This next president isn't great

It's a cruel universe after all

I have a story in the new EC Comics anthology, Cruel Universe #4, which is out this week in comic shops. It is about the first extraterrestrial president who is elected office—twice—which gives rise to authoritarianism and tears the country apart.

It is a satire and a war comic, influenced by Harvey Kurtzman’s comics in Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat. I only write on this one—Daniel Irrizari handles the art. Here is a look at one of the variant covers by Kano, which references our story, and a page of the unlettered art. Go pick up a copy! Though it may not cheer you up; the series title is, after all, Cruel Universe.

Of course, Trump was reelected this week in a stunning return to power that really walloped the Democrats and sets the stage for a future that looks rather bleak. I don’t have much to say on it, really. Not explicitly, at least, and not now. I’m sure you can gather I… don’t love this. But over the last few years, I have really tried to change the way I engage with social media and resist what we have all been trained to sound like now, which is pundits giving play-by-play reaction. In truth, that’s what I was as a political cartoonist and the part of it I liked the least.

Nothing I have to say will change anything or feel additive. So I post about my work and don’t engage much online, which feels a little bit like pulling away sometimes, but only from a machine that has been designed to extract our attention and feelings and make us think we did something useful instead of wasteful.

When I left political cartooning, it was in large part out of creative exhaustion with the media cycle as well as the form itself. It was limiting and I wanted to approach my work and my life in a different way. So I’ve been thinking about what I want to have done four years from now, ten years from now—creatively, personally, politically—and I don’t want to have wasted hours online every day when I could be raising my children or creating comics or supporting things that make a difference. Reading every bit of news or reaction, being glued to your phone, isn’t any way to approach what will be a long haul crisis. At least, it isn’t for me anymore.

I live in Canada now so I suppose I have a bit of remove, but most everyone I know and love is in the US and a similar conservative movement is expected to take power here next year and very possibly impact my life in a serious way. So long haul it is.

Vote Harder political cartoons

I've have come back to political cartooning for one election only: the mayoral race for Bubble City in Justice Warriors: Vote Harder.

For the backup pages in between chapters, I do a one page comic strip focusing on the media and another page that contains a bunch of online reaction in his world. On two of those pages I made in-world editorial cartoons attacking the candidates, borrowing some styles you may recognize.

I will say that this book was not written about the Biden/Harris and Trump election and its contents are not dependent on who won but, man, I suspect it will hit a little harder now. I crammed as many of my thoughts on electoralism, radicalism, elites, and the capital S System as I could into this book. We hope to make Justice Warriors for many years to come so make sure to pick up a copy through me or wherever you buy your books.

Toxic Avenger #2 is out next week

The return of the Toxic Avenger continues next Wednesday when issue #2 is released. You’ll get a little more backstory to Melvin’s glamorous life before the spill as a target of relentless bullies, as well as further developments with the nefarious Biohazard Solutions corporation that has the town under quarantine.

Mostly, it’s Toxie facing off against a giant mutated teenager in a splatter-fest. If you were concerned that the first issue wasn’t quite R-rated enough, I think we will quell those fears here. AIPT has an exclusive preview of the first five pages.

Below is a page of unlettered art by Fred Harper with colors by Lee Loughridge and our lineup of covers. In the order they appear: Fred Harper’s painted cover, my own full wraparound cover, and Dean Haspiel. Make sure to call your comic shop and tell them to reserve all five issues of this series for you!