The breadth of death

     From the comic Eternaut by Hector German Oesterheld comes a framed narrative of a man, his friends, and immediate family finding themselves stuck in the middle of an apocalypse. In the mass hysteria of nuclear war, Oesterheld confirms the world's greatest fear, and in doin so, reveals truths in human nature in the face of impossible odds and certain death. 

    Although I enjoy the prologue as it provided context of who the protagonist is (the collective), as it assists the tone of conflict throughout the comic. Instead of solely rooting for the "main character" we understand that in a nuclear fallout the strongest will survive regardless of who the narrative centers around. As the initial narrative of the story suggests, we as the audience know that the main character, the Eternaut has somehow survived, as he has lived to tell his story. The Eternaut's origin story self is in much a stark contrast to the self that sits in front of Oesterheld. He cares deeply for his family and he is often seen in frantic states of attempting to wrap his mind around the situation. Oesterheld emphasizes the ways in which each member attempts to grapple with their dramatically contrasting reality that had so recently been warped. His wife Elena and daughter Martita begin to list the ingredients and spices. Martita mentions that she bets the children down the street are rationing as well. During times of crisis, children are prone to normalize the unnormal, giving an unnerving feeling to adults. Elena, with her few speaking lines, still displays the resilience and aptitude of mothers in times of need, detail oriented and silently strong. His friends, holding onto hope, begin to devise an isolation suit to gather supplies. 

    My question for you is are you more scared or relieved when thinking of the apocalypse?