The Corbyn Comic Book

by Billy Mather, Anna Trench, Hannah Berry

Pollsters called it a foregone conclusion. Columnists said Theresa May's snap general election wouldn't just return her a thumping majority in the House of Commons - it would plunge the Opposition into existential crisis. For Labour MPs, concerns about job security in an age of zero-hours contracts suddenly felt uncomfortably close to home.

And then something happened. Momentum got to work. Grime4Corbyn gathered steam. Clicktivists became door-knocking, flag-waving activists. Jezza talked jam on the One Show and opened for the Libertines at Prenton Park. All this while Theresa turned into the Maybot and the Conservatives released a manifesto that looked bad for people and even worse for animals. Islington-dwelling socialist, bike-riding pacifist, green-fingered threat to the status quo: this revolutionary anthology captures the qualities and quirks of the Daily Mail's worst nightmare.

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some funny stuff in here, some decent satirical pokes at the Tories, especially Theresa May and Boris Johnson, some well-drafted cartoons and illustrations, too. But...

Overall, it comes off as a little too ernest, a little too preachy, and often a little too holier-than-thou to redeem the parts that hit the mark. It's a shame, because I really wanted to love this comic.

[Paul Dembina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a mixed bag, which is understandable. Lots of mentions of homemade jam and "For the many - not the few"

[Grace Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good variations of comics all done by different artists.

[Owen Watts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, the heady days of late 2017. About a billion years ago politically and before a sad loss, a terrifying pandemic, a bewildering purge and the new emergence of something that to these starry-eyed and strongly optimistic creators would have seemed like a fully fledged nightmare. It has the tone and consistency of a thrown-together sort of a thing, emphasised by (another dating element) the hashtag rallying cry on the back cover. The vibe throughout is a three-way-split between earnest hopefulness, sardonic mockery and heavy-handed chest beating. None of them really quite landing a blow and some of the more overtly violent ones just seeming downright stupid. The gentle teetotal allotment-dweller and jam maker isn't really suited to weapon-wielding or superheroics, after all, so some of the less satire-savvy creators struggle with him as a figurehead. It is nice to see talented satirical heavyweights like Martin Rowson and Stephen Collins alongside indie comics darlings of the era, all pushing towards something that never really came to be. It's a tough read really and a melancholic little document from a brief bright patch of (nearly) full-throated political optimism in the UK.

[Gabriela Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly, not 100% about Corbyn's fabness (though 100% supportive). Some of the authors explain their doubts regarding the Absolute Boy, some of them are not wholly sold on him but would rather have him than the current government. Funny, sometimes thoughtful, great way to discover new cartoonists.

[Joshua Cornes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some excellent Jezza Corbyn Comic strips, definitely worth a look for all those who even know a little about Jeremy Corbyn! Some very funny comics in there!

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great fun

[James Koppert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love it. More please

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loads of really fun ones. My favourite was Ginny Skinner's unicorns arguing for inclusion, "maybe we are a bit existentially challenged but we make a real contribution to culture."

[StrictlySequential · Rating 3 out of 5]

2017 = £4. 99
Third Printing

Most non-domestic politics (around the world) gets lost in translation- even if you read and speak that language.

[Emerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing