The Sacrifice

Set in Melbourne in the shadow of World War II, this graphic novel, the first of the Robert Wells trilogy, deals with war, ideals, family, and love As the world spins out of control into World War II, Robert and his family wrestle with the challenges it presents. Robert offers his apartment to German-Jewish refugees, Artie intends to join up as soon as the fighting breaks out, their mother despairs that another war will lead to more death in her family, and Robert's communist sweetheart Elsa answers the call of capitalism. When Robert befriends Mata, the precocious young refugee with a yen for men in uniform, it is only the beginning of his soul-searching journey with an uncertain ending. This graphic novel draws compelling parallels between Australia then and now, and explores questions of courage, masculinity, tolerance, and national identity that will resonate long after the book is read.

Bruce Mutard has been producing graphic novels and comics for 15 years. He was the cofounder of Australian journal Comics Quarterly, and is the author of The Bunker.