“The Man Who Shot Chris Kyle: an American legend“ by Fabien Nury with art by Brüno is a graphic novel that explores the true story around the killing of Chris Kyle, American sniper,

Told him a documentary style composed of news stories, autobiography and other relevant things, this tells the story of Chris Kyle from the rise of his legend to his violent murder. Learn more about the killer as well as the making of the movie and the rise to success of Tara Kyle, Chris Kyle’s widow.

I liked the art style, as well as the documentary style of this graphic novel. It deals with some tough truths, but I think it does it fairly.

I had seen the movie and read the book American Sniper. So just had to read this book when I seen it. The book was very in-depth. Going back to describe both mens lives. With various characters involved. Sad to read. But certainly explains a lot. The book is very well written

Fabien Nury's speculation on what happened to Chris Kyle. Bruno's art is overly cartoony and simple for the subject matter. He also reuses a lot of panels. Interviews typically consist of the same two panels repeated for pages and pages.

Such an amazing graphic novel. Loved to read it since I already read the biography, this was such a blast 🤩
Chris Kyle was so courageous and intuitive, everything that he did was to save many lives without ever thinking of his own

The Man Who Shot Chris Kyle is a new graphic novel that takes the real life story of Chris Kyle, the man behind the book an film American Sniper and focuses on the events around his death.

I was aware of Chris Kyle in the absolute broadest sense when I first picked up this book, I knew that the man behind American Sniper was a real person, and that he was once a soldier; but that was all I knew. As such, I went into this book with little information to colour my opinion of him, or with ideas about what to expect.

The book skips over much of Chris' early life, as well as his military career, instead jumping into the narrative following his return from duty; at the point in which he found fame. Instead, the book focuses on the events leading directly up to his murder, and does so in a way that feels more like a documentary than a normal graphic novel. The book is full of detached narration, with some third person telling the reader the story of Chris, rather than it being told from the point of view of anyone present in the narrative.

This feeling of reading a documentary was further built upon when the book included pieces of interviews that Chris had attended to promote his book, small images of events that would have been recorded on camera, and even advertisements for different services and events. It's not hard to see how this would play out transplanted to a televised documentary, and I think that was the intention of writer Fabien Nury.

One of the things that let this down a little, personally, was the art. The art style of the book was incredibly simple and lacked any real depth of flare. Characters were often quite flat looking, and seemed to be basic approximations and caricatures rather than detailed drawings of real people, and backgrounds were hardly ever used; instead having blank, single colour panels behind people's heads. Whilst this didn't bother me most of the time as this seemed to have been a deliberate choice to allow readers to focus on the story over the art, there were times where it really jumped out at me.

These moments tended to be in the interview segments of the book. There's a section of the book with quite a long interview between Chris Kyle and Bill O'Reilly where the two of them talk about American Sniper and Chris' time in combat. The scene consisted of switching between a close-up of the characters faces when each of them were talking. This wasn't bad in itself, but it quickly became clear that each panel was exactly the same. No variation in expression or pose was used a lot of the time, and it felt like the artist, Bruno, had simply copy/pasted the images. Once it became apparent here, there were other times that I began to notice a repetition of the images, where it looked like the artist had reused old panels without any variation. Whilst I understand that reusing artwork can save time and effort, it began to feel like it was laziness, and every time that I noticed it it would pull me out of the book.

The biggest issue I had with the book, however, was the choice to split it into two volumes. The book ends with the dramatic murder of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield, leaving readers wondering what happens next in the story. The book itself is only 80 pages long, so it's a very short read. The decision to split the story into two volumes doesn't seem to have been made because the events are so long that it would make a book too large to read in a single volume, and it strikes me that the choice was made by the publisher in order to try and sell a second book. The fact that the book ends with the murder of Kyle but no resolution as to what happens to his killer definitely seems like an engineered hook, something to frustrate readers and have them wanting to find out what happens next.

Whilst I would have liked to have read a complete story this first volume kind of lets me down. The fact that it stops halfway through the narrative for no apparent reason, coupled with repeated artwork and little variation in the panels featured leaves the book with an overall feel of a project where few people seemed too bothered. It feels unfinished, and instead of leaving me wanting the next volume and eager for more it left me feeling annoyed, almost like my time had been wasted a little. That's not to say the whole thing is bad, on the contrary, I learned a lot about a subject that I had no idea of before, so for that I'm grateful. However, ending the way it does, the book had me going to Wikipedia to read about the rest of the events, rather than willing to wait for a second volume to come out.

*Thank you to Net Galley for a copy of this book.

Im not entirely sure how to rate a book with this kind of content. I did learn things about the case that didnt know which i liked. However the content is gruesome an heartbreaking. Definitely not for everyone.

This was a very interesting graphic novel. I learned a lot of facts about this case that I didn't know beforehand, which I liked. I'm not sure if I can say that this would be enjoyable for everyone? Just due to the subject matter. I did enjoy reading this graphic novel though. This is a case that I've followed for years so I enjoyed learning new facts about it. Overall, if you are a true crime fan I think that you will enjoy this graphic novel. I'm excited to see what comes next!

Don’t think I was the target audience for this book. It was fine, but it didn’t really have anything fresh or new to say about the tragic events. It is a rather shallow biography of Chris Kyle and his murderer Eddie Ray Routh. It covers events leading up to Chris’s death.

There is a lack of commentary about the actions of Chris and Eddie that took me out the story. I’m not sure if it was even-handedness or an attempt at impartiality, but it meant my own preconceived notions weren’t challenged. The art ranges from serviceable to chillingly good. The final few pages are especially impactful. Nury’s script, as far as the dialogue and descriptions go is good. Clearly, the creative team have gone above and beyond in researching the events and quite rightly so. However, I didn’t find myself caring about any of the characters in the book. Chris is held up as an American hero to some; he was also a liar and defamer, I would have liked a deeper examination of what compelled Chris not only to go to Iraq but also do what he did to Jesse Ventura. Similarly with Eddie if felt like a series of things that happened. It never managed to get under the skin of either victim or the killer.

Sometimes it is fine not to take an angle and let the reader make up their own mind. Here it didn’t work. The book is neither salacious nor exploitative, nor is it revelatory or particularly illuminating.

I don’t know, the book didn’t work me, I wasn’t bored exactly, but unless you have an interest in the Chris Kyle story, I would be difficult for me to recommend this. I didn’t emotionally connect with it.

I saw the film American Sniper a few years ago and was left feeling unsympathetic towards the lead character this book has done nothing to change that, however this is a beautifully crafted and superbly well drawn graphic novel that engages the reader fully, highly recommend

It is based on life if a brave star sniper who fell in wrong direction after he comes back from battlefield. It has an innovative artwork which is excellent when we see background and ambience. Characters are not well deleniated.
It has lots of captions which are catchy and good.
I wish it had left tv interviews of sniper. It was monotonous to read three pages of interview.
Overall a good action packed graphic novel with a anticlimax.
Definitely you should read it and see the Life of a controversial figure.

Content - graphic violence and bloodshed, guns, knives/swords, PTSD, homophobia, possible sexual assault/incest.

“In the marine corps you’re brought up idolizing people who’ve been recognised for things like confirmed kills, medals of honor. Eddie wasn’t any different. He idolised Chris Kyle. He saw him as a movie action hero."

’The Man Who Shot Chris Kyle’ is about exactly that, but it also serves as an exploration of how modern myths of American masculinity have been created, and the effects that these ideas have. Cinema, pop-culture, and the military, each have their own part to play in Chris Kyle’s death, and the lives of those around him.

“Chris Kyle spent his youth on a ranch. He was a cowboy and a rodeo champion. He’s a man who grew up in the shadow of a certain mythology, placing patriotism and a love of America above all else. He subscribed to it too, and suffered the consequences.”

It’s telling that sections of the book are punctuated by quotes from the films of Clint Eastwood (who directed the film about Kyle, 'American Sniper'), who’s characters in films such as ’The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly’, and ‘Dirty Harry’ have shaped a certain image of American masculinity. The film critic Pauline Kael described Eastwood’s characters as possessing a ‘psycopathic personality’ because of the coldness and lack of remorse he experiences with each on-screen death. Unlike earlier heroes like John Wayne, who experienced the full emotional weight of each death he carried out.

This coldness is present in the three characters that make up the centre of this book - Chris Kyle, Kyle’s friend Chad Littlefield (who was also killed), and their murderer Eddie Ray Routh. Brüno does a marvellous job of conveying this coldness by drawing these three figures in such a way that you rarely see their eyes. Kyle and Littlefield’s eyes are often hidden behind dark sunglasses, or under the unfathomably dark shadows of the brim of their respective baseball caps. Routh’s eyes are hidden behind the white panels of his glasses. Kyle seems to have absorbed and embodied this imagery, even going so far as to create a private security firm incorporating the Punisher logo (another cold American male archetype, unafraid to use excessive violence outside the bounds of the law). When Kyle is killed, one of the final images of him is of the bloodied Punisher-esque logo on his baseball cap, as Kyle lies bleeding on the floor.

Overall, this is a well crafted graphic novel. Thoroughly researched, will fantastic art by Brüno, and writing by Nury.

A short and to-the-point narration of a comic rendering following the events/history that led to the killing of Chris "The Legend" Kyle. The writing style was lacking some creativity, like I was reading a transcript from a documentary but it did shine a light on some aspects of the story that I found I did not know about, which was great. I suppose the publishers have their own reasons for releasing stand alone works in "parts" but it is annoying. I want to, but probably won't get around to reading part 2. I guess we will see. The graphic art was great, the illustrator made this work what it was, the author lacked any real writing style but got the story across

This graphic novel was far to short for me to justify why they need to make a volume 2. I did really like the art style.

I'm definitely a mark and fanboy for graphic novels, especially ones that are reflective of life. They can often capture the complexity with just a wry smile or quick caption. Nury provides a script of the life and eventual death of the legendary Chris Kyle capturing both the highlights of his achievements as well as moments not mentioned in either his book or movie. Bruno's art speaks for itself - alluring and candid.
Personally, I'm reticent the give it a final rating because this is part one of two but from what I've seen so far I can't wait for part two.

Chris Kyle, aka the American Sniper, was a complicated character. On the one hand he saved many of his fellow soldiers by being an extraordinary prolific sniper in Iraq, on the other hand he seemed a little too unbothered by having had to kill over 150 people. On the one hand a celebrated war hero, on the other hand: did he have to be such a dick about it..?

This book tells the story of Kyle having returned to the United States, and how he and a friend were finally murdered by another Iraq veteran, Eddie Ray Routh, heavily suffering from PTSD and some form of psychosis.

The story is told in a clean art style, which seems focused on moving the story along. The whole is narrated over, as if you're watching a documentary. Sometimes there are 'talking heads', who appear on news shows in the comic. The script, written by "The Death of Stalin"s Fabien Nury, flows beautifully.

Yet again Europe Comics follows the original publishing style, and has published it in two parts, so I have only the first half to go on. Not knowing how the book will resolve in the second part, I feel limited in how high I can rate it.

I liked this book, but as is usual with these things it's bloody annoying to only get half the story (and yet again it's the fault of this publisher, causing as many ISBNs as possible to be put on the same title when every other territory in the world gets it within two covers, or with one download click, and again it's muggins purchasers AND the artistry of the book that suffer jointly). The visual style is very plain – character reduced almost to an infographic about people's facial hair, and little else. Transcripts from TV interviews come with the usual talking head set-up as seen by the chat show cameras; only some rare times do we get a fully dynamic, directed and more dramatic visual. But that's not really a problem – and indeed the only main issue is that this is a cliff-hanger, and we're gasping to know more.

I'd forgotten that Chris "American Sniper" Kyle was murdered, shot multiple times in one bizarre incident, and that a Marine vet who may or may not have even seen warfare, but who was generally (on this evidence) a dodgy junkie twat, was the sole suspect. People knew Kyle had an almost private shooting range, and he'd developed a programme of visits there for ex soldiers to get their hoo-yah back, what with PTSD and all. People knew the suspect had done this, said that, and possibly lied about that part of his CV (a charge also levelled, more than once, against Kyle's off-battlefield life), and it was no issue to put the two together. So what the heck is there to say in the second book about the whole drama? I'll just have to wait and see. For now I appreciated the clipped, emotionless narration, the footnotes alluding to an authoritative telling even if the forepages warn us the characters are treated most subjectively and interpreted for dramatic purposes. I did like the style, even with its similarly cold, machine-tooled style. And I am for sure impatient for the rest to come to light – and annoyed it needn't be that way.

I am so sorry to have requested this book and not realized it was a comic book. That isn't at all what I thought and it doesn't interest me in that format. Thank you Net Galley and I apologize.

Really liked the artwork, very bold.
I think the work gives a balanced account of the events leading up the death of Chris Kyle. There are no heroes here, Kyle and his killer are closer in type than you would think, both damaged, fantasist violent men further damaged by war.

It was a good telling of the killing of Chris Kyle. Gave enough background on all players. Very weird and disappointed in having it cut off mid-story to have a part two.