I agree with Jessica about this second book to Maus.  Art really does open up about his father and his relationship, and the guilt he feels about not having to be part of a tragedy such as the Holocaust, and that he almost regrets it in a way.  I have felt the same way sometimes, that a simple re-telling of events and stories is not anywhere near doing justice to that part of history, or any other; the only real way to experience it all is to be there yourself.  But at the same time, maybe something like this shouldn’t have to have justice done to it.  I don’t really know if thats the wording i’m looking for; an abysmal streak in human history should be honored, looked at for and example of what not to do and then moved on from.  Moved on from, not forgotten.  This book was just his way of trying to come to terms with it all.

And as far as the real life photos, i think that their placement in the course of the story is well chosen.  Art waited until the end to finally show Vladek, so we went through the story as if it were fiction, picturing whatever face we choose in our minds, and then at the end, we all get to see the real Vladek.  Anna, on the other hand, is shown much sooner, i think to show a face that Art knew and that we could see Vladek missing during his time in Auschwitz.