Empire: Nozone IX

by Nicholas Blechman (Editor)

Welcome to EMPIRE. Billions drink its sodas, listen to its music, breathe its air, drive its cars, smoke its tobacco, practice its religions, watch its movies, ingest its pharmaceuticals, and benefit or suffer from its policies. Every person, animal, and insect on this planet is affected. From the melting ice caps in Antarctica to the defoliated wastelands of Africa, its relentless expansion goes unchecked. But EMPIRE is more than a political reality. It has, in its often elusive way, imbedded itself beneath our skins. It is an aesthetic, a conditioning, a psychology, and a lifestyle. Where does our individuality end, and the EMPIRE begin?
At a time of global crisis, Empire rallies a coalition of artists, designers, writers, and photographers to protest the mysterious, all-powerful phenomenon that dominates our civilization.
Empire is the first book based on the award-winning alternative political graphic magazine, Nozone . Featuring the best known and freshest unknown designers and cartoonists, this issue includes new work from Charles S. Anderson, Michael Bierut, Art Chantry, Seymour Chwast, Luba, Lukova, Christoph Niemann, Stefan Sagmeister, Paul Sahre, and Ward Sutton.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Nicholas Blechman is an internationally recognized illustrator, designer, and art director. His award-winning illustrations have appeared in GQ, Travel + Leisure, Wired, and the New Yorker. He is currently the art director of the New York Times Book Review.

Reviews

[Julie Rylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is a piece of art.

there are a lot of different artists involved in this project which makes it - even more - interesting.

you turn the page and there is also a "wow". Also the content is 5 starts (imperialism/ americanism of a society post Bush, 9/11 and a lot of interests in war).

[Meepelous · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dated at this point but a pretty interesting collection of very creatively communicated thoughts.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is graphic novel compiles contributions from some 40 different artists, each offering their views on "empire" directly, some from the perspective of imperialism in general, others taking a stance on modernity and globalization or America and capitalism. Generally negative ones.

As with any compilation, some contributions are more compelling than others. But ultimately, reading it was unsatisfactory because it felt more like a child's comic book than something for adults. Lots of simple criticisms, nothing really thoughtful, very little that's clever, and the artwork on the whole doesn't make up for the rest of it.