DISCLAIMER: This is a review of a collection of political cartoons, and will therefore be VERY political in nature. There will be profanity and several uncomfortable topics discussed, including the Trump administration, immigration, racism, gun violence, natural disasters, the 2016 election, and comicsgate. If you wish to avoid these controversial subjects or have intentions of creating conflict with myself or anyone at Comic Crusaders based on these matters, I suggest you not continue further. The opinions expressed in this review are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comic Crusaders or their affiliates.
We good?
Good.
FUCK DONALD TRUMP.
That has been an outcry by millions of disenfranchised Americans ever since his candidacy was announced and has grown and grown since he was elected on November 8th, 2016. Muslims and Mexicans are in fear of being deported by ICE. Women marched on Washington and started the #MeToo movement. Black Lives Matter has escalated to a boycott of the NFL while nothing ever changes. Hurricanes ravaged Puerto Rico last year and thousands died as a result, which Trump denies and calls an unsung success. Mass shootings aren’t addressed with anything but “thoughts and prayers”. Healthcare is at stake. Public libraries. The environment. And now, the Supreme Court and our governmental integrity as we know it, all lead by a man who has no integrity at all & a big mouth full of bullshit.
It sounds like I’m exaggerating, but I am dead serious. I fear for the United States of America.
And apparently, so does Pia Guerra.
Known most prominently for her work on Y: The Last Man, over the past two and a half years Pia has made a name for herself as a cartoonist for the New Yorker depicting the political landscape in a way that encompasses what they have always intended to be: a satire. Her work is beautiful at times, ridiculous at others. Realism in one, abstract in the next. Humorous, then shocking. But every single one makes a statement, whether it be the hypocrisy of politicians, the shame of Americans, or the insanity of current events as they relate to the Trump administration or Congress.
Many of her cartoons have been widely circulated, so I’m sure you’ve already seen some of her work. This collection of almost 100 cartoons spanning from January 2016 to April 2018 gives us a full view of what has happened over the course of the last two years in a snapshots of history. Remember Steve Bannon? Plenty of him. Kellyanne Conway? Yup. Mitch McConnell, Mike Pence, Ivanka and Melania Trump, Jeff Sessions… all get their turn in the black & white spotlight. But Donald Trump is the real focal point. Portrayed as a ringmaster, a baby, a dancing bear, Nixon, a Klansman, and several fictional characters, no punches are pulled by Guerra is showing just how the world views our president.
Now, this is normally the part where the angry conservatives and Trump supporters in their MAGA hats come out and scream about how Trump won the election or bring up Hillary or how loved and revered Trump is. He is their messiah against… what? Decency? The evil liberals taking over with kale and socialism? Please. With all the propaganda about fake news and a corrupt media, political cartoons are essential to keeping voices heard when censorship bangs at the door. I will never convince those people of how corrupted we are when they are dug so deep in their own beliefs, but maybe a cartoon could. Maybe. (But I’m not holding my breath)
From my experience, the majority of celebrities- actors, musicians, TV personalities, etc.- are liberal, which is why the media is such a target, and it would seem comics are not immune. I can’t speak for all comics creators, but my interactions across the board with artists and writers and colorists have been particularly left-leaning. Maybe I just gravitate toward like-minded individuals. In the wake of Trump’s white nationalism, there has been a surge of conservative comic fans claiming the medium they love has been saturated with liberal politics and “social justice warriors” and diversity hires that diminish the overall quality of comics. Not everyone has to like the same things, I get it, but several high-profile men have earned a cult following through inflammatory videos and tweets and podcasts, to the point of sexual harassment and boycotts. There has been retaliation on both sides, including physical violence, and anyone who has been following Comic Crusaders for a while knows that we ourselves have been caught in the middle of the food fight, with only pie on our face to show for it.
But, out of all this hatred, I’ve seen many comics creators come forward against the ideals of “comicsgate” and show that they support women and persons of color and those across the LGBTQ spectrum doing what they love. Several of them are outspoken in their disapproval of Trump, and have taken to political comics/cartoons like Pia Guerra has, including one of my favorites Mike Norton whose webcomic Lil’ Donnie is much sillier than Guerra’s work but great nonetheless. Comics like Calexit and Divided States of Hysteria and Black all look at this country in a critical light, while many others quite literally turn Trump into a “bad politician” archetype in their books. I’ve even seen parodies of him as the Hulk and other comic characters. His presence in comic culture is much more prevalent than under Obama, in part due to the political leanings of creators but mostly, I think, due to how easy it is to make Trump look like a joke.
Back to the topic though, Pia Guerra has done some amazing cartoons here and they can all be found in archives, but I highly recommend you pick up this collection of cartoons. It supports her career and livelihood, and having them all in one place is worth it when they are all so damn good. I went through my favorites to include a few here, but I found myself saving over half so I had to cut it down. They discuss school shootings and Russia and family separations and the shame of our forefathers and racism and a host of other topics. Mostly black and white, but a few in full color and all done with a mastery of art and nuance and metaphor. Pick it up. Take it to heart. And vote blue in November.
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
(W) Pia Guerra (A/CA) Pia Guerra
Author Profile
- Robert joined Comic Crusaders in 2016 as contributor, but has been an active online voice through social media for almost ten years. His hobbies include reading and collecting comics, attending theme parks, making music, and driving his wife insane. Deadpool and Nightcrawler are his two favorite superheroes, and while his preference is Marvel, he dabbles in every major and indie label in the comics community. He graduated from UTPB in 2013 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is currently seeking employment in that field. A southern boy at heart, he currently resides in the Midwest.
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