Challenging the status quo
The value of truth and the sacrifices one is willing to make to reveal it is the dilemma that many serious journalists face. This is especially true in countries where the truth is written by those in power and is subject to manipulation. Not to mention their willingness to deal harshly with those who dare to defy the status quo. Reporter Gareth Jones experienced this exact dilemma in the 1930s.
Jones, a young journalist, rose to prominence after conducting a groundbreaking interview with Adolf Hitler and his chief propagandist, Joseph Goebbels. His fame enabled him to travel to the Soviet Union to interview Joseph Stalin. He wanted to understand Russia’s economic success, but was denied access to this information. Even more disturbing, Russia refused to let him leave.
Courage has its price
During this time, he met people who informed him of an escalating, artificial famine in Ukraine known as the Holodomor. It was believed to be government-directed. With this knowledge, Jones set out on a journey of discovery. He uncovered suffering, conflict, and the cover-up of the deaths of millions. His willingness to challenge the Russian government and his courage to expose its misdeeds earned him great recognition, especially in Ukraine. But this act may also have led to his death. Jones was found dead two years after publishing his findings.
“In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones”
In this true and powerful historical graphic novel from Oni Press, journalist and screenwriter Andrea Chalupa and artist Ivan Rodrigues bring a new light to this story – a tale of bravery and tragedy that first brought Ukraine into the international spotlight in the years before World War II – through the real-life heroic actions of journalist Gareth Jones.
See also
Thanks to the generous folks at Oni Press, Andrea Chalupa and Ivan Rodrigues, we are pleased to present these exclusive pages from this captivating new graphic novel: “In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones”
Released on September 4
Oni Press “In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones” by Andrea Chalupa and the artist Ivan Rodriguezs hits stores on September 4. Its relevance is just as noticeable today as it was in the 1930s.
