McNamara’s ramblings on the colossal screw-up he assisted with. In that movie, McNamara slowly unveiled that the major lesson he learned from Vietnam was that the two sides had absolutely no idea what the other’s ambition was, and that the whole effort was essentially a waste of thousands of lives. In The Other Side, that message comes not from the bureaucrats, but from the soldiers. The focus is on how all the atrocities ordered by McNamara (and others) affected those who undertook the operations. That message comes across as especially relevant now, during another war that might not be Vietnam’s peer, but is at least nearly as misguided.

Beyond an engaging and worthwhile message, Aaron’s writing is poetic and haunting. He deftly slides between the two narratives, using the structure to his advantage, where so often multiple viewpoints only muddy the writing. Stewart, who traveled to Vietnam to research the book (his travelogue is included in the extras, along with plenty of sketches), takes great advantage of Aaron’s scripts to weave a flowing storyline that moves smoothely between the regular paroxysms of violence. Stewart’s style is very polished, which might not be the most perfect fit for so gruff a book, but he crafts the surroundings very adeptly and the grotesque sequences punch with all the required force.

The Negatives: There’s not a whole lot I can say here, other than to reiterate that the subject matter is definitely retread. And there’s nothing in The Other Side that hasn’t appeared scattered throughout all those other Vietnam movies and books. But nothing that’s come before has been done quite the same way.

The Grade: A Unless war books just aren’t your thing, or you’re entirely bored with everything Vietnam, you need to give this book a long look. Though I haven’t enjoyed Aaron’s work on Scalped, he’s excellent here. Also, Vertigo once again manages to offer a great book at an affordable price by printing on non-sleek paper. As with DMZ trades and others, this volume is priced at a level that makes it nigh impossible to pass up.