Comics/Graphic Novels for socialists.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

So, I'm a bit of a comic book geek. I've personally wanted to write comics for years, and I've also read them for far longer.

Now, I think comics can be fun regardless of whether they promote socialism or not, but I thought it would be neat to recommend various comics and graphic novels that socialists might be interested in reading.

I'm very partial to Alan Moore, of course...but that's sort of like saying I'm partial to chocolate. :grin: His acclaimed Watchmen is pretty much the ultimate deconstruction of Superheroes and the political and social underpinnings of the genre. Also exposes the fear of the Cold War era from the average man on the street. Plus, its just a damn good read. Same goes for V for Vendetta.

In fact, a lot of the British comics from the early 70s onwards are quite political. You could pretty much credit write/creator/editor Pat Mills for that, as its his anti-authoritarianism that he injects into every single story that pretty much defined British comics. Of course, unlike Moore, he isn't very fond of Superheroes. His work is still incredible, though. In particular I reccomend (if you can find it) a strip he wrote for the magazine Crisis called World War Three, about the horrific consequences of global capitalism on the third world.

I'm also very partial to the work of Greg Rucka....not because his work necessarily has a socialist message, but he's pretty much the only male comics writer to write stories with believable strong female characters. His run on Wonder Woman in particular is one of my personal favorties. He's also a best-selling novelist on the side, and writes some awesome thriller fiction.

....I also love China Mieville's run on Dial H, just because it's just so much goddamn fun. :laugh:

[evermilion]

I'm actually toying with the idea of writing a socialist web comic, so, you know, whenever I actually do it, you're welcome to read it.

As for what it's about... I have no idea.

Marxists, what do you like in your comics?
Leninists, anti-revisionists, Stalinists, is there anything specific that we'd like to say with the comics medium that wouldn't be included in a general Marxist comic?

I know, if nothing else, I'd like to see the struggle with revisionism, but I haven't got the first clue how I'd make that interesting to those who don't really care about revisionism.

[Red Nightmare]

I also particularly enjoyed Watchmen, though I wouldn't consider it socialist or Marxist by any means. Superhero comics as a whole are pretty reactionary actually, the protagonists are usually portrayed as defenders of "traditional American values" and "law and order" which would entail capitalism of course.

It would be interesting to see what a socialist superhero or just any socialist comic series in general would look like.

[evermilion]

I think sentai as a genre can become pretty socialistic. Rather than focusing on one superman who's "better" than ordinary humans, sentai tend to involve teams of ordinary people who activate special powers usually connected somehow to the will of the entire planet to defend itself from the forces of darkness. Super Sentai generally depicts evil as an invading force against established institutions, but turning that around could lead to some interesting results.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

I also particularly enjoyed Watchmen, though I wouldn't consider it socialist or Marxist by any means. Superhero comics as a whole are pretty reactionary actually, the protagonists are usually portrayed as defenders of "traditional American values" and "law and order" which would entail capitalism of course.

It would be interesting to see what a socialist superhero or just any socialist comic series in general would look like.

Believe it or not, that wasn't always the case. The original Superman, the one written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Joe Schuster, was very much a depression-era defender of the working class. His primary enemies were gangsters, corrupt politicians and union busters. Grant Morrison, who started writing Action Comics back in 2011, has brought back alot of that original spirit but updated for the modern world. In fact, the very first story he wrote involves Superman threatening to drop a corrupt corporate executive off of a balcony unless he confesses his crimes to the police. He's also involved in aiding a group of homeless individuals being run out of the small ghetto they scrape by in.

[RedHal]

Believe it or not, that wasn't always the case. The original Superman, the one written by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Joe Schuster, was very much a depression-era defender of the working class. His primary enemies were gangsters, corrupt politicians and union busters. Grant Morrison, who started writing Action Comics back in 2011, has brought back alot of that original spirit but updated for the modern world. In fact, the very first story he wrote involves Superman threatening to drop a corrupt corporate executive off of a balcony unless he confesses his crimes to the police. He's also involved in aiding a group of homeless individuals being run out of the small ghetto they scrape by in.

corrupt corporate executives are pretty common villains in mainstream media. Even helping a homeless family out of the ghetto by superman can appeal to rightwinger's choice of private charity as opposed to welfare from the state.

[Ele'ill]

Scarlet

http://www.geekcasual.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Scarlet-Cover.png

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

@Mari3L

Ah yes, Bendis's new comic.

I love Bendis, and I've heard some great things about this series.

I've also heard some cynical assholes call it a ripoff of DMZ.

.....I tend to not listen to cynics. ;)1

[DDR]

Superman Red Son, maybe?

[evermilion]

Superman Red Son, maybe?

I haven't read it, but I'm willing to venture a guess as to how it ends: Superman learns that capitalism is the way or something.

[DDR]

I haven't read it, but I'm willing to venture a guess as to how it ends: Superman learns that capitalism is the way or something.

The other way arround, superman bring socialism wolrd wide.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

Oh, and while I have the chance, I want to recommend Pat Mills again for a second time.

I'm serious, if you're looking for elaborate sci-fi/adventure thrillers with strong characterization, tight plotting, and an unabashed left wing anti-authoritarianism, then Pat Mills is the guy you need to look up. He's incredible prolific and he's created and written some incredible comic strips.

Some reccomendations:

-Nemesis the Warlock = A space opera series with strong anti-imperialist and anti-religious message

-Slaine = A sword n' sorcery tale heavily inspired by Celtic myth.

-Charley's War = A WW1 battle story with a strong (and angry) anti-war message.

And countless other strips, many of them taking place in the same self-contained universe.

He's also done some great stuff in the American and French markets as well.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

Superman Red Son, maybe?

Oh yes, GREAT choice. Indeed, Superman manages to spread socialism to the rest of the world and humanity enters a Golden Age.

Of course, he has to battle his own personal demons to do it. He ends up creating a totalitarian regime that collapses under its own weight.

[blake 3:17]

I haven't read it yet, but there's a new graphic novel out on Michael Albert and participatory economics called Parecomic.

Been corresponding a bit with one of the guys who made it.

http://sean-michael-wilson.blogspot.ca/2013/05/parecomic-story-of-michael-albert-and.html

Sword of My Mouth is a friggin kick ass post-Rapture story set in urban farmed Detroit. This piece on boingboing gives a better preview than on the nomediakings site: http://boingboing.net/2010/05/17/sword-of-my-mouth-ap.html but you can click to it.

[Ele'ill]

from what I gather and have read of DMZ, DMZ is kind of all over the place and from the perspective of a journalist

[evermilion]

the other way arround, superman bring socialism wolrd wide.


oh yes, great choice. Indeed, superman manages to spread socialism to the rest of the world and humanity enters a golden age.

Of course, he has to battle his own personal demons to do it. He ends up creating a totalitarian regime that collapses under its own weight.

really?!

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

really?!

Yes, really.

I don't want to give too much away, but essentially what happens is that after Stalin's death, Superman becomes to the new Soviet premier/general secretary. Under him the Soviet Union expands dramatically.

The thing is, Superman is still the same guy as he is in the normal comics: He's still a decent person who only wants the safety and happiness of his chosen planet. The difference however is that he's more willing to violate personal and individual freedoms in order to do it.

[#FF0000]

Joe Sacco's Palestine and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis spring to mind.

The Green Arrow/Green Lantern run from the 70s too, of course.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

Joe Sacco's Palestine and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis spring to mind.

The Green Arrow/Green Lantern run from the 70s too, of course.

Both great choices also. I'd also recommend Mike Grell's run on Green Arrow from 1988 to 1994. Grell turned Oliver Queen from a gimicky Robin Hood wannabee into a socially-conscious vigilante. Awesome work.


I would also recommend the early Batman stories involving Anarky (before Alan Grant turned him into a mouthpiece for Neo-Tech).

[theghostofnestor]

I just bought the following comics for my mates sons 8th birthday

'blood on the rose' by G hunt - about the easter rising 1916
'at war with the empire' by the same - about the war of indepenence 1919
'castro' by r kleist
'che' by s rodrigueaz

I also ordered the castro manga comic but that has not arrived. I would recomend them all. Blood on the rose is very short though.

With regard to 'supeman red son' I hated it, maybe I will have another read of it but I would imagine socialists/communists would find it offensive. Again I may have to read it one more time

[BIXX]

I just read scarlet 1-6, but I can't find any other free copies online :( I really like them, so can anyone help me out?

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

I just read scarlet 1-6, but I can't find any other free copies online :( I really like them, so can anyone help me out?

The comic is still in the process of being released, so you might have to wait a bit.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I wouldn't call it leftist, but the Spartacus-with-Monsters feel of "Planet Hulk" was very enjoyable.

[Palmares]

The Invisibles by Grant Morrison




King Mob is a fictional character (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictional_character), a revolutionary created by Grant Morrison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Morrison) for The Invisibles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisibles).[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Mob_%28comics%29#cite_note-vert-invi-1)
Contents




1 Character development (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Mob_%28comics%29#Character_development)
2 Fictional character biography (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Mob_%28comics%29#Fictional_character_biograph y)
3 Notes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Mob_%28comics%29#Notes)
4 References (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Mob_%28comics%29#References)

Character development

The character's name is inspired by the Situationist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situationist_International) group King Mob (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Mob), as well as Morrison himself (as a part of a sigil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigil_%28magic%29) to improve his life.) He is also Gideon Stargrave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_Stargrave), one of Morrison's early creations. Some elements of his personality, especially his Gideon persona, are inspired by J. G. Ballard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._G._Ballard)'s "The Day of Forever (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_of_Forever)"[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Mob_%28comics%29#cite_note-2) and by Michael Moorcock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Moorcock)'s Jerry Cornelius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Cornelius).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisibles

Grant Morrison is a pretty awesome writer in general. And I feel like, alongside Alan Moore, is amongst the more overtly left-wing comic writers.

Did anyone hear about the famous "beef" between Alan Moore and Frank Miller. It was all over the latter's comments about Occupy Wall Street. His comments were extremely ignorant right-wing rhetoric. And Alan Moore aggressively attacked Frank Miller's bad politics.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/dec/06/alan-moore-frank-miller-row

[Palmares]

And this:


A protagonist in the comic book series The Invisibles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invisibles) (authored by Grant Morrison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Morrison)) is codenamed "King Mob (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Mob_%28comics%29)". The Invisibles is organized anti-hierarchically, and is dedicated to defeating a global conspiracy which deceives and preys upon the world's population. The character "King Mob" describes himself as an anarchist.

[Zukunftsmusik]

Joe Sacco's Palestine and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis spring to mind.

Haven't read Palestine, but Footnotes in Gaza by Sacco is one of the best books I've read

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

@Palmares


I freaking LOVE Grant Morrison. He's an incredible multitalented individual who genuinely loves the medium he works in. His graphic novel Joe the Barbarian (drawn by the guy behind Punk Rock Jesus) is probably one of the best all-ages graphic novels ever published. Both The Invisibles and The Filth are probably the two biggest mindfucks in American comics.

He's also a rather talented playwright and short story author. He's also a talented artist as well (he helps draw character designs for every comic he writes).

[Red Commissar]

Some of the stuff I had in mind was already mentioned, so I'll mention a guilty pleasure of mine- Judge Dredd. It's a line of the British 2000AD anthology along with the previously mentioned Slaine and Nemesis. At the surface it's really an authoritarian hellhole but the writers turn it into a form of dark humor and criticism. There's an old strip where they do their searches of residences and turn up someone who has been hoarding old books and newspapers, which is illegal in that world. It's an interesting strip with influences from Fahrenheit 451

http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/features/articles/2007/30years/dredd/cassavetes.jpg

And plus there's the crazy shit that strip does like this old one. It can't be reprinted because of copyright issues but if you read it there's another reason why McD's probably won't want this around.


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-siLtBfDVuSc/TWQwDMy3AoI/AAAAAAAAADI/oNzPTbVpYrY/s1600/4.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZKL56ZVLUg/TWQwC4RRmYI/AAAAAAAAADA/5iChJI4qUQk/s1600/5.jpg

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

@Red Commissar

Pretty much everything in 2000AD is good, Judge Dredd especially (Pat Mills actually wrote the first dredd epic, the Cursed Earth Saga). I mentioned before that Mills also created the politically-charged companion magazine Crisis, where he wrote a strip called "World War Three" that was a speculative polemic against Global Capitalism.

That Mickey D's strip is hilarious! There's a surprising amount of fiction (comics and otherwise) about the big Burger chains going to war with each other.

....And yet, I really like Big Macs. It's a vicious cycle.:(

[Os Cangaceiros]

Joe Sacco's Palestine and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis spring to mind.

The Green Arrow/Green Lantern run from the 70s too, of course.

Yes! Joe Sacco is a great artist. "Safe Area Gorazde" (about Bosnia) is a very good one, too.

Also, "It Was A War Of The Trenches" by Jacques Tardi.

[Pelarys]

Also, "It Was A War Of The Trenches" by Jacques Tardi.

Jacques Tardi makes some pretty cool stuff in general, his stuff on the Paris commune was great. It's quite a particular graphic style though, might not appeal to everyone. I wasn't aware he was known outside of France tbh.
http://static.decitre.fr/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/9/7/8/2/2/0/3/3/9782203399099FS.gif

[Os Cangaceiros]

Also, a comic that I actually surprisingly enjoyed was "Elmer", by Gerry Alanguilan. It's about a future in which some weird evolutionary process happens in which chickens somehow become sentient beings, and become more and more "anthropomorphized" and human-like, and they have to fight for their civil rights in the new world they find themselves in...a "chicken liberation front" terrorist organization is even formed for this end.

The plot sounds completely ridiculous but it's actually a pretty heartfelt and meaningful work, I thought.

[Palmares]

@Palmares


I freaking LOVE Grant Morrison. He's an incredible multitalented individual who genuinely loves the medium he works in. His graphic novel Joe the Barbarian (drawn by the guy behind Punk Rock Jesus) is probably one of the best all-ages graphic novels ever published. Both The Invisibles and The Filth are probably the two biggest mindfucks in American comics.

He's also a rather talented playwright and short story author. He's also a talented artist as well (he helps draw character designs for every comic he writes).

Honestly, post-Alan Moore, I'd say Grant Morrison is my favourite comic writer. Especially someone who is still quite active in writing comic (at least in the mainstream - Alan Moore is mostly writing underground comics contemporarily). I really love his adaptation of the Batman franchise. Infact, pretty much anything I've read of his is gold. I haven't read what sounds like more of his author-created titles that you've mentioned. I'll look into them.

I also, like other people, quite like Joe Sacco's graphic novels. He is definitely left-wing of some sort, but I do have my doubts he is as radical as Grant Morrison or Alan Moore. Infact, I find Joe Sacco to seem like an annoying character, yet, the people he meets in his travels (along with the depictions) to be very intriguing.

[Palmares]

Also check these two links (the first is ok, the seocnd... less so):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_anarchists

http://www.comicbookreligion.com/?Religion=Anarchist

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

Honestly, post-Alan Moore, I'd say Grant Morrison is my favourite comic writer. Especially someone who is still quite active in writing comic (at least in the mainstream - Alan Moore is mostly writing underground comics contemporarily). I really love his adaptation of the Batman franchise. Infact, pretty much anything I've read of his is gold. I haven't read what sounds like more of his author-created titles that you've mentioned. I'll look into them.




His Superman stuff is also an incredible read. It's hard to make the blue boyscout a relatable character, but Morrison has pulled it off multiple times. In fact, pretty much everything he's done for DC is awesome. He's willing to take risks that would destroy a lesser writer, and yet each and every time he has consistently hit it out of the park left,right and center.

His creator owned stuff is pretty awesome as well, but the effect tends to be different. The Invisibles is a three volume (seven tpb-long) epic that will basically blow your mind into a dimension parallel to another alternate dimension. I once heard it the basic premise of it being: "Imagine if every thought you ever had in your head was actually true!".

The Filth is a shorter, one volume companion piece that has a dream-like effect on the reader. On the surface its nonsensical, under the surface it may be the secret to life itself.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

The Communist Manifesto Illustrated (http://redquillbooks.com/Communist_Manifesto.html)

Now THIS looks pretty damn awesome. Love the idea of interpreting the manifesto in allegorical graphic novel form.

See that big red ghost on the cover of volume 1? That's the 'spectre haunting Europe'. :grin:

[theghostofnestor]

Now THIS looks pretty damn awesome. Love the idea of interpreting the manifesto in allegorical graphic novel form.

See that big red ghost on the cover of volume 1? That's the 'spectre haunting Europe'. :grin:

I had never heard of this until your post so ordered them and they have arrived!! Yay. I haven't read them yet but the artwork is fantastic IMO. slightly on the expensive side considering they appear to be very very short. The amount of text seems on the small side considering the subject but I will reserve judgement until I have had a proper look.

Has anyone read 'nemesis' ? I had to get that when I read it was about a caped super hero who's parents were executed by the state and now travels the globe going to war with the police. In the end it was disappointing but I won't spoil it for anyone. One thing I will say is ( and I'm
Not easily shocked) there is one part that was disturbing to put it mildly and I was shocked that some of the American right wing media didn't go mad over it!

the whole father forcing his daughter to have a abortion despite his hardcore Christian views, then nemesis forcing his son to have sex with his sister

[Ele'ill]

saw this graphic novel at the library

sacco and vanzetti

http://graphicnovelreporter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/slideshow_full2/geary10.jpg

[Halert]

Got the manga version of Das Kapital.
Translated to dutch.
It explains the basics of marx theories with a story about cheese factory. The first volume focuses more on the story and the second one more on theory.

[Red Flag Waver]

Jacques Tardi makes some pretty cool stuff in general, his stuff on the Paris commune was great. It's quite a particular graphic style though, might not appeal to everyone. I wasn't aware he was known outside of France tbh.
Sorry to bump up a somewhat old thread, but I have been reading The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec and I am now hooked on Tardi. Does anyone know if his book about the Commune is available in English?

[Doflamingo]

Though it's a manga, One Piece has some pretty leftist themes from time to time, with the World Government being one of the primary antagonistic groups, while the revolutionary army has yet to be shown as anything other than protagonistic.

Also, I loved it when Luffy declared war on the World Government, then a few hundred chapters later punched a world noble in the face. :grin:

http://i19.mangapanda.com/one-piece/502/one-piece-1693979.jpg
http://i15.mangapanda.com/one-piece/502/one-piece-1693984.jpg

[Jimmie Higgins]

Air Pirates:

http://thecargoculte.com/baddbob/mickey_vs_the_air_pirates/3.jpg
http://comicsmanga6867.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/mickey_some.jpg?w=444&h=353

[NeonTrotski]

Someone should make a graphic novel based on John Reeds 10 days that shook the world.
It would be a great way to revive interest and spread awareness of the October Revolution

[Red Commissar]

This doesn't really count but I was amused seeing some of the old X-Men and its references to then current events, especially in the form of Colossus, who pretty much embodied every stereotype of a Russian comrade including a corny "by Lenin" he'd spout every once in a while


http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/3/31337/621678-colossus_1.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdi1posVlf1rn92vzo1_1280.png