The books that tell us how bad the Vietnam War was, and do nothing with that shock information, are ten a penny. This kind of just tells us how bad it was, but offers a small piece of something else as well. Some American soldiers are on jungle clear-up – they get to a potential threat, flood it with red gas grenades and a plane comes along to blow it up. But when they suddenly gain a local journalist, and find a large threat they are forced to flee, they seem to end up in a different part of the jungle entirely. And the journalist saying it's home to a berserker revenge god that all the locals revere cannot be the best of news…

This is a way of showing us that both sides were capable of much violence and evil, especially the Yanks. A plea for peace, it has the god entity of the title woken up by the violence around it, and set off on a mission of its own, causing no end of mortal threat to the soldiers around. Again, it suffers a little from the 'well, war and violence are bad, and all you're doing is showing us them, so… what is anyone supposed to do about it?' response, but the spiritual side of the "slopes" is not that commonly portrayed. Who knew they had such a berserker god (if indeed it's based in reality)? Some art that could have been better (especially early on when race is an issue), and some that could not, helps this along. It's uneven in being both silent and wordy at times, but it's something to consider for the fresh approach it provides. It's certainly closer to four stars than anything else.

This was an okay graphic novel. It has a good beginning, but loses momentum around the middle for a while. Things get better once they learn a bit about this mysterious creature and what it plans to do with them. The ending takes an unexpected turn, but doesn’t do a wonderful job bringing this graphic novel to a close. Some people will enjoy reading this graphic novel, but it won’t be for everyone.

First published in France in 2023; published in translation by Europe Comics on April 26, 2023

Latah is a graphic novel. Thomas Legrain is a Belgian artist/writer. The original edition is in French.

Huyn Tran, an AP reporter, is dropped off in a Vietnamese jungle where he joins a squad of American soldiers. When he sees the figurine a soldier is carrying, he says “Latah.” The expression refers to an affliction caused by shock or trauma. Sufferers go wild, change physically, and inspire fear. But Latah is also a spirit incarnated in a man that people in the region worship because Latah bears the burden of the suffering that people would otherwise experience. When the suffering becomes too great, Latah goes on a killing spree until it finds a new host. The soldier’s figurine is a talisman that protects against Latah.

A couple of soldiers are lost in a firefight before they find their way to a field of corpses. The mangled bodies remind Tran of stories about the war with the French. The soldiers soldier on until they stumble into a place where the sun never sets, where their compasses don’t work, where they die one by one. Not a good time to be a soldier, as if there was ever a good time to be carrying weapons through the jungles of Vietnam.

The squad was involved in something bad before the story starts, something they don’t want to talk about and that seems to be tearing them apart. Readers who remember the Vietnam War will guess what they did. The story raises collateral issues of race, primarily in the form of Black soldiers who bicker with each while white soldiers mock them. Tran is subject to the racist attitudes of American soldiers. At the same time, a white soldier wonders whether a Black soldier who attended the March on Washington would ever be willing to listen to a redneck from Alabama.

The redneck is more mature than most of the other soldiers; he questions the morality of dropping napalm and ruining the lives of innocent farmers in the hope of driving the Viet Cong to more favorable fighting terrain. He’s the only soldier with the decency to feel guilt about the squad’s earlier actions. Fortunately for the redneck, he’s carrying the figurine. Unfortunately for him, another soldier wants to take it from him.

The art is gritty and atmospheric. The olive drab coloring in the background of most panels sets the right mood. The detail in jungle backgrounds is meticulous, although the detail of soldiers ripped to shreds might be a bit too detailed for weak stomachs. I particularly like the monsoon rains that last for panel after panel. The art gives the story a cinematic feel.

The story loses some of its power with a predictable flashback at the end. After arriving at a conclusion, the story seems incomplete, perhaps because the horror of the supernatural is overshadowed by the horror of the Vietnam War. I nevertheless appreciated the way the art enhances an unmemorable story.

RECOMMENDED

Solid short horror story set during the Vietnam War, horrors of the war juxtaposed against folklore horror. Good read.

3/5

I had mixed feelings while reading this one, mainly because I found an interesting story that started immediately, and I felt disoriented for it, but at the same time while going forward with the read it turned into a gripping narration.

The first like 30 pages were very confusing for me and sort of repetitive.
We simply follow this group of soldiers doing "their job", as one of them says.
The intro tho was immediately enthralling, but as the pages progressed it looked like it was forgotten.
Luckily I was wrong, in fact that intro was very important for the whole story.

The plot development was okay, once got into the setting, the narration starts to go faster with every page, there's no time for anything else than action. In the sort of middle of it the author found a few tables to explain to us what was this Latah making everything more clear for the reader.

After a few twists and cliffhangers, the story has a sort of great finale to wrap everything up.

DNF at 16%

Nothing is wrong with the book, I'm just having a hard time getting into it. The art is lovely and I did think I would like this. I recommend this to people who like war/military stories.

There is a condition that arises almost exclusively in people of Southeast Asian descent known as Latah. This condition is caused by sudden, extreme shock or other external stressors and results in a series of unusual behaviors and physiological changes. Sudden laughter or cursing, total obedience to commands, sweating, adrenaline spikes, and elevated heart rate have all been recorded in people experiencing Latah. Why this seems to be so closely tied to people with Southeast Asian ancestry has no scientific explanation at this time.

Latah by Thomas Legrain (Europe Comics, 2023) seeks a more supernatural explanation for the condition. The story is set in the midst of the Vietnam War. We follow a U.S. platoon as they trek through the jungle to mark spots for napalm drops as tensions mount between the various soldiers. Paranoia is high between them, and as the pages go on it is obvious that most, if not all of them, are experiencing telltale signs of PTSD. This internecine conflict is only heightened by outside forces when a young journalist from the Associated Press, Huyn Than My, joins in to document the platoon for an upcoming article. Naturally, this is not his true purpose in joining the platoon, of course.

Horror stories set within the Vietnam War practically form their own genre. Latah joins their ranks, but somehow never seems to feel derivative. The artwork, in particular, sets it apart, as it is visceral with its gore and stark drawings. As the supernatural threat begins to pick off the members of the platoon one by one, the horrific nature of the conflict in Vietnam itself escalates. By the end of the comic the reader comes to a full understanding of the wordless panels that open the book. All too late, the reader has been sucked into the hellish reality of the war as much as the characters themselves.

This comic is gory without reveling in it. Its story serves as horrific social commentary, while also creating a folkloric origin for the notion of Latah that is built upon generational trauma and the very real horrors foisted upon the culture. While this graphic novel easily could have been derivative and tired, Latah succeeds in telling a harrowing story that will cling tightly to its readers.

This graphic comic from the creative presses of Europe Comics highlights the horrors of war, Vietnam 1965. There is some stunning artwork here to relate the tale of one band of soldiers encountering fear, trauma, and an unearthly creature as an allegory for war.

Very fun and interesting graphic novel that ties in modern (guess past) warfare and old local folklore. It illustrates the horrors of war and how people deal or don't deal with it. Wonderful art work and great writing keep the reader engaged.

Overall a good story. The Vietnam war setting and supernatural elements mixed with the horrors of war , made for an interesting tale. Vietnam war era is ripe with stories and I think the author did a very good job.The art was good as well.

The art style is quite solid. But the story board is not really good.
I expected a really scary story to gives me goose bumps in the summer, But it turned a really quick end.
I think there should be more explanation and impacted plot.
Everything seems too random and the characters are not lovable.
I want to read more about this creature Latah.

I liked this graphic novel a lot. I was interested throughout the whole thing which for some reason can be kind of hard for me with graphic novels. I think a lot of people would really enjoy this

I felt this started off quite slowly, but then got into the swing of the story. I enjoyed reading about the Latah and the legend of it. It has a good plot and I enjoyed the ending. An all round good and quick story.

Set amidst the turmoil of the Vietnam War in 1965, Latah follows a squad of American soldiers stationed deep within the La Drang Valley. Tasked with marking bombing runs for air support, these men are haunted by a dark, shared secret. As they navigate the treacherous jungle, danger lurks at every turn. The arrival of a reporter triggers simmering tensions among the squad members. However, the real surprises begin when they find themselves lost in a land with no night, relentlessly pursued by a terrifying, inhuman creature. Latah is a gripping, nightmarish tale of violence, guilt, and the burden of trauma.

The graphic novel is brought to life with stunning artwork that captivates the reader. While stories set during the Vietnam War are not new, the supernatural element in Latah adds a chilling twist. Be advised that this war story contains graphic violence and copious amounts of gore. It is worth noting, however, that the font choice can occasionally be challenging to read.

The narrative structure first tells the story of the squad's harrowing present, and theb flashes back to their horrific past actions, heightening the tension and deepening the sense of unease. Vietnamese characters are introduced, speaking their native language. Interestingly, translations are provided only at the end of the story, adding an air of authenticity to the experience.
Overall, Latah is a compelling and haunting graphic novel that leaves a lasting impression. I award this book a solid four out of five stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Europe Comics for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Latah is a figure that bears the burden of suffering for the people who reside in Vietnam, an area of the world torn apart by ethnic and religious wars and invasion. For them, it is a protector, a god, reincarnated inside of a human sacrifice. It bears the pain of the people until the burden becomes too heavy and every ounce of fear, aggression, anger, and terror emerges and it kills blindly until another sacrifice is found to replace it.

This story centres around soldiers trekking through the Vietnamese jungles. Tensions between them revolve around an as-of-yet undisclosed event that occurred before the readers were introduced to them but, over the course of the graphic novel, flashback scenes reveal exactly what this is. Learning about their shared history and that of the Latah unfold in tandem, for a horrifying story to emerge.

Everything about this was tragic but by the story's close I could not view the central characters with any of the warmth I felt at its genesis. Shocking reveals ensured that, as did the fantastical inclusions that aided in the showcasing and understanding of the brutalities of war.

A deceptive supernatural story and an interesting take on the vietnam conflict. At first what seems like a cheesy copy paste vietnam war story, alluding to PTSD and nightmares that just won't stop, soon turns into something more like Predator.

I enjoyed the art style and the rain depictions was superb, putting your right into the heart of a rain forest.

A good comic, and a good read

Latah is a short, but brutal graphic novel that follows a squad of American soldiers during the Vietnam War.

They encounter a God deep in the jungle and one by one, the bodies pile up.

It was quite short, but the illustrations were very detailed and conveyed the story well.
I would’ve liked to know more about the creature’s history.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author & illustrator, and Europe Comics for a copy.

Bruh the font is too small to understand wtf they are saying, I couldn’t get attached to the characters at all….

"Latah" is a tense war story that gets more and more unsettling as you turn the pages. Cracks begin to appear in what seemed like a united group of soldiers, and the signaling mission quickly turns into a fight for survival in an unforgiving jungle. The first casualties appear, seemingly inexplicable conflicts between troop members find their explanation, war atrocities and fantastical elements intervene, before the finale cascades into pure horror. I liked: the drawing (or, more accurately, the penciling) and the well-maintained tension. I disliked: the overly garish colors, the chalk rain, the completely artificial shadows, the utterly predictable ending (I already knew what was going to happen from the first appearance of a certain object in the middle of the jungle) and the walls of text. Yet, it’s a good read. (remember: 3 stars = I liked it)

Disclaimer: I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.

Decent art, story is a little bland and caused it to just seem like a bad clone of the original Predator. My biggest problem was the size of the text I have bad eyes and I felt like I was working extra hard to read a rather mid story.