Artist: Emmanuel Guibert
Alan’s War grew from an unusual friendship—bridging generations—that began with a chance meeting between American expat Alan Cope and award-winning French graphic artist Emmanuel Guibert. They clicked immediately, and Cope began to share his experiences in World War II with Guibert, who sums up their creative partnership in the foreword: “He spoke well; I listened well.” Cope was a shy, innocent kid, who didn’t learn to drive until he was seated in a tank. Through his eyes, we see the war in subtle shades and detail, focusing on the bonds between the soldiers, the life-long friendships and the discovery of those things that unite humanity, even in the face of great division. On the surface, Alan’s War may seem straightforward and simple, but a deep emotional current runs beneath the narrative. It is not a tale of pivotal battles or high-octane action, but rather a lovingly rendered account of one man’s search for meaning in his life and in the events that helped to shape and define it.
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