Graphic Novel Review: ‘Washington’s Gay General’
As a queer person who loves comics and American history, and who lives surrounded by it in Washington, D.C., Washington’s Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben by Josh Trujillo and Levi Hastings from Abrams Books immediately caught my attention. A graphic novel biography of a forgotten Founding Father (or Daddy as the creative team would say) who was likely a homosexual by today’s definition? That checks SO many boxes for me. I was excited to pick up a copy directly from Trujillo and Hastings when I stopped by their booth at this year’s Flame Con and they even signed it!
Credit: Abrams Books
It’s obvious from the start that Trujillo did a lot of homework and research on von Steuben and the various cultures von Steuben lived in. He also reminds readers that he his by no means a professional historian and doesn’t try to tell the story as if he is one. Instead of a strict retelling of von Steuben’s life, Trujillo provides readers with glimpses into his own experiences as queer individuals in today’s American society and other historical information to put the Baron’s actions and decisions into context. I appreciated how it felt like we were learning about von Steuben’s life from Trujillo after he just learned this exciting story himself and wanted to share it with a group of friends.
What we do learn about von Steuben though is that he became an invaluable member of the American fight for independence and is credited with creating a model for military training that became standard for hundreds of years. We also learn about his upbringing, his personality, his short-comings (he owned slaves and tended to embellish his achievements in order to advance), but most important of tall to this story, his many tendencies which would be considered queer in today’s world.
With so much information being shared on von Steuben’s life, providing background on other historical figures, sharing anecdotes on historical context, and opening up about their own personal experiences, the transitions in the 192-page book could have been a bit more streamlined. Some type of organization method, such as sections or chapters, would have allowed Trujillo more space to expand or hone in on certain topics or time periods.
Hasting’s art valiantly attempted to provide some organization to the book, utilizing a mix of blacks, whites, greys, and blues to create patterns that clue you in on when things are changing. The illustrations are refined, yet simple, creating a fun and welcoming environment for readers who may find American history to be too heavy or dull to dive into.
Part of the struggle with retelling this story, and queer history in general, is the lack of source documents to measure against modern definitions. As Trujillo points out, this is due to a multitude of factors including “homosexuality” still being a relatively new word and that being a homosexual was a severe crime during the time of this story (and remains so in many countries to this day). It’s a sad reflection on just how far acceptance for homosexuality has come over the last 250 years while still having a very long way to go. However, thanks to Washington’s Gay General, we have one more story to fill in pieces of missing queer history about a figure who was so vital to the America we know today.
Rating: 7/10
