Cagle, Susie – Nine Gallons #1

Website

Nine Gallons #1

Technically Susie didn’t put a “#1” on this issue, but she did mention in the letter that this was part of a larger product, so I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume future issues.  This is one of those cases where I probably should have gone ahead and scanned the wraparound cover, as it makes the front part a lot clearer.  She also draws some excellent hands, which I know is one of the tougher things to draw.  So how about the comic?  This is the first part of the story of Susie’s time with Food Not Bombs, a group that goes by the theory that with so much money being spent on wars and with the fact that a fraction of that money could feed the world, how do we justify spending any more money on wars?  In this issue she meets other members of the group, starts interacting with homeless people and just generally gets the lay of the land.  There are all the various personalities to consider (the people getting food and the ones she’s working with) and the slight fact that the city officials seem to hate them.  This was a really strong effort on a subject where she could have easily gone preachy and lost her audience.  Everybody in here seems real (she does say she tried to stay as true as possible, just changing a few names), from her awkwardness getting started to the vast array of characters she meets.  It’s a subject that gets just about zero attention and she handles it wonderfully, what more could you want?  $5