First Man : Reimagining Matthew Henson

In this graphic novel, Simon Schwartz weaves biography and fiction together to explore the life of Arctic adventurer Matthew Henson. Moving between different time periods and incorporating Inuit mythology, Schwartz offers a fresh perspective on the many challenges Henson confronted during his life.

As a member of early missions to reach the North Pole, Henson braved subzero temperatures and shifting sea ice. As an African American at the turn of the twentieth century, he also faced harassment and prejudice. Henson won a place on Arctic expeditions through skill and determination—though he didn't receive the same credit as his teammates. He also won the respect of the native peoples he met during his journeys—though he couldn't prevent the harm that the expeditions caused them.

More than a biography, First Man: Reimagining Matthew Henson is an artistic homage to Henson's accomplishments and the complicated realities of being a trailblazer in a society that didn't recognize black men as equals.

"Matthew Henson spent 23 years on six separate voyages to Greenland with explorer Robert Peary to find the magnetic North Pole. An African American, Henson's efforts were largely ignored, and his claim of reaching the pole before Peary were almost universally dismissed. To the Inuit with whom Henson traveled and lived, however, he was Mahri-Pahluk: Matthew the Kind One. This fictionalized account of Henson's life offers a sympathetic glimpse into the hardships and prejudice faced by Henson both on and off the polar ice. Deftly using key moments in Henson's life, Schwartz fluidly weaves several time lines together, imagining Henson's motivations, frustrations, and disappointments. The cold blue-and-gray palette is used to maximum effect, and the highly stylized imagery, some of which is borrowed from Inuit art, adds a supernatural element, escalating the menace of the polar landscape. Some basic facts have been significantly altered to heighten the story's impact, and less flattering details of Henson's life have been omitted from the narration, but a chronology, photographs, and bibliography provide more accurate historical context."--Booklist

"Schwartz (The Other Side of the Wall) blends history, legend, and his own fictional interpretations as he traces Robert Peary's attempt to reach the North Pole, focusing on the condescension, cruelty, and prejudice endured by his African-American associate, Matthew Henson. Two-color panels in icy grays and pale blues shift subtly and gorgeously between time periods as Schwartz follows the race to the pole, the role Henson played in Inuit myth, Peary's clashes with explorer Frederick Cook, and more, including a horrific sequence in which Peary brings several Inuit to the American Museum of Natural History in chains, most dying soon after. Schwartz openly admits to fictionalizing Henson's life, but the liberties he takes remain frustrating. Is a poignant moment in which an elderly Henson visits his wife's grave worth altering the fact that he actually died more than 10 years before her? Is it fair to highlight Peary's affairs with Inuit women while ignoring Henson's? (A detailed time line sets the record straight somewhat.) Still, as a work of fiction rooted in injustices suffered by African-Americans and indigenous peoples alike, it's powerful and almost unbearably sad."--Publishers Weekly

"A fascinating look at Matthew Henson's life that combines fact, fiction, dual time lines, and Inuit mythology, this graphic novel is a tribute to a remarkable man who was judged by his skin color rather than his accomplishments. Henson was an African American explorer who accompanied Robert E. Peary on most of his expeditions. Although Peary received many honors for being the first to lead an expedition to the North Pole, Henson's contributions were largely ignored. Effective artwork allows the story to alternate seamlessly between Henson's younger days and his twilight years. The panels are striking and easy to follow, created in black and white with shades of grays and cool arctic blues. Henson spent extensive time with the Inuit people, learning their ways and gaining their respect and a permanent place in their history and legends. The main characters are occasionally portrayed in traditional Inuit Spirit Masks, which adds another layer of depth to an already poignant story. Blake A. Hoena's Matthew Henson: Arctic Adventurer (Capstone, 2006) is a work of true graphic nonfiction but is dry and rushed compared to this fictionalized work. Though Schwartz plays fast and loose with the facts in places, this is an unforgettable title that will resonate with readers. VERDICT: A compelling graphic novel that biography lovers will greatly enjoy, and a wonderful addition to Black History Month book lists."--School Library Journal

"A fictionalized account of the life of Matthew Henson, the black American who reached the North Pole before Robert Peary, told in graphic form. While history has credited Peary with the discovery of the North Pole, it has largely forgotten his companion, Henson, who not only participated in Peary's polar expeditions, but actually arrived at the North Pole hours before him in 1909. Henson notably forged connections with the Inuit and inspired the figure Mahri Pahluk in their stories. Schwartz attempts to rectify this oversight with his highly laudatory retelling of Henson's life. Though he draws upon historical reports as well as Inuit legends, he also takes considerable artistic license with some details, eliding some less-flattering ones. A chronology at the end of the book helps clarify the historical record. Bold artwork in a cool palette of white, gray, black, and pale blue will remind readers of Marjane Satrapi's. Some illustrations feature a highly abstracted style reminiscent of Inuit art, while the other, more-realistic drawings often shift subtly between time periods. The panels featuring the older Henson are almost entirely silent, reflecting how his achievements were largely suppressed by Peary's fame. A welcome profile of a little-known African-American explorer, despite its somewhat heavy-handed embroidery of the facts."--Kirkus Reviews