The creators of Echoes of October believe we can all, in our individual small ways, contribute to a better future. Especially for the children of the world. It’s one of the main reasons the graphic novel was created; to share a glimpse of the way October 7 impacted the children of the region and to inspire greater understanding, compassion and kindness.
Echoes of October is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that follows the lives of four children from Gaza City, Toronto, Tel Aviv and the Druze town of Daliyat al-Karmel in the lead-up to October 7, the day their fathers were killed.
Each child is also of a different faith – Jewish, Muslim, Druze and Christian. It shows that so many different people, from different cities and of different religions, were impacted on that horrible day.
None of the deaths are explicitly explained, including the Gazan father, who is not a member of Hamas and instead is described as someone pulled into Hamas activities, without much say in the matter.
“We must strive to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future, no matter how bleak or difficult the present may seem. We each, in our small way, can contribute towards realising a better tomorrow.”
As the creators told The Times of Israel, “It’s a slice of life of these four kids and we see it through their eyes.
“The need for some form of light to shine and spread understanding and empathy overwhelmed us as the days, weeks, and months unfolded after that horrible date. It felt like drowning, and the natural instinct in such an event is to fight to stay afloat and above water,” Omri Rose, the principal writer of the graphic novel, told The AJN. “With Echoes of October, we aimed and hoped to provide a tool to stay afloat and shine light for those in need and curious to deepen their understanding of events.”
For the creators, tapping into the universal experience of childhood helps readers connect on a deeper level with the characters, forcing them to ask what they would do if they were in that situation.
“Children do not run the world, nor do they generally have the power to shape it, but they are inevitably pulled along as it turns around them, and as one of our goals was to humanise the truth behind the headlines, there is no better way than with children,” Rose said.
Crucially, the creators wanted to show the full breadth of what happened, shining a light on some of the victims and the communities that the media doesn’t mention, like, for example, the Druze community. While the children are a work of fiction, the events are of course, completely real and were written with input and collaboration from the communities represented, including the Druze community, Gazan journalists and other Palestinians.
“We wished to represent a broad spectrum of the societies affected by October 7th and to encapsulate as much of the various emotions and narratives around and leading up to the conflict as possible,” Rose explained.
Rose is the only one of the creators whose name has been put to the project. Echoes of October is attributed to Ami Adan, a pseudonym representing the creators. Rose explained that it’s for reasons of safety and to avoid biases shaping preconceptions.
“To speak more plainly, some involved in this comic live or work in communities that do not support collaboration, and for their safety and the wellbeing of their families, the pseudonym is vital,” he said, explaining that he is already public-facing in his career so he has been happy to share his involvement with the project.
The idea for the graphic novel emerged when a Jewish Canadian academic who had previously been in touch with Rose began reaching out to him in solidarity following the Hamas terrorist attack. He wanted to do something, particularly as things were so tough – and continue to be tough – in Canada. Ideas began flowing. But the pair decided the focus must be on the children, and the fact that children are not born with prejudices or bias.
“Without empathy, curiosity, or a willingness to look past headlines, we are doomed to be trapped in a cycle of misunderstandings, hatred and the famous saying of Mark Twain: ‘history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes’,” Rose told The AJN. “We strongly believe that the future lies with our children.”
Ultimately, the creators want to ensure Echoes of October reaches as many hands as possible, knowing that it can spur conversations especially between parents and their children.
“By sharing a glimpse of these stories, we hope to inspire greater understanding, compassion and a step toward lasting peace and security for all,” Rose explained. “Echoes of October is a tool we hope parents can use to have conversations with their kids, or friends with one another, or schools, organisations, or congregations with their members to open dialogue and discourse.”
Rose told The AJN that it has been extremely heartwarming to hear so many moving responses from people who have read the graphic novel, saying being even just a small part in helping people better understand what happened and encouraging compassion and emotional connection is all the creators hoped for.
“There is still a long way to go in helping to quell the misunderstandings and vitriol surrounding October 7th, along with the events surrounding it, but we are proud to be part of the tools now available to combat misinformation and hate,” he said. “We must strive to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future, no matter how bleak or difficult the present may seem. We each, in our small way, can contribute towards realising a better tomorrow.”
Echoes of October is available for purchase via Amazon Australia.
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