Beta Testing the Ongoing Apocalypse

by Tom Kaczynski, Christopher Brown (Foreword)

In this new, expanded edition, the starting point is arbitrary. From there, the city expands in all directions. At once SF, a contemporary demonology, an occult theory, a mutant utopia and an architectural treatise, Beta Testing the Ongoing Apocalypse is a collection of graphic fictions about the contemporary global megalopolis. This groundbreaking collection, originally published in an Eisner-nominated, smaller edition a decade ago, has only proven more prescient and resonant to our contemporary times than ever. For this new edition, Kaczynski created the original stories "Billion Dollar Budget" and "Rediscovery of the Real" and annotations. There's also a new foreword by science fiction writer Christopher Brown (Tropic of Kansas) and an entirely new cover design. Tom Kaczynski's graphic short stories trace a complex space-time trajectory from the smallest corporate cubicle out to farthest fathoms of the multiverse. Occult economics, metaphysical traffic jams, Marxist zombies on Mars, secret architectural societies, designer ghosts from the future, and demographics demons are just a few elements of a new untested future eschatology.

Genres: Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Architecture, Comics

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2022

About the author

Tom Kaczynski learned to read English by looking at American capitalist comics in communist Poland. He moved to The US in 1987 and eventually was nominated for an Ignatz Award. Kaczynski is the founder of the independent publishing house, Uncivilized Books. His comics have appeared in Best American Nonrequired Reading, MOME, and many other publications thought the years. He currently lives and works in Minneapolis, with his partner Nikki, two cats, and a golden retriever.

Reviews

[Villain E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dull, dull, dull. This is a collection of comics short stories, some only one page long, about disaffectation of people in modern and post-modern urban settings. Some of them were interesting, none of them I found engaging, many of them ended abruptly.

[Ramon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one hit me harder than I expected it to, and I can fully understand how someone's cynicism may render Kaczynski's cynicism inert, but just about every story in here resonated with me.

It starts with a bang, deftly outlining why suburbia was the worst invention of modern civilization, how capitalism and commerce continue to eat away at us, giving nothing back in return. As it continues, he skewers other topics similarly, almost never with any humor, and only occasionally with hope.

The most hopeful story is also the one with a tiny bit of satire, about a corporate takeover, and it reads like an old George Saunders story.

This is one of those collections I will end up owning one day, one I will give out to a friend or family member at Christmastime.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Design fiction?

[Karrie]

The illustrations are so beautiful. But this book makes me feel really dumb and not getting what’s really going on. I might visit it later.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great collection of stories. If J.G. Ballard got heavily into comics and architecture, he would produce work like this.

[Tian Hsu · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second graphic novel ever - recommended by my boss due to my love for J.G. Ballard. The parallels with J.G.B are very clear such as the relationship between the vechile and sex, the romanticisiation of the black market secrets that simmer underneath the corporate monotone life, the post-war architecture of concrete islands, high rises, and sky walks and their respective characterizations as something parastic + encroaching.

In particular some short stories stood out to me more than others.
976 sq ft starts with an opening scene of a neighbour walking their dog as observed by a couple who lives in the area. The area is being gentrified, the high rises start being constructed, internet delivery grocer arrives, they see online ads for a nearby condiminum with their own building edited out of the picture. I think what made me appreciate this story about gentrification is the slow reveal and the slow descent into madness. Plus cool terms coined such as "Condo Altered Psychogeography."

Cozy Apocalypse is about the romanticization of apocalyptic disasters and how some people actively seek them out. Analagous to how we visit and romanticise ruins, or McKamey Manor where people apply to undergo torture through a haunted maze. I wonder if this happens because we don't want to face the issues of impending disasters (such as climate change) in a problem solving way, and instead we just embrace it and in some twisted way enjoy being victims

Skywalk Sleepless - the afterword taught me that Minneapolis skyway system is the largest in the world, and upon research it is actually relatively successful and safe? This seems counterintuitive to me because skywalks in estate towers in London are notoriously dangerous because no wandering eyes watching the streets and all.

Fascinating read overall - made me think a lot. Black mirror-esque and philosophical.

[dillon · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the one hand, I wish more books like this existed, a sort of philosofictional visual essay collection using communicative and narrative strategies of comics. Kaczynski clearly has a great sense for design and his use of color and tone is a main reason why I bought the collection. On the other hand, a lot of the critiques feel sort of outdated or at least just thoroughly feel like a product of many of these pieces’ time, the 1999-2008 paradigms in left-leaning political-economic critique. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s hard to really feel it today in what feels like the aftermath of a long defeat. It’s cool that he’s engaging with critical theory stuff in the comics but I found a lot of what he said about certain theorists in the endnotes dubious. Or at least I took issue with some of the interpretations. But that at least means he’s trying to say something with which one could take issue, and that’s refreshing.

[Christopher Schmoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorta like Black Mirror, Beta Testing the Ongoing Apocalypse is a fun and relatable look at the end of the world. It uses human history and current societal problems to show why the apocalypse has been a long time coming and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. One of my favorite stories is about gentrification where a high rise upperclass condo building going up in an old new york neighborhood drives all of the people in the neighborhood crazy. The best part about this book is that it's all loosely based on actual experiences from the author while living in Washington D.C., New York and Minneapolis. Strong recommend!

[Joseph Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly inventive set of stories regarding different future dystopias, with a fable like feel, and a undercurrent of critique of our current systems of society. The whole series felt quite isolating, lacking deep relationships, even when pursuit of females remained a goal. Disaffected protagonists lament their lack of agency in these worlds, as they are carried to their cog like positions. The small essays about each comic at the end also added welcome context to the stories.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the majority of the stories even some of the ones that didn’t resonate with my perspective. I enjoy the kinda bland, “matter of fact” style of writing this author has, although some of the context felt over my head,

Solid 3✨

[Jake Nap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Focused on the decay of society and the planet, this doomer set of short stories was p good.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plenty of interesting ideas but nothing blew me away.
I'm down for a caveman musical.

[Zoë · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not even going to finish reading this pretentious blather. This author is definitely insufferable at parties.

[Grg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern life can be such a headache.

[ME · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just could not get into it so I couldn't even finish it.