The Bridge: How the Roeblings Connected Brooklyn to New York

A graphic novel depicting the history of the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge and the family that made it happen.

In this extraordinary graphic novel, author Peter J. Tomasi and illustrator Sara DuVall bring to life the construction of one of the most iconic landmarks in the world and shine a light on the incredible triumphs and tragedies that went into building the Brooklyn Bridge. After the accidental death of John Augustus Roebling in 1869, it was up to Roebling’s son Washington to complete the massive project. Unfortunately, there was more pain to follow, as Washington developed caisson disease, leaving him bedridden. Washington’s wife, Emily, deftly assumed a key role in the bridge’s construction by becoming her husband’s eyes and ears at the work site. As Washington’s wisest council, Emily skillfully navigated work crews who now had to answer to a woman, contractors, a hostile press, and a greedy city politician—all looking to take credit for the magnificent bridge slowly making its way across the East River. Through it all, the Roeblings persisted, rising above every obstacle to build the great bridge that connects Brooklyn and New York.

“Told by prolific superhero scribe Tomasi . . . with charmingly understated art by the Eisner-nominated Duvall . . . this historical graphic narrative presents dramatic events in a matter-of-fact, realistic way. . . . Rather than being a story of a singular genius overcoming adversity, the book is a paean to collaboration. Iconic structures often have fascinating stories behind them, but rarely do the tellings emphasize the human as this one does,” —Publishers Weekly

“[Tomasi] does a magnificent job of depicting the politics, the danger, and the tenacity of the Roebling family and the hundreds of workers who built the bridge,” —Good Comics for Kids

© 2018 ABRAMS Comic Arts (Ebook): 9781683352426

Release date

Ebook: April 17, 2018