On the heels of America's renewed relations with Cuba: a vivid graphic novel on the life of Fidel Castro.

As America moves toward normalizing relations with Cuba, this gripping, vivid graphic novel reveals the life and times of Fidel Castro, one of the 20th century's most intriguing, charismatic, and divisive figures. The book is narrated by a German journalist named Karl Mertens, who is plunged into the searing heat of pre-revolutionary Cuba in the mid-1950s. He first meets with Castro while the latter is hiding in the mountains, then follows him through the dramatic revolution and his ascent to the presidency that, despite the Bay of Pigs confrontation and decades of international trade blockades, lasts for nearly 50 years. We also witness Castro's involvement in bloody skirmishes, failed missions, and brutal crackdowns, as well as his interactions with and on behalf of the Cuban people, which reveal as much about his fallible human qualities as they do his legend.

Castro is the work of acclaimed German graphic novelist Reinhard Kleist, who visited Cuba in 2008; it was first published in English by Selfmade Hero for the British market, and is now being made available in North America for the first time. Bristling with energy and alive with the spirit of Cuba, Castro has much to offer about the complex politics of one of the most enduring and controversial figures in modern history.

Includes a foreword by Castro scholar Volker Skierka, updated to include references to renewed relations beween Cuba and the US.

Reinhard Kleist is the author of 14 books, including two others available in English: The Boxer and Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness. His many awards include the BZ Cultural Award for outstanding cultural achievement from the City of Berlin. He is currently working on a graphic novel about musician Nick Cave. He lives in Berlin.

Reinhard Kleist's profile page

If there was a reward for good timing, Arsenal Pulp Press will get it for their graphic novel, Castro by Reinhard Kleist ... [It's] is a solid read for those who want to learn more about the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro, and provides a good starting point. Hopefully, it'll get folks interested to explore more, as reality is one hell of a story ... Recommended. “Graphic Policy

Graphic Policy

Kleist's masterly mix of pathos and politics is never less than compelling and results in a work that should appeal equally to history buffs, political junkies, and readers of literary fiction drawn to the timeliness of the subject. Destined to be a classic. “Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

Library Journal