It’s been a week, and I’ve done a lot of convalescing and thinking over that week and not as much posting, but now I think I’m really ready to start doing something. And that something is CIVICS TRACTS - a series of disposable comics tracts aimed at educating the public on the role and function of government and their part in this complicated machine.

My friend Chris Artiga-Oliver turned me onto this,we started a FB group, and I just posted my first information gathering post. I wanted to introduce the group on Tumblr, so that I can direct some folks to it in an effort to bring some early helpers in. Here’s a high-level look at what we’d like to do.

Jack Chick, for all of his faults, develop a publication and distribution model that worked very well. Disposable comics with a consistent format that aimed for maximum distribution and education on a topic. Of course, he was educating people on a pretty hardcore concept of Christianity, and his distribution was targeted primarily at perceived sinners, but the model was sound. We want to emulate that model, but substitute Christianity for non-partisan civics lessons and substitute perceived sinners for the people who may not understand the role and function of government. My thought is that an informed populace will make for an informed voting population, and comics would be a great way to educate the public.

The tracts will have a simple, four color cover, B&W interiors with footnotes to sources for additional information, and pointers to a Civics Tracts website that has additional tracts, resources, and data. We will probably Kickstart the efforts two or three tracts at a time,at first, focusing on micro-donations with rewards being nothing but packs of tracts that the funders would distribute themselves - to family and friends, local comic and book stores, coffee shops and diners, DMVs and doctor’s offices. Either targeted distribution in cooperation with these places or just leaving them lying around, waiting to be picked up.

We have needs. Civics and Kickstarter experts. Writers, historians, and artists. People who work within the government. Reviewers and devil’s advocates. Web developers and designers. Distributors and fans. But, mainly, people who believe in the concept and who want to see it succeed, but who won’t feel the need to shoulder any burden outside of what they have time for. And all of this done regardless of what side of the political spectrum you fall on. These are going to be educational, non-partisan comics. Plenty of my friends are signing on to handle the partisan stuff, I’d like to do something non-partisan and educational.

I’m going to be setting up some administrative stuff - webpages and templates, style guides and rules. And I’m hoping that my friends in history and comics join the group and help us shape it into something meaningful and worthwhile. This is something that I really believe in. Hopefully some of you will, as well, or at least help me make it into something you can believe in, too.