God Country

God Country is…one of the more impact stories I have read in a very long while. Emmett Quinlan, a grandfather, is suffering from Alzheimer’s. His son Roy, along with his wife Jane and their daughter Deena, struggle in the wake of this terrible disease. Until one night, Emmett becomes the wielder of the otherworldly sword Valofax. The greatest sword in all existence. This does two things: 

1. It cures Emmett’s Alzheimer’s so long as he holds the sword. 
2. It makes him one of the most badass Texans I have ever seen put to page. 

And now that he has the sword, he has to go to war with the god who wants his sword back, a god so obsessed with creating a legacy for his own family that he has wiped out billions of lives to make Valofax in the first place. 

This mythical journey that Emmett undertakes in his time of clarity is heart-breaking. He is every bit the man he was prior to the onset of his disease, and he makes the most of this time. However, he knows that his current circumstances cannot possibly be maintained, as shown by his refusal to loosen his grip on the sword which keeps the degeneration of his mind at bay. For Emmett and his family, this is a story about letting go, about what we pass on to those we will inevitably leave behind. The color scheme of the comic reflects this, featuring brilliant bright colors surrounded by dismally dark tones that seek to swallow all the light in every single page, save for some of the most touching panels I have seen in some time. 

Whether witnessing the damages of dementia is something you have experienced in your own life or not, the absolute crushing gravity of this scenario is something I don’t think anyone is a total stranger to. The inevitable strain of caring for someone you love, only to watch some force of nature pull you further and further apart is a tragedy all too common in life. It can make it seem as though our entire world is falling apart, and it is one of the hardest things to come to terms with. If we're not careful, it can take even more away from us than we bargained for. In the absolute chaos and confusion of these scenarios, some of the most important thoughts and feelings are often left unsaid. 

Unfortunately for us, there is no magic sword that will help us bridge the gap between what could have been and what is. But God Country is an important reminder that our love for one another will always be a gift, even if it’s a gift we must suffer greatly for. In many ways, it is the only gift that truly survives. 

I gotta go hug some people extra fucking hard.