This graphic novel takes place in a war torn world that is influenced by Tokyo and has a Ghost in a Shell feel (less the technology). Jun was a sniper in a past war and now she is homeless Vet like many others. She doesn’t want anyone’s help and she is reliant on pills to numb her. Gangs controlling the Vets by overcharing them for drugs are rampant. Jun finds herself in the middle of yet another war that she is trying to fight all on her own.

The chibi style art is reminiscent of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series, but the art is muddy and hard to decipher. The coloring successfully alternated between Jun’s dark mood, Leona’s bright mood, and the flashbacks of Jun in the war. Overall, the story was good and the portrayal of PTSD in this dystopian Tokyo was well done. I just found the art a hindrance to absorbing and respecting the storyline. Older teens and adults interested in cutting edge comics will enjoy this.

I am struggling with whether to teach this alongside books about Vietnam and Palestine. It speaks to themes but is nonspecific historically. It's tantalizing as a reader, ambiguous in its usefulness for me as a teacher.

PTSD combines the chibi-like art style with a little bit of grit and backdrops it against a Japanese-inspired environment, where modernity, traditional ramen shops, sacred landscapes, and rich history come together to form a dynamic world. It comes some of my favorite elements from different mangas and reminds me of a fusion between Ghost in the Shell and Seconds. This graphic novel is about Jun, a pill-poppin' vet, who returned from a nameless war. She sleeps under a bridge, isolated from other veterans and the world, but that changes when she meets Leona and her son, Bao, who run the nearby ramen shop.

Despite Leona's desire to be her friend, Jun refuses to interact with the woman and further isolates herself. It is clear from flashbacks that Jun was an excellent marksman in the army, and many of her fellow troops relied on her skills, However, she eventually lost her eye and now lives on the streets, where conflicted by feelings of general resentment, she shuts out everyone and everything. This eventually changes when Grey, another vet, gives Jun an adorable Shibu-Inu named Red, who refuses to give up on her. Jun attempts to sort out her life through violence and eventually, finds peace in healing.

I was absolutely enthralled with PTSD. It has a simple structure, but an overall timeless feel. Singelin accomplishes this by making some very smart choices that really allow the reader to dig into Jun's character and follow her story without any distractions. Firstly, I think the inclusion of what I refer to as a nameless war with invisible enemies is an overall brilliant choice. Not only does this make the story feel like it could have happened in the past or even now, but it also does not weigh down the narrative with text bubbles explaining the circumstances of the war, the origin of the conflict, or villainizing the enemies. Instead, it centers on Jun and how she is coming to terms with what happened during this event. In addition, this choice allows the focal point to be healing instead of gory warfare. We have enough movies, books, and even graphic novels depicting the chaotic and gruesome realities of war.

Finally, at the heart of this story, we have Red, a beautifully rendered Shiba-Inu, who illustrates the best quality of dogs, and that is unwavering loyalty. Red sticks by Jun's side even as she forces everyone else out through verbal abuse and her questionable actions. However, her beloved companion refuses to leave her even when she screams profanities at him and tells him to leave her. In this way, Red shows Jun that she is worthwhile, keeps her on a path to recovery, and generally is all around adorable. Overall, Singelin crafts a dynamic and morally ambiguous female character, a rich and complex environment, as well as, side characters, who show the impossibility of saving someone when they don't want to be saved. PTSD is a remarkable story that captures a unique perspective on the effects of war, and how individuals deal with coming back to an unrecognizable life.

PTSD is a dark and suffocating comic, but hopeful still. It's about a veteran woman Jun, who suffers from PTSD and is basically a junkie in order to survive the horrors of the war. She was a sniper and saw all her comrades die. Now she lives in a ditch and needs friendliness so that she can overcome her past and what better than to start helping others. I was actually waiting for more political standpoint for the war and was kind of letdown that the comic only had a looming, but shapeless, war as the base. It wasn't all that evident that the theme was PTSD, since the comic doesn't go through it that much as, unless you count the flashbacks. PTSD is a survival story and brutal with its violence and death soaked in manga like cuteness and candy colors. It's an interesting combination, but I'm still not sure if it was the right decision.

The art is somewhat smudgy and old looking. The candy colors are slightly rusty and worn, which fits the dystopian world quite well. The cuteness and Bao feel a bit too off and it's odd how Singeling combines such brutality to happiness and summer sadness. The contradiction both works and doesn't, but at least it makes this comic interesting and different. Mostly it's just about the fact how little the comic offers when it comes to its topic. This was a letdown for me and surely PTSD is a good comic, but could've been better and thus the three stars.

A truly gorgeous, illustrated tale about the power of redemption, duty and loyalty to each other. Told through the eyes of one PTSD stricken Vet as she tries to survive in a world that doesn't need her anymore. An uplifting and hopeful story.

Guillaume Singelin uses a gorgeously vivid art style that only needs a few pages to speedily immerse you deep into the book's world and its tale about finding one's way while bearing the scars of war. Once you're submerged, you'll share with the characters' pain, frustration, and their dogged determination so intensely that by the time it's all over (at least if you're anything like me), you won't help but feel a little disappointed that you won't be able to further journey along with everyone for at least a little while longer longer.

To put a little more succinctly - "PTSD" is nothing less than exemplary piece of graphic novel-style storytelling, and the kind of work that you'll eagerly come back to for countless rereads.

A beautiful graphic novel: amazing color/artwork throughout. I loved the characters and their growth and the very timely story.