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Schumacher, Alex – Defiling the Literati
I’m often confused by the lack of comics about current affairs and/or politics and, as always, I’m also confused as to whether there’s a vast array of them out there somewhere that I haven’t seen, or if they really are just a rarity. Either way, it’s always welcome to see a comic like this, where current events are addressed with some skill and a message. The sample image is from a simpler time, when it was obvious to all that the American people as a whole were not dumb enough to fall for a man who was only famous for being a con artist for decades. Oh, and for a catch phrase on a scripted “reality” show. Sigh, the good old days. The rest of the book is a mix of strips with a message and other strips that are just funny. There’s room enough in this world for both! Subjects include tricking hipsters with laced weed, where obsolete pieces of tech end up, managing time online (along with several other observations about aging), and the messages of Satan (in the form of a homeless woman). There are also several strips about Mr. Butterchips, a drunk monkey, and I was nervous about those, and that type of strip can go wrong in a hurry. But the bulk of these were funny with some accurate and heartbreaking messages, as Alex seems to have a pretty firm grip on what he’s doing. Subjects include the low wages of an organ grinder, getting dumped, dealing with people knocking on your door and asking for political support, the struggle to not comment when somebody posts something bigoted and/or stupid online, getting help when you need it for suicidal thoughts, several tragedies that seemed to happen right in a row, and a devastating suicide note from a sexually harassed woman. So yeah, once again there are funny bits and bits with a message; not that those bits can’t be funny too. It’s an eclectic mix that works well together, and I’d recommend it highly for anybody who thinks comics need at least a dash of more real world events and opinions. $7
