Can Comics Help Save Our Democracy?

Jacob Brogan is an assistant editor for Outlook/PostEverything at The Washington Post. He has covered TV, literature, emerging technologies and Internet history. He hosts Slate’s podcast “Working,” about what people do all day, and writes about culture, politics, and the natural world on a freelance basis for Slate, as well as The New Yorker, Smithsonian, The New Republic and others.

R. Sikoryak is a cartoonist. He’s the author of Masterpiece Comics, Terms and Conditions, and The Unquotable Trump. He adapts the classics for various anthologies, including The Graphic Canon, Fable Comics, and more. His comics and illustrations have appeared in many publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, and The Nation, as well as on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. R. Sikoryak is the master of the pop culture pastiche. In Constitution Illustrated (Drawn and Quarterly) he focus on the very framework of the republic. By visually interpreting the complete text of the supreme law of the land with American pop culture icons, Sikoryak distills the very essence of the government legalese from the abstract to the tangible, the historical to the contemporary. The Eighteenth Amendment that instituted prohibition is articulated with Homer Simpson running from Chief Wiggum; the Fourteenth Amendment that solidifies citizenship to all people born and naturalized in the United States is personified by Ms. Marvel; and, of course, the Nineteenth Amendment offering women the right to vote is a glorious depiction of Wonder Woman. Publishers Weekly celebrated it: “This pastiche of comics and politics is a cleverly educational and irresistible way to engage with this foundational text.”

Cynthia Levinson writes nonfiction books about social justice for young readers, including The Youngest Marcher and Watch out for Flying Kids. Sanford Levinson is a constitutional law scholar and the author of books on the U.S. Constitution and other subjects. Ally Shwed is a cartoonist, writer, and editor. She has worked with The Boston Globe, Topic, Jezebel, The Intercept, and regularly contributes to the comics journalism website The Nib. She is the editor-in-chief of Little Red Bird Press. The United States Constitution was created in 1787, after 116 days of heated debates and bitter arguments. This imperfect document set forth America’s guiding principles, but it would also introduce some of today’s most contentious political issues—from gerrymandering, to the Electoral College, to presidential impeachment. With colorful art, compelling discourse, and true stories from America’s past and present, Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Graphic Novel (First Second) explores how today’s political struggles have their origins in the decisions of our Founding Fathers. Kirkus Reviews called it “A provocative illumination of the nooks and crannies of a document that citizens have come to take for granted.”

George O’Connor is the New York Times–bestselling author of the Olympians, the ongoing series of graphic novels featuring the tragic, dramatic, and epic lives of the Greek gods. His first graphic novel was Journey into Mohawk Country, and is also the creator of popular picture books such as the New York Times bestseller Kapow! and If I Had A Triceratops. He also illustrated playwright Adam Rapp’s Ball Peen Hammer. Daniel G. Newman is a national expert on government accountability and money in politics. He is President and Co-Founder of MapLight, a nonpartisan nonprofit that promotes transparency and political reform. The graphic novel Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy (First Second) exposes the twisted roots of our broken democracy and highlights the efforts of those unrigging the system to return power to We the People. Unrig takes readers behind the scenes—from the sweaty cubicles where senators dial corporate CEOs for dollars, to lavish retreats where billionaires boost their favored candidates — but it also highlights surprising solutions to limit the influence of big money. Publishers Weekly said “This cogent plea for democracy is fueled with an urgency that should initiate debate and inspire action.”

Daniel G. Newman is a national expert on government accountability and money in politics. He is President and Co-Founder of MapLight, a nonpartisan nonprofit that promotes transparency and political reform. Newman has appeared in hundreds of media outlets, including CNN, CBS, MSNBC, FOX Business News, and NPR. George O’Connor is the New York Times–bestselling author of the Olympians. Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy (First Second), Newman’s first graphic novel, exposes the twisted roots of our broken democracy and highlights the heroic efforts of those unrigging the system to return power to We the People. Unrig takes readers behind the scenes—from the sweaty cubicles where senators dial corporate CEOs for dollars, to lavish retreats where billionaires boost their favored candidates — but it also highlights surprising solutions to limit the influence of big money. If you’re overwhelmed by negative news and despairing for the direction of our country, Unrig is a tonic that will restore your faith and reveal the path forward to fix our broken democracy. Publishers Weekly said “This cogent plea for democracy is fueled with an urgency that should initiate debate and inspire action.”