Review: CALEXIT #3

CALEXIT is by far, the most relevant comic book of 2018. If you“ve not kept up with the story, let me give you a brief synopsis of how we got to where we are. The President of the United States signed an executive order to deport all immigrants. The state of California refused to enforce the law and declared itself a sanctuary.

As you can expect, different parts of the state broke into warring factions and a never-ending chaos has been the result. Many cities along the North American Pacific Coast have shown solidarity with Los Angeles and San Francisco by forming the Pacific Coast Sister Cities Alliance. This coalition includes Tijuana, which pissed of the President enough to send National Guard troops to enforce his rule of law.

When I sit down to read a comic, it“s usually going to give me an opportunity to turn off all noise from the outside world and get lost in a story for a little while. CALEXIT (Black Mask Studios) is the exact opposite. This is a story that could very well be on any major news network as I sit here and type. It“s unsettling to say the least, and at best a stroke of brilliance. In this comic, we are presented with pretty much every fear the United States has yet to come to grips with, and we are forced to look at a possible outcome. Is this how the next Civil War will be started? Are we willing to die because we“re too scared to step outside of our comfort bubble and show actual human interest in anyone who does not think exactly like we do? It“s up to us, and right now, the odds don“t look to enticing.

Editorializing aside, the story is beyond amazing. Writer Matteo Pizzolo is giving us the story of a lifetime, at the time when it is needed the most. I“m struck mostly by the authenticity of the writing, which, other than being influenced by our current political climate, is really a study in political science and human nature.

The entire creative team that is working on this book deserves credit for making it what it is. Artist Amancay Nahuelphan and Colorist Tyler Boss do an outstanding job. Letterer Jim Campbell and Flatter Dee Cunniffe help add to the texture of the book. In addition to the normal team who work on a comic, we also have Richard Nisa who created maps for the book, and Robert Anthony Jr who created flags for the different factions. Normally when a new world is being created for comics, it looks a little different from Chula Vista, but sometimes you need to look in the mirror.

In America, where we celebrate celebrity more than scientific discoveries, CALEXIT is the comic book we deserve. This cautionary tale is the amalgamation of our own hubris and naivetÃ©. To me, there are no ”˜good guys“ in the story, because everyone is willing to walk down the path of destruction to get what they want. It“s a book we should all read, and maybe we can avoid this one possible outcome.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

(W) Matteo Pizzolo (A) Amancay Nahuelpan

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Bryan Spaulding

In his free time, other than reading comic books, Bryan enjoys listening to his ever growing record collection and driving his 27 year old roadster named Mingo.