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Citizen Jack #1-6
Citizen Jack
A HORROR-COMEDY FOR ANYONE WHO HATES POLITICS! Every presidential candidate has a skeleton in their closet-Jack Northworthy worships the devil! A scandal-plagued, small town politician, Jack should in no way be president. But he's got a secret weapon: Marlinspike, a malevolent demon of high ambitions. Together, they're running for president in an outrageous campaign that America will never forget!
168 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 30, 2016
A presidential campaign where one of the candidates is a female demagogue suspected of embezzlement, campaign fraud, and corporate corruption and the other is a male demagogue and an anti-intellectual loudmouth pandering to the lowest common denominator on a zero substance platform backed by the forces of darkness - it’s the 2016 US Election Citizen Jack!
Sam Humphries and Tommy Patterson’s Citizen Jack is a satire on American politics whose impact is watered down by the outrageousness of the current election it’s sort of modelled on though it’s still an enjoyable enough read.
Jack Northworthy is a drunken divorcee snowblower salesman who decides to run for office and, with the help of a demon called Marlinspike, actually gets somewhere. Jack’s campaign speeches will sound familiar to anyone who keeps up with American politics - he’s essentially a tea party candidate like Ted Cruz or Sarah Palin, talking about Washington insiders, the intellectual elite, and “real” Americans.
The comic has a manga-esque flavour to it too with Marlinspike looming next to Jack throughout, though only Jack can see him, like the demon/protagonist’s relationship in Death Note. There’s also a talking dolphin pundit on the news that no-one questions which is a bit like some of the anthropomorphised animal characters in Dragon Ball. Generally though Tommy Patterson’s art wasn’t anything special and the already shaky quality got worse towards the end of the book.
Obviously being a satire Humphries pushes the boat out on what Jack says and does far beyond anything Donald Trump’s said (and he’s said plenty!) but he’s basically making the same point many people have realised from Trump’s success: people don’t care about facts or figures, they just want someone brash and entertaining who’ll confirm their bias and reassure them generally that things’ll work out.
Jack being unstoppable because of his demon puppet master makes things a bit less interesting as all tension goes out the window. Otherwise though Citizen Jack is a decent enough comic about American politics even if the satire doesn’t prove to be anywhere near as entertaining as the real election has been so far and promises to be as we get nearer to November.
Sam Humphries and Tommy Patterson’s Citizen Jack is a satire on American politics whose impact is watered down by the outrageousness of the current election it’s sort of modelled on though it’s still an enjoyable enough read.
Jack Northworthy is a drunken divorcee snowblower salesman who decides to run for office and, with the help of a demon called Marlinspike, actually gets somewhere. Jack’s campaign speeches will sound familiar to anyone who keeps up with American politics - he’s essentially a tea party candidate like Ted Cruz or Sarah Palin, talking about Washington insiders, the intellectual elite, and “real” Americans.
The comic has a manga-esque flavour to it too with Marlinspike looming next to Jack throughout, though only Jack can see him, like the demon/protagonist’s relationship in Death Note. There’s also a talking dolphin pundit on the news that no-one questions which is a bit like some of the anthropomorphised animal characters in Dragon Ball. Generally though Tommy Patterson’s art wasn’t anything special and the already shaky quality got worse towards the end of the book.
Obviously being a satire Humphries pushes the boat out on what Jack says and does far beyond anything Donald Trump’s said (and he’s said plenty!) but he’s basically making the same point many people have realised from Trump’s success: people don’t care about facts or figures, they just want someone brash and entertaining who’ll confirm their bias and reassure them generally that things’ll work out.
Jack being unstoppable because of his demon puppet master makes things a bit less interesting as all tension goes out the window. Otherwise though Citizen Jack is a decent enough comic about American politics even if the satire doesn’t prove to be anywhere near as entertaining as the real election has been so far and promises to be as we get nearer to November.
September 24, 2016
This book is meant to be funny and uncomfortable. A combination I usually seek out in my stand-up comics, more than my printed comics.
Premise: a dumpy loser succumbs to a demon to get elected as President of the US. He's an obvious Drumpf metaphor, a bigot, liar, womanizing asshole, and he's got a lot of bad ideas and a loud mouth to keep announcing them to whatever creature will listen (or at least not beat his ass for spewing them).
There are conceptual parallels to the Trump campaign and inexplicable rise to prominence. And here's where it gets uncomfortable. Other than the demon backing the effort, it all seems realistic enough - not satirical, and this not enjoyable (to me). Is this meant to be the comforting acknowledgment to the bigoted Drumpfians? Is Sam Humphries writing this to legitimize this clown car?
This book would be a more enjoyable read IF the anti-hero was sympathetic, relatable or even just had something going for him. Other than that 70's-tastic hair:
The book would have more weight if there was anything new it reported about the sorry state of governance and media in the US. As it is, it feels like the usual criticisms and barbs we've heard a thousand times on Stewart and Colbert.
This book would make me feel more fired up if it wasn't another poem to the futility of individual voters and shakers.
"A biting critique of the American political system"? (The Nation) Nope. Retread.
"A wicked sense of humour"? (IGN). Huh. Maybe to a teenager...
I think I remember when picking up this book that I was optimistic because Sam Humphries was writing, and I'll say he didn't do a bad job - definitely took the story past the finish line - but there wasn't anything really new to tell here. It felt like the kind of Facebook journalism we've become used to in this presidential season.
Premise: a dumpy loser succumbs to a demon to get elected as President of the US. He's an obvious Drumpf metaphor, a bigot, liar, womanizing asshole, and he's got a lot of bad ideas and a loud mouth to keep announcing them to whatever creature will listen (or at least not beat his ass for spewing them).
There are conceptual parallels to the Trump campaign and inexplicable rise to prominence. And here's where it gets uncomfortable. Other than the demon backing the effort, it all seems realistic enough - not satirical, and this not enjoyable (to me). Is this meant to be the comforting acknowledgment to the bigoted Drumpfians? Is Sam Humphries writing this to legitimize this clown car?
This book would be a more enjoyable read IF the anti-hero was sympathetic, relatable or even just had something going for him. Other than that 70's-tastic hair:
The book would have more weight if there was anything new it reported about the sorry state of governance and media in the US. As it is, it feels like the usual criticisms and barbs we've heard a thousand times on Stewart and Colbert.
This book would make me feel more fired up if it wasn't another poem to the futility of individual voters and shakers.
"A biting critique of the American political system"? (The Nation) Nope. Retread.
"A wicked sense of humour"? (IGN). Huh. Maybe to a teenager...
I think I remember when picking up this book that I was optimistic because Sam Humphries was writing, and I'll say he didn't do a bad job - definitely took the story past the finish line - but there wasn't anything really new to tell here. It felt like the kind of Facebook journalism we've become used to in this presidential season.
August 14, 2016
A cautionary tale cloaked in a horror dramedy.
Timely! A fortunate son with no ability aims for the presidency with demonic help
Timely! A fortunate son with no ability aims for the presidency with demonic help
June 10, 2016
This basically explains the entire 2016 election.
A bumbling idiot makes a deal with the devil to become President of the United States.
A bumbling idiot makes a deal with the devil to become President of the United States.
August 13, 2016
Pretty solid satire of politics that is loosely based on the 2016 election. It puts forth a reasonable theory of how a Trump-like candidate could succeed in becoming president: he is being controlled by a demon. It is pretty amazing how true this comic turned out to be so far, it was first released in November 2015, 3 months before the Iowa caucus.
The thing that kept this from being 5 stars for me though is because of Poe's Law. You can't satire something like the 2016 election, it is already so dumbfounding that anything you write could never be stranger than the real thing.
The thing that kept this from being 5 stars for me though is because of Poe's Law. You can't satire something like the 2016 election, it is already so dumbfounding that anything you write could never be stranger than the real thing.
Read
September 9, 2016A moronic, belligerent failed businessman with daft hair becomes US President through demonic aid. The issue I read before Trump clinched the nomination was funnier, but this is still funnier now than it will be once he's in the White House.
August 21, 2018
The story lacks consistency as much as the artwork does. Jack, the main character, oscillates between being overly-confident and weak as a kitten - then again this humanizes him somewhat. His relationship with his father, his ex-wife and his voters should not make him a viable candidate, but he still gains popularity, perhaps in spite of it. The whole demon thing is likely in Jack's broken mind only. Some of the most horrible things imaginable happen under his guidance that are certainly not something a presidential candidate would do. Each and every dumb thing Jack does earns him more points, so the Oval Office gets closer and closer. The ending isn't surprising since the setting is too unrealistic for him to lose.
The events stop being funny after the first issue or two and the protagonist is a weak character with many flaws, so this mediocre, less-than-believable parody of the American electorate fails to impress.
Ever since he was a boy, Jack Northworthy has wanted to be number one. Jack now depends on his snowblower business for money. It's not been going so well since his ex-wife replaced him as mayor. Jack's father also refuses to use his connections to help his son. When demon Marlinspike offers him the position of US president, normal, every-day, boring Jack can't help but accept.
The events stop being funny after the first issue or two and the protagonist is a weak character with many flaws, so this mediocre, less-than-believable parody of the American electorate fails to impress.
Ever since he was a boy, Jack Northworthy has wanted to be number one. Jack now depends on his snowblower business for money. It's not been going so well since his ex-wife replaced him as mayor. Jack's father also refuses to use his connections to help his son. When demon Marlinspike offers him the position of US president, normal, every-day, boring Jack can't help but accept.
October 15, 2020
Leaning to far into the silly robbed it of its horror potential.
September 14, 2022
Gee, where do ya think the author got the idea for this one??!! Lol. I was thoroughly entertained. Crazy, brash.
October 1, 2022
obviously inspired by trump, but all the outrageous-ness shown here are inspired by real events.
The walk to church with bible in hand, lock her up, the second hand 'gossip' from fired aides - all resonate in a very 'black mirror' kinda way.
Just enough premise for a one time fun read though.
The walk to church with bible in hand, lock her up, the second hand 'gossip' from fired aides - all resonate in a very 'black mirror' kinda way.
Just enough premise for a one time fun read though.
August 29, 2016
Citizen Jack gives you pretty much what you'd expect, a political satire based off of the 2016 election, just a little more exaggerated and... a little less funny than I thought I'd be.
To be honest I found the first few issues to be slow and uneventful. I was unimpressed by the story and even less with the art. The art seems grainy and almost incomplete. I should note however that the coloring was beautiful and the more I read the more I noticed that most of the larger panels seemed more smooth.
As far as the story goes, I found It started to pick up and be a bit less predictable in the last few issues. I think a lot of this had to do with the fact that it was less like a modified version of reality and more like it's own story. All in all, I expect this story really begins to get interesting in the later volumes giving us a little less Jack and a little more Marlinspike (please). Granted I don't think I'll buy the next volume, but given the opportunity I'd read it if a friend (or the library) had it.
Also, I think Cricket the Dolphin was the real star of this comic.
To be honest I found the first few issues to be slow and uneventful. I was unimpressed by the story and even less with the art. The art seems grainy and almost incomplete. I should note however that the coloring was beautiful and the more I read the more I noticed that most of the larger panels seemed more smooth.
As far as the story goes, I found It started to pick up and be a bit less predictable in the last few issues. I think a lot of this had to do with the fact that it was less like a modified version of reality and more like it's own story. All in all, I expect this story really begins to get interesting in the later volumes giving us a little less Jack and a little more Marlinspike (please). Granted I don't think I'll buy the next volume, but given the opportunity I'd read it if a friend (or the library) had it.
Also, I think Cricket the Dolphin was the real star of this comic.
August 21, 2016
Making a mockery of the US presidential election process
A interesting dig at the American presidential election process, this comic collection depicts a small-town Minnesotan snowblower salesman join the presidential race, backed by a demon. His anti-government/establishment rantings (see Trump) gain him popularity among the ignorant electorate and real policies take a back seat. This is a good satire about manipulating the public in elections and is particularly appropriate to the US electoral process where vast amounts of money are invested in candidates (a bit of a waste in my opinion).
Entertaining and thought-provoking – worth a look with clear illustrations.
A interesting dig at the American presidential election process, this comic collection depicts a small-town Minnesotan snowblower salesman join the presidential race, backed by a demon. His anti-government/establishment rantings (see Trump) gain him popularity among the ignorant electorate and real policies take a back seat. This is a good satire about manipulating the public in elections and is particularly appropriate to the US electoral process where vast amounts of money are invested in candidates (a bit of a waste in my opinion).
Entertaining and thought-provoking – worth a look with clear illustrations.
September 12, 2016
Remove the supernatural elements and this story of a buffoon running for president and doing well despite attempting to sabotage his own campaign is a little too on-the-nose for the 2016 election year. The creators of South Park have sometimes been frighteningly prescient with some of their satire...one can only hope that Humphries isn't as accomplished as a futurist.
September 25, 2016
How does a local drunken buffoon
run for president and actually
get taken seriously?
Demonic help of course
In what can only be described as
A combination of Faustus and the 2016 Presidential race
Author Sam Humphries
meshes Witty dialog
and amazing art
combine into
a bleeding edge political satire
with a keen insight into the American political process
run for president and actually
get taken seriously?
Demonic help of course
In what can only be described as
A combination of Faustus and the 2016 Presidential race
Author Sam Humphries
meshes Witty dialog
and amazing art
combine into
a bleeding edge political satire
with a keen insight into the American political process
October 10, 2016
A good companion piece to this ugly election cycle. A bit over the top, but some biting commentary too, amidst the violence and horror.
November 9, 2016
I'm starting to think Mr. Trump has a demon.
November 23, 2016
This was pretty good, and I may have enjoyed it more if it didn't accurately predict the living hell our country has created for itself.
January 25, 2019
3.5/5 First three issues are great: the jokes work, the quips are actually funny, the satire and social commentary has a fine balance between being relevant and exaggerated for comedic effect. There are some parallels between Jack Northworthy's quest for winning the presidency and the latest American presidential elections, but this is a story about a loveable demon-worshipping buffoon first and foremost, who is not a direct parody of Trump or any other political personality for that matter. Where the book goes downhill for me is when it tries to dwell into horror and drama territory from the fourth issue and on - Sam Humphries does cheesy and ridiculous great, but being serious is not his forte, or at least not in this story. Tommy Patterson's artwork also took a deep dive with the fourth issue. It feels like they realized that their book wasn't a hit and gave up halfway through, which is a shame, since the volume ends on a cliffhanger. Almost three years later and still no news about the continuation of the series.
November 4, 2017
I can't believe how funny this was. I was so pleasantly surprised. Yes, it absolutely makes fun of America and its politics, and its great. Humphries is dialed into the current political climate and I'm sure people from both sides of the aisle will complain. While its crass, ridiculous, and over the top so is some of the best comedy. The book was very smart at times though, especially the reveal at the end. The art by Tommy Patterson was really good, especially his take on Marlinspike. Not sure if this is an ongoing book but I'd definitely read more.
April 23, 2018
Writer Sam Humphries and artist Tommy Patterson have very successfully created a hybrid narrative which is in part political satire for the age of Trump and in part a horror story with metaphysical underpinnings. The former, aided by a very dark sense of humour, is arguably at the forefront, but even so, the horror elements slip through in ways both subtle and by no means subtle at all. The end result is a very appealing (if immensely foreboding) piece of fiction, which allows the readers a few laughs, although they may end up choking on them.
December 18, 2017
BCDER: 70
Political Horror? It's so 2016! Not dense at all, just a guilty pleasure read in my opinion. The funny thing is I find Jack more "Presidential Worthy" than the real life citizen he satirically portrays...
I does not appear that an further issues were produced in 2017 so I'm not sure we'll see anything past this collection, which would be a shame.
Political Horror? It's so 2016! Not dense at all, just a guilty pleasure read in my opinion. The funny thing is I find Jack more "Presidential Worthy" than the real life citizen he satirically portrays...
I does not appear that an further issues were produced in 2017 so I'm not sure we'll see anything past this collection, which would be a shame.
November 16, 2016
Funny story about obnoxious narcissist who makes a deal with a demon in order to become President, or horrifying glimpse into the nightmarish new political reality in the United States? You be the judge!
January 26, 2021
A sexist, slovenly, mendacious, corrupt man with no understanding of politics decides to run for president and finds that the worse he behaves, the more his public adores him. I don't know how comics creators come up with these crazy ideas! There's also a dolphin news anchor.
February 10, 2018
Art and story are trash about the 2016 political election (which was also trash).
April 1, 2020
A humorous exercise in post-truth politics.
A very fun read, loved the demon.
A very fun read, loved the demon.
October 19, 2016
Democracies, however acclaimed for the grandeur of self-governance they engender, are shadowy pustules of privilege and indignation, each jockeying for authority neither would dare concede. Perhaps this is why politics, particularly American politics, are so fraught with inconsolable leadership, dutifully ignorant party sympathizers, and cynical outsiders (whom would really prefer that everyone just shut up already).
CITIZEN JACK, for its timing and for its subject matter, is a sharp and focused take on the dramatically absurd and comically obscene. Democracy, here, is as it has always been: a tool to benefit those most proficient in its use. Its users, no surprise, are those whose money speaks the loudest. And for small-town Minnesota snowmobile retailer Jack Northworthy, it just so happens that the absurd and the obscene are right up his alley.
This comic book is a fiery musing on "I wonder what would happen if. . .", and positions Northworthy as a dark-horse candidate for the Presidency for no other reason than he speaks loudly, has zero personal accountability, and knows nothing about governance. It sounds like a bad joke, except, as most every reader of CITIZEN JACK already knows: this is no joke.
People are stupid. Not all of them, sure, but a lot of them are.
And CITIZEN JACK, by outlining the curious, cancerous machinations through which a candidate as egregiously unqualified as Northworthy might make it to the White House, posits a clever allegory: every element of the story that is fantastical (e.g., fallen angels, demons, talking dolphins) and every element of the story that is realistic (e.g., party-changing political operatives, hypocritical dark-money donors, "brain dead" media analysts) are completely interchangeable.
There is, for example, no difference between the fallen angel Marlinspike, who corrupts Northworthy's soul, and Donna Forsythe, Northworthy's ruthless campaign manager. None. Their single-minded disposition broaches human decency for the sake of a political win every single time.
Another, more layered example is the parody news program covering the comic's election. Hosting the Fire Fight program is a square-chinned Caucasian man (Douglas), an arrogant blonde woman (Ashlynn), and a talking dolphin (Cricket). For much of the book, Cricket is a moralized hero, a truth-teller who is never wanted but always needed.
The dolphin, who sits behind a desk and wears a suit, is often cut short: "It's ridiculous to make such pronouncements this far out. The historical data shows that campaigns fluctuate dramatically--"; and elsewhere, saying, "'Electability' is just some bullcrap we invented in the writer's room. It has no bearing on--"
The evolution and fate of Cricket, however, is no accident. He's degraded and demeaned, physically attacked, bribed, and ultimately given the opportunity to joust his way back to the top, even if not in the way readers would prefer.
CITIZEN JACK has a very fast pace, traversing the early primary elections all of the way through the general elections in but a few issues. The story's glaring omission of possible running mates, extensive press interviews, and more, undercut the need to tell an involved story quickly.
Oddly, it's the beautifully timed (and impeccably drawn), psychological twists of Marlinspike that remind readers that they don't actually miss what they're missing. To wit, Northworthy doesn't argue policy with a running mate, he bickers over what kind of blood sacrifice is best to keep the devil on his side. This narrative sleight of hand is common but can prove irksome for readers interested less in metaphor and would prefer a more obvious and deliberate skewering of American politics.
Another downside of this book rests in how the real-world corollaries of fake politicians and professional idiots like Northworthy are either glossed over or weakly implied. There is no salve to heal wounds carved by gun-toting idiots harping "I'm taking America back!", and there is no functional rebuttal to the money-driven slime who props up the otherwise just and independent as chronically divisive ("I want you in Washington as his primary antagonist. Jack might be going to the White House. But we're going to make it his personal hell.").
But hey, that's just politics.
CITIZEN JACK, for its timing and for its subject matter, is a sharp and focused take on the dramatically absurd and comically obscene. Democracy, here, is as it has always been: a tool to benefit those most proficient in its use. Its users, no surprise, are those whose money speaks the loudest. And for small-town Minnesota snowmobile retailer Jack Northworthy, it just so happens that the absurd and the obscene are right up his alley.
This comic book is a fiery musing on "I wonder what would happen if. . .", and positions Northworthy as a dark-horse candidate for the Presidency for no other reason than he speaks loudly, has zero personal accountability, and knows nothing about governance. It sounds like a bad joke, except, as most every reader of CITIZEN JACK already knows: this is no joke.
People are stupid. Not all of them, sure, but a lot of them are.
And CITIZEN JACK, by outlining the curious, cancerous machinations through which a candidate as egregiously unqualified as Northworthy might make it to the White House, posits a clever allegory: every element of the story that is fantastical (e.g., fallen angels, demons, talking dolphins) and every element of the story that is realistic (e.g., party-changing political operatives, hypocritical dark-money donors, "brain dead" media analysts) are completely interchangeable.
There is, for example, no difference between the fallen angel Marlinspike, who corrupts Northworthy's soul, and Donna Forsythe, Northworthy's ruthless campaign manager. None. Their single-minded disposition broaches human decency for the sake of a political win every single time.
Another, more layered example is the parody news program covering the comic's election. Hosting the Fire Fight program is a square-chinned Caucasian man (Douglas), an arrogant blonde woman (Ashlynn), and a talking dolphin (Cricket). For much of the book, Cricket is a moralized hero, a truth-teller who is never wanted but always needed.
The dolphin, who sits behind a desk and wears a suit, is often cut short: "It's ridiculous to make such pronouncements this far out. The historical data shows that campaigns fluctuate dramatically--"; and elsewhere, saying, "'Electability' is just some bullcrap we invented in the writer's room. It has no bearing on--"
The evolution and fate of Cricket, however, is no accident. He's degraded and demeaned, physically attacked, bribed, and ultimately given the opportunity to joust his way back to the top, even if not in the way readers would prefer.
CITIZEN JACK has a very fast pace, traversing the early primary elections all of the way through the general elections in but a few issues. The story's glaring omission of possible running mates, extensive press interviews, and more, undercut the need to tell an involved story quickly.
Oddly, it's the beautifully timed (and impeccably drawn), psychological twists of Marlinspike that remind readers that they don't actually miss what they're missing. To wit, Northworthy doesn't argue policy with a running mate, he bickers over what kind of blood sacrifice is best to keep the devil on his side. This narrative sleight of hand is common but can prove irksome for readers interested less in metaphor and would prefer a more obvious and deliberate skewering of American politics.
Another downside of this book rests in how the real-world corollaries of fake politicians and professional idiots like Northworthy are either glossed over or weakly implied. There is no salve to heal wounds carved by gun-toting idiots harping "I'm taking America back!", and there is no functional rebuttal to the money-driven slime who props up the otherwise just and independent as chronically divisive ("I want you in Washington as his primary antagonist. Jack might be going to the White House. But we're going to make it his personal hell.").
But hey, that's just politics.
October 1, 2016
Oh, this book is SO relevant to our current presidential election and also the overall mindset of the country in 2016. The 6 issues were an incredibly fast read which is my only complaint - I want more. The writing and the art were both very much on par with each other, and unlike a certain orange haired xenophobic presidential candidate, his comic book doppelganger in Citizen Jack is a bit more relatable. I do hope there's more of this series to come as I'd like to see where it goes from the end.
November 23, 2019
One of the many reasons I stopped watching House of Cards was that it felt like politics in this country had become crazy enough to surpass the fiction of the Netflix series.
Citizen Jack may be far too outlandish to scratch my political entertainment itch, but it’s still a very good story that’s equal parts tragic, horrifying, and hilarious….
Read my full review at AdventuresInPoorTaste.com!
February 7, 2017
Reading it after the election gives you a whole different perspective.
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