Chris Sanagan and Jason Lapidus‘ Group of 7 series released their 6th issue and a trade paperback in 2020. The response has been overwhelming to the point where the first printing of their acclaimed debut graphic novel is sold out. Group of 7: A Most Secret Tale is returning in an all-new edition with new cover art.
During the First World War, Canadian soldiers fighting as the Canadian Expeditionary Force distinguished themselves at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. This was the first time that, as a young nation, Canadian troops fought together. Many see this battle as a “pivotal event in the emergence of Canadian national identity.” But what are the untold, secret stories of this historic event? Writer Chris Sanagan and artist Jason Lapidus explore this in Group of 7: A Most Secret Tale.
As Chris puts it … “While the battle rages topside, Canadian physician John McCrae leads a secret mission underneath the Ridge against a mysterious enemy with monstrous intentions. To succeed, he’ll need a group of unique soldiers. A group of legendary heroes. A Group of 7.”
So, who are the members of the Group of 7? None other than historical figures John McCrae, A.Y. Jackson, Francis Pegahmagabow, Lester Pearson, Frederick Banting, Norman Bethune, and Conn Smythe. With a team that consists of a future Prime Minister (Canada’s equivalent to a US President), a hockey legend, and the Doctor that discovered insulin, amongst others, this fictional account promises to be full of intrigue and adventure.
Originally released as six single issues over three years (2017-2019), Group of 7: A Most Secret Tale has seen its fair share of accolades:
- Group of 7 #2-3 awarded 3rd Place for Best Comic Book at the 2018 Canadian Independent Comic Book Wiki Awards
- Group of 7 named one of Canadian Geographic’s favourite books of 2018
- Group of 7 #5 nominated for Best Comic Book at the 2019 Sequential Magazine Awards
- Group of 7 #4-6 nominated for Gene Day Award for Self-Published Comics at the 2020 Joe Shuster Awards
- Group of 7: A Most Secret Tale nominated for Best Graphic Novel at the 2020 Sequential Magazine Awards
- Group of 7: A Most Secret Tale nominated for Gene Day Award for Self-Published Comics at 2021 Joe Shuster Awards
- Group of 7 #8 nominated for Best Comic Book at the 2022 Sequential Magazine Awards
I was hooked on this series right from the first issue.
The art in Group of 7: A Most Secret Tale is black and white. For the collected edition, artist Jason Lapidus adds more grey tones, creating even more depth to the linework with excellent ink washing and a real prowess for creating images without colour. Word balloons and lettering has gone digital since the single issues came out, increasing readability and overall polish to a quality independent book.
On top of being entertaining, the lads have built a fantastic educational component for the book. Chris and Jason have developed a classroom seminar in which they toured various schools and discussed panel-by-panel breakdowns of all the references and historical sources in the book. Interested educators can head to https://groupof7comics.ca to access some great teaching resources.
Pick-up Group of 7: A Most Secret Tale by funding the project at crowdfundr HERE
Issue: Group of 7: A Most Secret Tale
Writer: Chris Sanagan | Artist: Jason Lapidus
Letters: Jason Lapidus | Editor: Chris Sanagan
Price: $30cad – collecting issues 1-6
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