Death To The Tsar

The Russian Revolution was not only about the Tsar. Other Romanovs were also seen as major players in the drama, just as culpable as Nicholas. One of these was Nicholas’s uncle, the governor of Moscow, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. In 1904, he signaled for his soldiers to open fire on a mass of protesters; although he had been well-liked previously, this action made him the target of assassins and revolutionaries who were eager to exploit the massacre for their own ends.

This is a deeply disturbing story, made even more sinister through the extremely effective use of the medium of the graphic novel. The players are mostly repulsive, and the story’s atmosphere is perfectly mirrored in the dark, somber colors, especially the blood-reds and grays that permeate the illustrations. Told in two parts, the plot is somewhat hard to follow at first; more confusing is the similarity many characters bear to each other, so it is difficult to keep them straight. However, mature readers interested in Russian history (and not too squeamish about graphic violence and other mature themes) will find this an intriguing and worthwhile expose of an important event leading to the Revolution.