Nine Gallons #2

by Susie Cagle

It's issue two of Susie Cagle's celebrated Food Not Bombs comic zine, 9 Gallons! This time around Susie addresses issues of volunteer burn-out, misguided agendas, and activist in-fighting. Hers is the story of San Francisco Food Not Bombs (specifically, for this issue, the underdoggy Civic Center lunch.) Over the course of 32 packed pages we get Susie dealing with her roommate just not gettin' it, fellow activists offering critiques but not solutions, and working hard with little help. But it's also fun—and funny—and Susie gives both a conversational insider look and a brief biographical sketch of the (non)organization. It's a struggle the whole way through while Susie looks for inspiration, answers, and hope, and runs up against nine thousand gallons of contradictory activist philosophy. An important moment (and message) comes late in the zine when Susie chats with a friend over email who tells her, “It's not about doing it, Susie. It's about doing it better.” Part Food Not Bombs primer, part clear-headed look at volunteer ethics and philosophy, 9 Gallons' second issue is above all a great well-drawn story, a relevant discussion, and a thoroughly enjoyable read. Susie Cagle lives in Oakland and blogs regularly at thisiswhatconcernsme.com

Genres: Graphic Novels

40 pages, Pamphlet

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's unsatisfying, but that is the point. There are so many problems, and a lot of ambivalence.

It would probably feel better if we saw more clearly that the efforts were making a difference, but I suspect if the author could have shown that, she would have felt less ambivalence.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vignettes in graphic fiction form from a Food Not Bombs activist worker. I really like this because it avoids the usual sloganeering and presents the issues from a personal, inevitably ambivalent viewpoint. Cagle is a good cartoonist to boot. We need more comics like this - hope more issues are forthcoming.