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The Mueller Report: Graphic Novel
It's the greatest WHODUNIT of our time... or a new low for "Presidential Harassment!" Shannon Wheeler, Eisner Award-winning New Yorker cartoonist (Too Much Coffee Man, Sh*t My President Says, God is Disappointed in You), and veteran journalist Steve Duin (The Oregonian, Comics: Between the Panels, Oil and Water) turn their critical eye on The Mueller Report—a comprehensive, understandable, and readable graphic novel version of the book every patriot needs. Fight the spin spewing forth from both parties and political pulpits and check out this graphic novel that brings a 400-page legal document down to size. Wheeler and Duin, in graphic form, bring to life scenes detailed in the report: from the infamous Trump Tower Meeting of 2016 to Trump exclaiming "I'm f*cked" upon finding out he was the subject of investigation. It's in the report and it's in the graphic novel! The Mueller Report: Graphic Novel borrows style from classic private detective yarns, complete with a villainous rogues' gallery, nail-biting cliffhangers, and a lone lawman standing proud against the wave of crime. See Trump berate his Attorney General. Watch a petulant Commander-in-Chief lob insults at the White House counsel. Witness the "witch hunt" as it happened, cataloged as only the top lawman in the country could! This staggering laundry list of questionable contacts, misleading statements, unreported engagements, and possible coordination—enough to stun any student of the U.S. Constitution—is laid bare with a cold, satirical edge. Now includes new BONUS MATERIAL! Wheeler and Duin take on the Ukrainian Call and the Whistleblower Complaint that ignited the Impeachment! You'll laugh. You'll cry. You may Tweet in anger. But most importantly, you will be reading the report for yourself!
196 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2020
9 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 31, 2020
I know many of you have as I do a copy of The Mueller Report with a bookmark somewhere at the 1/3 mark. Important reading? Well, if you are on the right you think it was a conspiracy to overthrow a sitting President, Fake News, and if you are on the left you feel Mueller pulled his punches and played it way too safe, based on his understanding that you couldn't indict a sitting President. Nevertheless, The (Democratic) House impeached Trump for obstruction of justice in part on the basis of that report, though The (Republican) Senate ultimately disagreed, so this story of obstruction and collusion was treated as a non-story in the lection cycle, not referred to during the debates, not discussed in the media. Old--if not fake--news. An account of curruption and lies, all the way through, from my perspective.
So I think very few of the politicians who voted on impeachment actually read all of the report. For me it was dry, legalese. I bought it because Glenn Russell in his incisive review convinced me that The Report made an undeniable case for Trump's obstruction of justice, and that's how I felt all the way through the impeachment hearings. So when I saw that 2-3 comics artists were working with journalists to do lighter, more humanizing and yet true-to-the-facts adaptations of The Report, I ordered them from the library. Accessible history, I'd say, watered down a bit for the impatient reader (like me).
So who knew Too Much Coffee Man humorist Shannon Wheeler was a political junkie, working with political journalist Steve Duin to get beyond all of the stuffy verbiage to the heart of the story, imparted as if Mueller were actually talking to us instead of a court of law. I read this just before the election to remind me that Trump not only did not "drain the swamp" as he had promised but deepened it significantly by hiring "the best people" he could find. But now you know how I voted, getting a mail-in ballot and walking it to put it in the ballot box myself.
So I think very few of the politicians who voted on impeachment actually read all of the report. For me it was dry, legalese. I bought it because Glenn Russell in his incisive review convinced me that The Report made an undeniable case for Trump's obstruction of justice, and that's how I felt all the way through the impeachment hearings. So when I saw that 2-3 comics artists were working with journalists to do lighter, more humanizing and yet true-to-the-facts adaptations of The Report, I ordered them from the library. Accessible history, I'd say, watered down a bit for the impatient reader (like me).
So who knew Too Much Coffee Man humorist Shannon Wheeler was a political junkie, working with political journalist Steve Duin to get beyond all of the stuffy verbiage to the heart of the story, imparted as if Mueller were actually talking to us instead of a court of law. I read this just before the election to remind me that Trump not only did not "drain the swamp" as he had promised but deepened it significantly by hiring "the best people" he could find. But now you know how I voted, getting a mail-in ballot and walking it to put it in the ballot box myself.
October 4, 2020
Duin and Wheeler cherrypick the Mueller Report to make a scathing case against Donald Trump for obstructing justice in this graphic adaptation.
It's a quick read packed with information, but don't expect a rigorous work of nonfiction. First, the authors have Mueller acting as a narrator and put words in his mouth. In checking their footnotes against the original report, it quickly comes apparent how much more information they are skimming past and how often they are attributing paraphrasing as direct quotes.
I was annoyed by the erratic footnoting of the people and their occupations or relation to the report that appeared on the bottom of the story pages. The notes often did not appear on the page of the person's initial appearance and started repeating toward the end for people who had already had a footnote. And it seems silly to include a cast of characters in the rear of the book that mostly includes only the person's last name but then occasionally includes several people's first name. It just gives the appearance of sloppy editing, cutting further into the credibility of the adaptation.
Regardless, this makes for a nice overview for a casual reader and anti-Trumper who doesn't want to slog through the dreary text of the original report.
It's a quick read packed with information, but don't expect a rigorous work of nonfiction. First, the authors have Mueller acting as a narrator and put words in his mouth. In checking their footnotes against the original report, it quickly comes apparent how much more information they are skimming past and how often they are attributing paraphrasing as direct quotes.
I was annoyed by the erratic footnoting of the people and their occupations or relation to the report that appeared on the bottom of the story pages. The notes often did not appear on the page of the person's initial appearance and started repeating toward the end for people who had already had a footnote. And it seems silly to include a cast of characters in the rear of the book that mostly includes only the person's last name but then occasionally includes several people's first name. It just gives the appearance of sloppy editing, cutting further into the credibility of the adaptation.
Regardless, this makes for a nice overview for a casual reader and anti-Trumper who doesn't want to slog through the dreary text of the original report.
September 21, 2020
Very, very informative. Much easier to read than the actual report.
November 15, 2020
This was really well done. It presented all the facts from the report in a much more visually appealing context (because who wants to just actually sit down and read that thing?!), plus the back has a great timeline of events and cast of characters, for people that didn’t keep up with this as it was playing out. I’ve heard some people say that this version “makes Trump look dumb” but everything in here about him is direct quotes people used in testimonies or things he tweeted so let’s be clear, Trump makes Trump look dumb in this graphic novel version of the Mueller Report .
December 10, 2021
I will not assert that I understood all of this. However, I appreciate that this form makes the report more accessible. Read on Hoopla.
November 30, 2020
I was hoping for an actual illustrated edition to the Mueller Report but instead it's just a comic strip that loosely references it. The art is terrible. Mueller looks and acts like a stroke victim. And the most damning thing of all, it really doesn't make much of a case against Trump. A moron who pitches huge temper tantrums. Yes. Russian agent? Not necessarily.
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August 24, 2020
I wasn't sure how they would be able to make this into a graphic novel, but Shannon Wheeler did a fantastic job at making this easy to comprehend, not too long, but still keeping all the highlights and most important information. I also appreciate how the author added notes about who the main people were, even after introducing them earlier in the book.
This is a great way to get the gist of the report without having to slog through the original, or for anyone that just needs a refresher on the main points of the investigation.
Highly recommended.
This is a great way to get the gist of the report without having to slog through the original, or for anyone that just needs a refresher on the main points of the investigation.
Highly recommended.
February 28, 2025
I was very confused by all the names and everyone involved, which I don’t think was the authors fault but it’s their book so…
I do still feel like I learned some things and it gave me topics to talk about with people and even research into it further so that I can maybe understand the report. I do like the concept, though of taking a document and presenting it as an illustration so that it’s easier to understand.
I do still feel like I learned some things and it gave me topics to talk about with people and even research into it further so that I can maybe understand the report. I do like the concept, though of taking a document and presenting it as an illustration so that it’s easier to understand.
September 7, 2020
Ok, I admit it, I have not read the original Mueller Report on which this graphic novel was based. I am a bit of a political news junkie though, so when I saw this book available, I thought I'd take a chance.
Because I haven't read the original, I can't speak to the faithfulness of the translation from report to graphic novel. That being said, I recognized most of what was in this graphic novel from news reports both at the time of the events (the ones that were public) and reports once the document was released. There were sobe bits that were new to me however, and the timeline and 'dramatis personae' at the end were a great help for seeing how it all tied together.
The artwork was a cross between School House Rock and news paper comics with simple back grounds and dialogue telling an equal amount of the sorryi with art. Most of the 'characters' were readily identifiable from their drawings and whenever a new character was introduced, there was always a footnote explaining who they were (which was helpful).
The political slant in the work was undeniable, but the facts were presented with little bias and the tone of the report seemed to be consistent with the tone used. I don't think this book will change any minds unless someone has completely avoided news coverage of the events surrounding the Russian interference in the election, but it would help people to understand what was happening in a logical manner. It is especially timely heading into the 2020 election where some of the same interference seems to be occurring.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of this book.
Because I haven't read the original, I can't speak to the faithfulness of the translation from report to graphic novel. That being said, I recognized most of what was in this graphic novel from news reports both at the time of the events (the ones that were public) and reports once the document was released. There were sobe bits that were new to me however, and the timeline and 'dramatis personae' at the end were a great help for seeing how it all tied together.
The artwork was a cross between School House Rock and news paper comics with simple back grounds and dialogue telling an equal amount of the sorryi with art. Most of the 'characters' were readily identifiable from their drawings and whenever a new character was introduced, there was always a footnote explaining who they were (which was helpful).
The political slant in the work was undeniable, but the facts were presented with little bias and the tone of the report seemed to be consistent with the tone used. I don't think this book will change any minds unless someone has completely avoided news coverage of the events surrounding the Russian interference in the election, but it would help people to understand what was happening in a logical manner. It is especially timely heading into the 2020 election where some of the same interference seems to be occurring.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of this book.
September 9, 2021
In the wake of the report and it's lackluster splash - the Mueller Report has faded into obscurity. Is the act of obstruction just not something that resonates with the public? Are people convinces that all 3 arms of the government are political and not capable of being impartial? The circus of government in the Executive and legislative arms can't be allowed to destroy the image and rep of the judicial or we are lost, in my opinion. nothing is one sided and my POV on the FBI and DoJ are included. That said, I hope this helps shine some light on weak leadership provided by our former President.
July 14, 2020
I'm not sure who was asking for this book, but I can't deny that it did help me sort through all of the various people and events surrounding Mueller's investigation and subsequent report. The timeline and Cast of Characters at the end was especially useful. I can definitely imagine this being read by teens or folks who don't keep a close eye on the news - context is always given when a new individual is introduced.
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2020
2 stars
A condensed version of the thick report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, this graphic novel makes Robert Mueller's thorough report accessible for many interested Americans. Narrated from Mueller's point of view, the reader is told the story of what happened during the 2016 election. All key players are introduced and have an explanatory footnote so the reader knows who they are and how they are involved in the investigation. Each page in the graphic novel also has a footnote indicating the part of the full report the information is from.
I read the full Mueller Report as well as this graphic novel, and I found the graphic novel easier to digest. The original report is understandably very dense as it is an official government document recounting the investigation of a serious matter. The graphic novel condenses the details and the illustrations help the reader understand the story. However, I did sense a bit of a bias in the illustrations and the way the story was told. Other readers may not sense the same. Overall, I appreciate how the dense original report is made accessible to more readers, as citizens should be aware of what is happening in their government. I hope others will pick up this graphic novel as a primer to the full report, but not take it as the entire story.
- Miss Anna
A condensed version of the thick report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, this graphic novel makes Robert Mueller's thorough report accessible for many interested Americans. Narrated from Mueller's point of view, the reader is told the story of what happened during the 2016 election. All key players are introduced and have an explanatory footnote so the reader knows who they are and how they are involved in the investigation. Each page in the graphic novel also has a footnote indicating the part of the full report the information is from.
I read the full Mueller Report as well as this graphic novel, and I found the graphic novel easier to digest. The original report is understandably very dense as it is an official government document recounting the investigation of a serious matter. The graphic novel condenses the details and the illustrations help the reader understand the story. However, I did sense a bit of a bias in the illustrations and the way the story was told. Other readers may not sense the same. Overall, I appreciate how the dense original report is made accessible to more readers, as citizens should be aware of what is happening in their government. I hope others will pick up this graphic novel as a primer to the full report, but not take it as the entire story.
- Miss Anna
August 9, 2025
In the spring of 2017 I taught a grad-level digital activism class in which I struggled to break the news about Cambridge Analytica and Russian hacker and disinformation influence in the 2016 US presidential election. These themes were observable by academics who study social media traces and political movements. But they also emerged into a public oversaturated with information, including run-of-the-mill infotainment. To this day, many do not appreciate the substance of the Mueller report, and especially how the basic dynamics among political actors are magnified and persist in the present. Wheeler and Duin expertly illustrate and convey the arc of Mueller's investigation. I highly recommend this for college students who were just kids when *some* of their parents began to realize the depth of the Trump cabinet lies and associated sordid machinations. A clear-eyed and highly readable graphic novel including citations, tineline, and list of actors. A healthy way to teach critique and justice.
November 7, 2022
I appreciated being able to “read” the report in short form. Something about the style of the presentation, however, made it feel more like parody and it definitely felt a bit biased. The drawings were too caricature-y for a true adaptation of the report.
Regarding the content, it’s hard for me to understand how Trump can avoid accountability for his behavior simply because no one actually followed his orders. The way I read this, there were multiple accounts of clear attempts at obstruction but since the people he tried to convince to do things didn’t do them, his attempts aren’t able to be addressed. When people are leaving their jobs at the White House because the president asking them to do something illegal, seems like we should be able to do something about that.
Regarding the content, it’s hard for me to understand how Trump can avoid accountability for his behavior simply because no one actually followed his orders. The way I read this, there were multiple accounts of clear attempts at obstruction but since the people he tried to convince to do things didn’t do them, his attempts aren’t able to be addressed. When people are leaving their jobs at the White House because the president asking them to do something illegal, seems like we should be able to do something about that.
October 12, 2025
This was a helpful review - but, if I wasn't familiar with the plot/cast of characters, I'm not sure I could have followed this. Perhaps better off getting this info in a documentary, although the graphic timeline at the end was useful.
I appreciated that people were constantly named, even after originally introduced, since there are so many people involved. Similarly, I liked that the character drawings were consistent and could be recognized. Otherwise, the use of drawings was sometimes funny, often meh; I thought there might be more panels/pages of inventive drawings/political satire (again, making me think this convoluted story - because the real story was convoluted - is not really helped by this graphic novel rendition).
Interesting to think about other ways to share info!
I appreciated that people were constantly named, even after originally introduced, since there are so many people involved. Similarly, I liked that the character drawings were consistent and could be recognized. Otherwise, the use of drawings was sometimes funny, often meh; I thought there might be more panels/pages of inventive drawings/political satire (again, making me think this convoluted story - because the real story was convoluted - is not really helped by this graphic novel rendition).
Interesting to think about other ways to share info!
September 14, 2020
I received an eARC courtesy of IDW Publishing & NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
My rating is more a reflection of the illustrations than the content. The content is fine & I think a great way to present the content of the report to the masses in a simplified, explanatory way. The illustrations were just not my thing. It was far too newspaper, political cartoon in its style & that is just not my thing.
My rating is more a reflection of the illustrations than the content. The content is fine & I think a great way to present the content of the report to the masses in a simplified, explanatory way. The illustrations were just not my thing. It was far too newspaper, political cartoon in its style & that is just not my thing.
December 21, 2020
A great way for The Mueller report to be presented, this reveals the corruption of the Trump Whitehouse.
Trump is a liar and that is clearly demonstrated over and over again in this book.
He is the worst president in American history and this book should be read by everyone.
Trump has been a disaster for America, partly of their own making and yet his cult like supporters still follow him.
Read this book and see the truth - he is corrupt.
Trump is a liar and that is clearly demonstrated over and over again in this book.
He is the worst president in American history and this book should be read by everyone.
Trump has been a disaster for America, partly of their own making and yet his cult like supporters still follow him.
Read this book and see the truth - he is corrupt.
August 3, 2021
An outstanding use of the medium to present an important piece of reporting that frankly, most people aren’t going to read all the way through. For those of you for whom never will be too soon to have to look back at the feculent nightmare that were the Trump years, this graphic novel, for its many manifest strengths, may be an unwelcome revisitation. But it is a terrific work, nonetheless, and should probably be stocked in school libraries.
October 29, 2020
The graphics were quite simple. It did make the report more of a narrative, was easier to follow and included references. For what it is worth, I did read the actual Mueller report. The amount of redacted text made much of that report unreadable, it’s too bad the author of the graphic novel couldn’t spend more time addressing that (though it partially covered).
December 1, 2020
I think the storytelling was well done and engaging and the illustrations were a good: simple and evocative. However, some of the illustrations rubbed me the wrong way because they were caricatures of real people and therefore were reductive in ways that made me uncomfortable--particularly when the drawings mocked women's sexuality or individual's weight.
July 1, 2024
This was a fun an fast way to get through the real report, which--let's be real--I'll probably never read.
The art did an excellent job of conveying the events, but also the tone of the unsaid parts. I really appreciated the footnotes on each page, reminding me who was who.
It is SHOCKING how much I have forgotten in four short years.
The art did an excellent job of conveying the events, but also the tone of the unsaid parts. I really appreciated the footnotes on each page, reminding me who was who.
It is SHOCKING how much I have forgotten in four short years.
August 2, 2025
Category: A book outside your comfort zone
I’m not typically one to read graphic novels or political pieces so felt this would fit the category. I didn’t find it particularly compelling and honestly a little confusing. The illustrations weren’t really a style I enjoyed either. An interesting way to present the details of this investigation but felt it missed the mark.
I’m not typically one to read graphic novels or political pieces so felt this would fit the category. I didn’t find it particularly compelling and honestly a little confusing. The illustrations weren’t really a style I enjoyed either. An interesting way to present the details of this investigation but felt it missed the mark.
July 27, 2020
***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
If only the world got a hold of this version, then they might understand Mueller's findings a little better.
If only the world got a hold of this version, then they might understand Mueller's findings a little better.
November 18, 2020
A brief and probably accurate outline of the Mueller report. It paints an uncomplimentary picture of the president.
Read this during the time when trump refused to concede, another story that reflects poorly on him.
Read this during the time when trump refused to concede, another story that reflects poorly on him.
November 27, 2020
My favorite parts of this graphic novel lays out the timeline at the back of the book to show the events that are described in the Mueller Report. The second best part is the book portraying Don Jr and Eric Trump as Beavis and Butthead and Donald as a petulant toddler, spot on.
July 29, 2022
A very easy to follow synopsis of the critical issues of the Mueller Report and the actions of the "then" president of the United States relative to Russian interference in the election and obstruction into the investigation about the interference.
Want to read
July 1, 2020Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
July 29, 2020
I hope many people read this. A depressing but easy look at one of the most bat-shit insane political dramas in our history. And a dark look at the fall of our democracy.
September 27, 2020
Intriguing quicker than 488 pages. But still a tremendous amount of info.
October 8, 2020
As a work of comic art it's a clear rush job with little artistic value. As the Mueller report itself turned out to be kind of of wet fart politically, it's baffling that this even exists.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews