Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle
The graphic novel Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea is about one of our favorite subjects: North Korea. Whether it is the propaganda, the theme parks with rides that don’t work, or just the dream of having little-to-no traffic everyday…North Korea is a fascinating (and horrible terrifying) place. There are other terrifying places in the world that don’t strike the same type of mystique and fascination. Perhaps it’s just because Americans cannot go there. Alas, you always want what you cannot have.
But getting back to comic books: Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle is a wonderful travelogue about a Canadian animation director’s experience working out of North Korea.
Story
The story seems to follow notes from Delisle’s journal and sketchbook, though it is not presented as a real journal. There is definitely an acknowledgement that the narration is taking place from the future and there are certain things brought into the story that fill in gaps in the narrator’s in-the-moment experiences. The actual story is simple: Guy Delisle went to North Korea to work on an animation project and after some time, he left. The book is more of an exploration of the culture shock that the writer experiences while he is in the country. The pace of the book is relatively slow and it feels a little bit like a science fiction slice-of-life story. It’s often hard to believe the descriptions of what Delisle has experienced because they are so strange. There are also several parts of the book that explain certain aspects of the culture by using cut-aways. A good example of this is when he shows a line up of North Korean citizens, and one of them is not wearing a pin. The writer asks the reader which of the citizens is not loyal and like a children’s book, the answer is underneath the panel. These bits are appreciated and help to expound on the context of the interactions and cultural expectations that the writer experiences in North Korea.
Art
The art in this book is a juxtaposition between cartoonish looking people and detailed looking environments. There are some stylistic changes between imagined environments and real ones, but for the most part the book has a consistent art style. The attention to detail of the North Korean environments is appreciated and jaw dropping. Considering North Korea does not allow photographs by foreigners unless they are taken in specific approved locations, the art of Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea is an exclusive look at places that many people will never be able to see.
Color
The graphic novel is in black and white.
Letters
The letters in the graphic novel are hand drawn.
je ne sais quoi
It’s clear that Delisle is a master craftsman at creating comics. This book is extremely fascinating, engaging, and fun to read. Any slight push against the oppressive force of the North Korean dictatorship immediately creates tense moments for the author. It is this push and pull that made this a one-sit reading type of book.
On a scale between lending the book 1984 to a North Korean citizen to having your camera broken for taking pictures of garbage we give this graphic novel a strong getting to leave North Korea after visiting.
This book is available on Amazon and also on Thriftbooks!