World War 3 Illustrated #51: The World We Are Fighting For

World War 3 Illustrated #51

by Seth Tobocman (Editor, Contributor), Ethan Heitner (Editor, Contributor), Peter Kuper (Editor, Contributor)

This will be an explosive year. The actions we take now will define the future of our political systems and the viability of our planet. It is a good time to ask: What do we really care about? What are we fighting for?

World War 3 Illustrated is North America’s longest-running anthology of political comics and, for the fifty-first edition, artists and writers were asked to bring heart and vision to this question. The comics in this edition range from cheerful to angry, from prescriptive to absurd, employing both humor and strong imagery. Some are roadmaps for change. Others simply tell us what the artists’ values are and what they hold dear in an era of climate chaos, social polarization, and political authoritarianism.

Contributors include: ABO Comix Collective, JB Brager, Steve Brodner, Sue Coe, Ethan Heitner, Sandy Jimenez, Ben Katchor, Peter Kuper, Mac McGill, Courtney Menard, Rebecca Migdal, José Muñoz, Mohammad Sabaaneh, Sue Simensky, Terry Tapp, Colleen Tighe, Seth Tobocman, Jordan Worley, and more.

Genres: Graphic Novels

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 8, 2020

About the author

Radical comic book artist who has been living in Manhattan's Lower East Side since 1978. Tobocman is best known for his creation of the political comic book World War 3 Illustrated, which he started in 1979 with fellow artist Peter Kuper. He has also been an influential propagandist for the squatting, anti-globalist, and anti-war movements in the United States.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This volume isn't as engaging for me as some others I've read. I think partly it's because I'm reading it five years late, so some of the graphic essays seem dated or less urgent, but also the theme isn't focused on a single, driving issue as some volumes are, jumping around between a host of subjects -- COVID-19, environmentalism, 1980s activism, tenants' rights, anti-Trumpism, incarceration, etc.

I have the newest volume on hand from the library, and I'm hoping that hits me a little harder.

p.s., By reading this on delay, I do get to notice that Courtney Menard's speculative story, "Good Days," basically predicts Luigi Mangione's CEO assassination and the initial response.


FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:
• [Inside Front Cover Illustration] / Courtney Menard
• Care Manual / Colleen Tighe
• Pandemic as Portal / Kill Joy
• Introduction
• "Suit yourself . . . " [Table of Contents cartoon] / Hilary Allison
• About our Cover Artist: José Muñoz
• In Dark Times / Meredith Stern
• Young Giants / Elizabeth Haidle
• Tragic Joy / Jackie Lima
• The Other Future / Terry Tapp
• He Incites Fascist Violence / Sue Coe
• Good Days / Courtney Menard
• An Evening Demonstration / Ben Katchor
• Detroit Roots / Bec Young
• Material Relations / JB Brager
• The City Is Ours / Eric Laursen, writer; Ethan Heitner, illustrator
• We Kept It / Sasha Hill and Annabelle Heckler
• Anita / Carlo Quispe
• God Bless the Americans / Sandy Jimenez
• Trump Dreams: Life with Trump / Rebecca Midgal
• Doctor MAGA / Sue Coe
• Witch Hunt / Deb Lucke
• Dishonest Abe / Jos Sances
• Apocalypse of Ignorance / Seth Tobocman and Tamara Tornado
• The Virus / Mac McGill
• COVID-19: Drawing While in Lockdown / Anton van Dalen
• A Safe Investment / Ben Katchor
• Macanudo / Liniers
• The Greater Quiet / Steve Brodner
• Cardboard Coffins / Sue Coe
• What To Do About It? / Seth Tobocman and Tamara Tornado
• The Puerto Rican War [excerpt] / John Vasquez Mejias
• Nobody for President / Jordan Worley
• Water Protectors / Susan Simensky Bietila
• Confined / Mohammad Sabaaneh
• ABO Comix [interview with Casper Cendre] / Ethan Heitner, interviewer; Gabe Wyatt, Billy D. Thomas, Joanlisa Red Cloud-Featherston, Johnny Nixon (Joanna), and Sirbrian Spease, featured creators
• The History of the World / Mohammad Sabaaneh
• Trump Dreams: Antarctic Exile / Nere Kapiteni, dreamer; Rebecca Midgal, illustrator
• Trump Dreams: Epiphany / Rebecca Midgal
• In Da Cave / Pablo Delcielo and Raimundo Günen
• What Will Remain / Kevin Pyle
• American Uprising / Eric Drooker
• The Way Through / Roger Peet
• Vanishing Act / Peter Kuper