From Cossacks to Assault Troops: How Comics Retell Ukrainian History
A selection of Ukrainian comics that preserve historical memory.
Today, comics aren't just about entertainment or leisure. They serve an educational function too — through the combination of text and visuals, graphic stories explain complex topics in an accessible way.
Comics, in particular, are also a way of talking about the past. Through artistic imagery, symbolism, or even fantastical plots, they convey historical facts and draw attention to topics that usually stay confined to textbooks.
The DeTalks team has put together a selection of homegrown comics and graphic novels that tell the story of historical events in Ukraine.
Kobzar, by Illia Bakuta
The 17th century in Ukrainian history was rich with events: Cossack naval campaigns from Kaffa and Varna all the way to Istanbul itself. Harsh Polonization led to bloody Cossack uprisings, which, after years of 'golden calm,' erupted into a war of national liberation.
The comic's annotation has described how, after Khmelnytsky's death, the war was lost, noting that no one could hold onto Bohdan's mace — whether unfavorable conditions got in the way, the timing was wrong, or the burden simply proved too great and the people too small, reads the comic's annotation.
The Kobzar comic series tells the story of a blind musician who wanders Ukraine during the era of the Ruin, searching for grateful listeners for his songs and dumas.
Volia: The Will
Volia ('The Will') is a series of graphic novels presented as an alternate steampunk history. The comic's creators explained that the idea arose from a lack of attention, in the media landscape, to the flourishing period of the Ukrainian State in the late 1910s and 1920s.
The events unfold amid a fierce fight for truth and freedom, with gunfire ringing out and enemies advancing. On its pages, readers meet Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi, 'father' Nestor Makhno, and first president Mykhailo Hrushevskyi. But will readers recognize them in their new forms?
The comic's leitmotif is the question: 'What if the Ukrainian revolution had achieved its goal?' To answer it, the authors combined real historical context with alternate history and superhero motifs.
Daohopak
Ukraine's first graphic novel blockbuster tells the story of Kharakternyk Cossacks of the Zaporizhian Sich — masters of martial arts and magic in medieval Ukraine.
Three Cossack friends — Oles Skorovoda, Taras Peresychevolia, and the kharakternyk Mozghovyi — set out disguised as traveling performers on a reconnaissance mission to Turkey. Their goal is to free captive Cossacks working in the depths of the new sultan's palace in Antalya. But things don't go as planned: unforeseen circumstances arise. An unexpected meeting with a Japanese girl, Ari-san, guardian of the sultan's son, changes the fate of the young Cossack Oles.
Faith and Will
The comic book Faith and Will tells the story of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army's last battle in Ternopil region, which took place in 1960. The publication combines a fictionalized account of history with documentary analysis, opening readers' eyes to little-known chapters of resistance.
The UPA cell was made up of three underground fighters: Petro Pasichnyi, a member of the Podillia regional leadership of the OUN, an experienced commander and radio operator; his wife, Mariia Palchak, who had been involved in partisan activity since the UPA's founding; and 22-year-old Oleh Tsetnarskyi.
The comic refutes Kremlin slander with irrefutable facts, and shows that the sole goal and dream of Ukrainians has always been Ukraine's independence — even in the most difficult times.
DeTalks is the official information partner of the FANCON 2025 festival — Ukraine's largest festival of contemporary pop culture, taking place at Kyiv's International Exhibition Centre on June 7 and 8. See you there!
Shukh: The Story of a Legend
The comic immerses readers in the life story of UPA commander Roman Shukhevych. The main motivation behind creating it was to show Roman Shukhevych not as a bronze statue surrounded by stereotypes and prejudice, but as a living person.
Each of the comic's six chapters is devoted to a different sphere of the protagonist's life — from childhood and gymnasium schooling to imprisonment, service, and his path toward becoming a leader of the resistance. Through his biography, readers also get to know the entire Shukhevych family, each of whom faced a difficult but dignified fate.
Beyond this, the comic also features other historical figures the politician interacted with, including Ivan Tyktor, Yevhen Konovalets, and Bohdan Chaikivskyi.
Murder on the Stairs: The Final Years of Stepan Bandera, by Vira Kuryko and Lada Kasianenko
The comic Murder on the Stairs: The Final Years of Stepan Bandera is a graphic narrative by Ukrainian writer Vira Kuryko and artist Lada Kasianenko. It's a work of historical fiction about existence, telling the story of Stepan Bandera's life in emigration and his assassination.
In the plot, Munich-based journalist Stefan Popel, an emigrant from Lviv, picks up his older daughter from school. She's interested in recent history, asking her father questions about World War II and whether he's ever heard of Stepan Bandera, the OUN's regional leader in the 1930s. Telling her about Ukraine, Stefan Popel doesn't reveal that he himself is that very same Bandera, whom the KGB has been hunting for years.
Zvytiaha: Savur-Mohyla, by Denys Fadieiev
The first comic about the events of the Russo-Ukrainian War transports readers to the events of 2014 — the Battle for Savur-Mohyla.
The comic's annotation describes the Savur-Mohyla mound as a sacred site of the Ukrainian steppe, noting that for centuries, an invisible boundary ran through it, separating the world of free people from the lands of Horde-era slavery, and that during the fiery days of August 2014, fate's hand tore a man from a warm, comfortable place and dropped him here, someone who, it would seem, had no business being at this war, adding that once again, centuries later, history repeats itself, reads the comic's annotation.
Cyborgs
The comic series tells the story of the now-historic defense of Donetsk Airport by Ukrainian soldiers, who were nicknamed 'Cyborgs' for their unbreakable character, courage, and heroism. The comics are based on the real accounts of soldiers who survived and continue fighting for Ukraine.
After February 24, 2022, the series expanded beyond just the Donetsk front — new issues of the comic tell the story of the Battles for Borodianka, Hostomel, and Mariupol.
I'm Going Into the Assault, by Volodymyr Kuznietsov and Dartsi Zironka
The comic showcases the stories of soldiers from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, combining military themes with elements of Ukrainian mysticism. The comic conveys the realities of the Russo-Ukrainian War, particularly the side of combat known only through assault troops' GoPro footage. Against a backdrop of artillery shelling, sniper attacks, and destroyed infrastructure, it depicts the brigade's service and combat experience.
Comics help offer a different way of looking at events — stories emerge not as dates, but as living, emotional narratives. Combining text and images helps explain facts simply and accessibly. In today's information landscape, comics have become another way of preserving historical memory. Ukrainian comic creators will also be at the FANCON 2025 festival! The event takes place June 7-8 at the International Exhibition Centre in Kyiv. Details here.