6) Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon




This was the most provocative story I have ever encountered. It is a comic book, but in this medium, the story is presented powerfully. The tale is based on the bombings in Iraq. Four lions actually did escape from the Baghdad Zoo in the spring of 2003 due to the destruction and the story unfolds in their eyes and their point of view. The images are beautifully rendered (which appeals to the artist within me since I really want to someday have the certain grace of the line art and capture emotions through the use of colors as this artist did) and the lion's expressions are realistic, while humanistic too (to convey some interesting emotions). I highly recommend picking this up for a read.

-Lila