Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President
Written by Kaiji Kawaguchi
Published by Viz
$6.95/issue, $19.95/trade paperbacks
---
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a deep
fascination with the world of politics. Even when I was younger I
enjoyed following local and national campaigns, watching debates and
speeches, and going to rallies and fundraisers. Looking back, I see
a lot of similarities in the political movements I followed and the
comics I read. Politics is filled with heroes and villains, triumphs
and tragedies, patriotic speeches and the quest for “truth, justice,
and the American way.” So as I started to move farther and farther
away from men in tights and into the other genres available in comics,
I was shocked to find no real political examination among the crime
fiction and human drama. Sure, there have always been creators that
used the form to comment on political policy or trends, but I’ve
rarely found a comic whose main purpose is to directly examine the
political process. For that fix I’ve always had to go to other
media. Books like Hunter Thompson’s Fear and Loathing: On
the Campaign Trail 72 and All’s Fair by James Carville
& Mary Matalin provide excellent real-life accounts of life in
a campaign, while movies like Primary Colors and The Candidate
present truths that could only be revealed by a work of fiction.
I was content to get my regular political fiction fix from NBC’s
The West Wing. Then I discovered Eagle.
Kenneth Yamaoka, Senator from New York, wants the Presidency of the
United States. He has the money. He has the connections. He has the
experience. Disciplined, brilliant, and charismatic, the candidate
of Kaiji Kawaguchi’s Eagle may just have what it takes
to become the U.S.’s first minority President. But how does a
third generation Asian American position himself to make a serious
bid for the highest office? That’s what Takashi Jo, a junior-reporter
for a large Japanese newspaper will have to find out, becauseYamoka
has specifically requested his presence.
When Jo arrives in the United States for the first time he is quickly
whisked into the dizzying world of life in a campaign. Introduced
to this whirlwind of lunches, meetings, speaking engagements and fundraisers,
Takashi is in a daze trying to figure out why a small-timer like himself
has been asked to cover one of the most important presidential races
ever. And at the end of what starts out as a routine fundraising dinner,
Yamaoka makes the reason clear; Jo is his son, whom he abandoned soon
after birth. As Jo comes to grips with Yamaoka’s secret, his
role covering the campaign changes. Yamaoka will give Jo full access
to his drive for the Presidency; his workers, his family and even
himself, as long as Jo waits until after the election to publish his
piece. With Jo questioning his place in the world, the politics of
the US, and this man who would be both President and his father, a
dynamic tension is set that marks the rest of the series.
Like Buronson and Ikegami’s Sanctuary, another manga exploration
of politics, Eagle revels in its sharp dichotomies. Kawaguchi loves
showing off the shiny and bright public face of Kenneth Yamaoka while
slowly hinting at the mysteries behind the political mastermind. Yamaoka
switches gears so quickly and furiously that when he does speak candidly
it often catches Jo, and consequently the reader, completely off guard.
In many ways Yamaoka is reminiscent of Jack Kennedy. He’s a rich,
high society politician that seems at home with the Italian Culture
Society, Asian Journalist Clubs, and even Texas ranchers. His charm
knows few bounds. But like JFK, Yamaoka’s secrets slowly begin
to surface and any one of them could destroy not only his bid for
the Presidency but also his entire political career.
Kawaguchi’s art mirrors these dichotomies as well. His line work
can flow in an evocative, but subdued manner for pages, and then abruptly
burst into pure energy. But the outbursts never awkward despite the
often-startling revelations they contain. Kawaguchi takes what could
easily be pages upon pages of talking heads and turns them into riveting
drama. His characters reflect the individual voice of their words
in a way more reminiscent of actors on a screen than the cookie cutter
personalities and appearances often associated with American sequential
art. And just as the characters expressions and body language betray
their thoughts, Kawaguchi’s subtleties and composition, often
hint at the secrets that could destroy Yamaoka’s career.
But despite the hindrances, Yamaoka never seems rattled. Kawaguchi
never shows weakness directly in Kenneth. He’s always presented
in a strong, bold way that exudes the confidence of the character.
Yamaoka sees his push for the Presidency as destiny and he constantly
refuses to accept the odds or play by the rules. Yamaoka is a true
American. One that values his Asian heritage but also embraces the
ideals and beliefs of the country of his birth. He’s a politician
whose maverick qualities add to his charm and his patriotism; a candidate
that the American people could believe in but a character that is
not without flaws.
While Eagle provides a captivating look at one man’s political
ambition and the lives it effects, it is not without flaws of its
own. Despite writing that is generally earnest and true to his characters,
Kawaguchi occasionally strays down the path of soap opera, not uncommon
in manga. In theory, Jo’s romance with Yamaoka’s daughter
provides a nice opportunity for characterization and an interesting
aside from the main story of the campaign. Regrettably, the execution
of their affair often fails to have the same resonance as the scenes
with Kenneth. Where it could be an important part of Jo’s story,
too frequently it feels forced and labored.
But in the end Eagle is much like its candidate. It relies
on its obvious strengths to conceal its subtle flaws. Eagle tackles
American politics in a manner previously reserved for books and film;
a way that clearly shows what new elements creators can bring to the
medium.
---
To date, there are 11 100 page, perfect bound issues of Eagle available
at $6.95 US a piece. Two trade collections reprinting 4 issues each
and priced at $19.95 US are also available with more collections forthcoming.
These should be available at finer retailers everywhere, or said finer
retailers should be willing to get these books for you. Failing that,
you can always find a finer retailer at www.the-master-list.com
---
DOWNLOAD
CURRENT ISSUE:
---
