Heroes: It Takes a Village (Part One)

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Heroes Graphic Novel Chapter 35 page 3 �Oh no!,� was my immediate reaction upon reaching the end of �It Takes a Village – Part One� , which focused on “The Haitian” and his father, Guillame. Guillame was an all around jerk, but The Haitian loved him anyway and I imagine he would have done anything for his father. The development of The Haitian’s power (kind of like Leech in X-men) affected his father during a crucial moment and led to him getting shot. It�s the Haitian’s fault, but not his intention. This is probably why he doesn’t speak now: major daddy issues.

The story starts out with erasing Matt Parkman�s memory. Mr. Bennett wonders aloud what it feels like having your memory erased…being left with a sort of euphoria that seeps into the blank spaces of memory.

This leads into the Haitian explaining what its like. I was confused as to whether he was saying it out loud, speaking or thinking it because the text is in word bubbles instead of a box. The explanation segues into the past, where the Haitian is a kid in back in his homeland. He speaks of the villagers’ love and devotion for his father, who was the haungon (kind of like a priest). The story develops as he talks about Guillame having powers, which would explain why people thought he was the best haungon. It�s kind of reminiscent of Storm from X-men (I honestly believe Heroes is just another version of X-men).

Heroes Graphic Novel Chapter 35 page 6 I don’t like his father. I understand that different cultures work different ways, but he just seemed a little self-absorbed, like everyone should wait on his every beckon call. The haungon demands that his son go get him food and Little Haitian leaves to catch fish so his father can eat. While he’s fishing with a couple other village boys, they do nothing but rant about how great Guillame is. He understands why everyone loves his father, but you can tell this gets on Little Haitian’s nerves.

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They hear a loud �Krakk� coming from the direction of their village when the Tonton Macoutes – or Boogeymen as they are called – have come for Guillame. The Boogeymen are Duvalier�s private militia, a group of murderers and rapists out to hurt the Haitian people. Little Haitian’s father acts all badass and fights the Boogeymen, saying he has the gods on his side. I�m not quite sure just what the father�s powers are exactly; it looks like can he sends waves of pain or pleasure out of his body and he chooses to send out pain to the Boogeymen at that juncture in time.

Heroes Graphic Novel Chapter 35 page 7 I guess when Little Haitian heard the noise they ran back to the village. I can�t imagine why, though. If I heard a loud noise and knew about these Boogeymen, I wouldn’t run back to potentially get hurt. While Guillame was fighting the bad guys, Little Haitian shouts out, distracting his father. This is when Little Haitian’s powers begin to take effect, leaving his father powerless and giving one of the Boogeymen an opportunity to shoot Guillame.

His last words to his son were �What did you do to me?!� Talk about mentally messing up your kid. Granted, it was Little Haitian’s fault, but that is a huge accusation to lay on a kid while you’re dying in front of him.

So far, I�m not all that impressed with the story. I�ll hold off on a complete judgment of it since this is just part one of four. I guess it just hasn�t grabbed my full attention like some of the other Heroes graphic novel stories, such as those involving Hana Gitelman (RIP).

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