Killed Cartoons: Casualties from the War on Free Expression
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Antidote to editorial timidity
  • Kartoons that did not see print
  • Wrong choice
  • Funny, but you don't want to laugh
  • Understand what you're getting
Killed Cartoons: Casualties from the War on Free Expression

Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393329240

Book Description

One hundred political cartoons you wanted to see, but weren't allowed to: all were banned for being too hot to handle.

Think you live in a society with a free press? These celebrated cartoonists and illustrators found out otherwise. Whether blasting Bush for his "Bring 'em on!" speech, spanking pedophile priests, questioning capital punishment, debating the disputed 2000 election, or just mocking baseball mascots, they learned that newspapers and magazines increasingly play it safe by suppressing satire.

With censored cartoons, many unpublished, by the likes of Garry Trudeau, Doug Marlette, Paul Conrad, Mike Luckovich, Matt Davies, and Ted Rall (all Pulitzer Prize winners or finalists), as well as unearthed editorial illustrations by Norman Rockwell, Edward Sorel, Anita Kunz, Marshall Arisman, and Steve Brodner, you will find yourself surprised and often shocked by the images themselves—and outraged by the fact that a fearful editor kept you from seeing them. Needed now more than ever because of a neutered press that's more lapdog than watchdog, Killed Cartoons will make you laugh, make you angry, and make you think. 100 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Antidote to editorial timidity .......2007-05-30

If you're disheartened by pusillanimous publishers who lack the sand to back up their writers and cartoonists when they come up with controversial material, David Wallis is your man. In his previous work, "Killed: Great Journalism Too Hot To Print," he championed journalists whose articles were decommissioned by their fearful overseers; now in KILLED CARTOONS he's back with a book that does the same for editorial cartoonists. Clever, thoughtful, and brave.

4 out of 5 stars Kartoons that did not see print.......2007-05-13

What a shame these weren't printed. All were to the point, and pertinant.

2 out of 5 stars Wrong choice.......2007-05-13

The Book was good enough it just wasnt quit what I was looking foward to

5 out of 5 stars Funny, but you don't want to laugh.......2007-04-28

I enjoyed KILLED CARTOONS immensely. The work illustrates beautifully why political cartoons are important. (And why they're capable of generating real controversy.) What Wallis understands is that cartoons have a contradictory function. One the one hand they have to amuse the reader, and on the other, they have to upset his/her equilibrium--ideally to the boiling point. Cartoons reach us on a visceral level, which is why I found Wallis' commentary (captions, if you will) a perfect complement to them. Wallis is a witty intelligent and apparently well-informed writer. This book came to me as a gift, I just bought his KILLED: Journalism To Hot to Print, with my own money.

2 out of 5 stars Understand what you're getting.......2007-04-21

For the right audience, I'm sure this is a fine work. I was not the right audience. I wanted a book that presented the cartoons, with perhaps minimal commentary, and let me decide for myself. Instead, this provides pages of commentary and, actually, very few cartoons (94 in its 282 pages - I counted). If you're looking for a treatise on the myth of freedom of the press, using a few cartoons as case studies, then by all means look at this book. Just know what it is you are buying, and know that less than a third of the pages in the book actually show the "Killed Cartoons" that the title promises.
Drawn to Extremes: The Use and Abuse of Editorial Cartoons in the United States
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • One Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words.
Drawn to Extremes: The Use and Abuse of Editorial Cartoons in the United States
Chris Lamb
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 023113066X

Book Description

Four days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Pulitzer Prize--winning cartoonist Joel Pett of the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader chided President George W. Bush for having declared that America would "punish any state that harbored or trained terrorists." In one of his cartoons, Pett asked if this included the state of Florida, where the terrorists had lived and taken flying lessons. When Pett followed with other criticisms of Bush, readers canceled subscriptions, demanded that Pett be fired, and left profane messages on his voice mail. "One elderly woman spat into the phone that I 'should have been in the World Trade Center,'Pett said. "Such is the power of the cartoon when it is unleashed."

Unrestricted by journalistic standards of objectivity, editorial cartoonists wield ire and irony to reveal the naked truths about presidents, business leaders, and other public figures. Indeed, since the founding of the republic, cartoonists have both made an important contribution to and offered a critical commentary on our society.

This book demonstrates the limits of cartooning from the courtroom to the newsroom. Chris Lamb examines the reasons for the declining state of the art and the implications for all of us. Most newspapers today publish relatively generic, gag-related, syndicated cartoons. They are cheaper and generate fewer phone calls than hard-hitting cartoons. Lamb charges that they are symptomatic of the foundering newspaper industry and reflect a weakness in the newspaper's traditional watchdog function. If a newspaper wants to fulfill its function in society, maybe it should find ways to make the phone ring more -- not less!

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars One Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words........2006-01-14

As newspaper readership stagnates, publishers are reducing staff. As a result of the deteriorating newspaper industry, cartoonists are losing jobs and few are finding new ones. At the 2003 Pittsburgh convention of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, Rob Rogres, the conference's organizer, observed "that the shrinking number of cartoonists reflects the economics and priorities of the newspaper industry. He's one of the lucky ones, as staff cartoonist for Pittsburgh's 'Post-Gazette.'

This book is full of editorial cartoons plus a few comic strips, some old but still relevant, some of more recent vintage. "If things continue as they have [been]," one frustrated cartoonist said, "they may be forced to do as they did in colonial days: sell their work on the streets." Kevin Kallangher, a former president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists, "predicted that editorial cartooning would rise and fall with daily newspapers. The future of cartooning is inextricably bound to the future of newspapers."

At the Pittsburgh gathering in 2003, the fact that "the number of editorial cartoonists working full time for daily newspapers had dropped to a 30-yr. low. These annual conventions have become more and more like reunions of WWII veterans," fewer return and those who do "wonder which of them will be the next one to go." The profession has compromised itself by using subs instead of the real thing. "Paul Conrad [of the 'Los Angeles times'] once told a gathering of cartoonists that they had shrunk from their responsibilities because they were ill informed on either the issues of the day or the classics of antiquity."

This is an important form of American journalism, using pictures to show social criticism in this country's tradition of a free press. "As artists, satirists, and commentators, editorial cartoonists make a unique and invaluable contribution to society. My local daily newspaer has an excellent, long-time staff cartoonist on the editorial page. "Journalism ought to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable; there's no better way to afflict the comfortable than with editorial cartoons." And Charlie Daniel at the 'Knoxville News Sentinel' is one of the best.

By having too many editorial columnists and writers, but no full time editorial cartoonist, journalism is reflected in "the decling readership and declinging influence of American newspapers." Chris Lamb is professor of communications at the College of Charleston.
We the People:  A Call to Take Back America
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • We Need More Thom Hartmans
  • Blind leftest propaganda
  • big story told in accessible language
  • Very Informative
  • Outstanding and well thought out explanation of the 'real' conservative agenda!
We the People: A Call to Take Back America
Thom Hartmann , and Gene Latimer
Manufacturer: Coreway Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1882109384

Book Description

America faces its greatest threat since the Civil War. The worst fears of the Founders are being realized, as powerful corporate interests have taken over our culture and representative government. We the People now face a fundamental choice: take back our country . . . or do nothing, and become victims of tyranny and empire.

Thom Hartmann, the acclaimed author of Unequal Protection and The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight, tells a compelling story -- of how a government of, by, and for the people has been replaced by corporate domination. Through brilliant analysis and imaginative illustrations, this fully graphic book illuminates the central dynamics of American politics.

He reveals the forgotten history of the Founders' intent and the devious way that corporations came to possess "human" rights. He explains what the Boston Tea Party actually was, what constituted the Second American Revolution, and how "corporatists" disguised as conservatives are looting assets from We the People's common ownership through privatization schemes.

Most importantly, the book issues a call to action from citizens who want to restore true democracy, and liberty and justice . . . for all.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars We Need More Thom Hartmans.......2007-09-23

A very unique format for a serious book. Thom Hartman again tries to teach us how important the middle class is for the survival of this country. The middle class has to start grass roots movements to take back our country from the megacorporations.

1 out of 5 stars Blind leftest propaganda.......2007-08-17

This lefest propaganda of lies is just as insulting as a book of conservative propganda lies. People like this are such an insult to our country. Hartmann takes whatever comes out of a conservatives mouth and turns it completely around. Attack after attack on policies that work. For example wire tapping and intercepting mail which is pretty necessary considering the fact that it was proven on september 11th that terrorists are capable of planning,hijacking planes and killing thousands of Americans inside our country under our noses. Bushes policy of wire tapping and etc have foiled numerous terrorist plots after 9/11 saving hundreds and even thousands of lives . Anyway, i didnt want to get into anything detailed... The point is people like this on the left and the right are poisoning the minds of the ignorant and the naive and making it harder to work together for a better America. If you actually like this book and give it a high score then you are pretty blind and narrow minded.

5 out of 5 stars big story told in accessible language.......2007-08-17

Thom Hartmann is a genius. I had my doubts about the graphic novel format, but, hey, it works! This book tells a huge story-- the intentional dismantling of our government, the theft of our commons, the destruction of our democracy-- in clear, straight-forward, accessible language. Buy it! Buy it new! Give it to friends, to teenaged children, to Republican uncles.

4 out of 5 stars Very Informative.......2007-02-06

I like the contents of the book, but don't like the fact that the pictures are in cartoon fashion. I believe this takes away from the seriousness of the contents.

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding and well thought out explanation of the 'real' conservative agenda!.......2006-07-10

Explaining the original intentions of the Founders in regards to corporate personhood and the conservative agenda to turn America into a new feudal society, all in graphic novel form? --Priceless.

I greatly enjoyed reading this book! It is exceptionally well thought-out in its argument that America is headed for a new type of feudalism, where a rich elite control the 'commons' and the rest of us are doomed to serfdom and acceptance of corporate power and influence. The book uses amusing and compelling graphics and well-cited examples to illustrate it's arguments. But, of course, if you've ever listened to Thom Hartmann's radio show, you know he's the real deal! Best of all, Hartmann stresses that all is not lost, and that with concerted effort and grassroots action--which he details--all of us can help to bring America back on the right track and make our nation one that lives up to the words of its founding.

Buy this book and learn...then act!
Palestine
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Accurate and Heart-Rending Portrayal
  • The Truth behind all the Pain ..
  • A real achievement.
  • If you want to understand it all you MUST read this one
  • A lot of cliches, one lie and bias
Palestine
Joe Sacco , and Edward Said
Manufacturer: Fantagraphics Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 156097432X

Book Description

Fantagraphics Books is pleased to present, for the first time, a single-volume collection of this 288-page landmark of journalism and the artform of comics. Interest in Sacoo has never been higher than with the release of his critically acclaimed book, Safe Area Gorazde.

Based on several months of research and an extended visit to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the early 1990s (where he conducted over 100 interviews with Palestinians and Jews), Palestine was the first major comics work of political and historical nonfiction by Sacco, who has often been called the first comic book journalist.

Sacco's insightful reportage takes place at the front lines, where busy marketplaces are spoiled by shootings and tear gas, soldiers beat civilians with reckless abandon, and roadblocks go up before reporters can leave. Sacco interviewed and encountered prisoners, refugees, protesters, wounded children, farmers who had lost their land, and families who had been torn apart by the Palestinian conflict.

In 1996, the Before Columbus Foundation awarded Palestine the seventeenth annual American Book Award, stating that the author should be recognized for his "outstanding contribution to American literature," while his publisher, Fantagraphics, is "to be honored for their commitment to quality and their willingness to take risks that accompany publishing outstanding books and authors that may not prove 'cost-effective' in the short run."

This new edition of Palestine also features a new introduction from renowned author, critic, and historian Edward Said, author of Peace and Its Discontents and The Question of Palestine and one of the world's most respected authorities on the Middle Eastern conflict.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Accurate and Heart-Rending Portrayal.......2007-06-22

Joe Sacco lived in Palestine for 2 months, living and conversing with Palestinians about the horrors of Israeli occupation. He shows visually what Human Rights reports can only give in statistics: the shame and inhumanity of arbitrary checkpoints, the immense grief of losing a son or daughter to blatant Israelis aggression and Chauvinism, the deadening effect of a life fully controlled by a racist occupying force in one's own country, and the stoic resolve with which innocent Palestinians (women, children, men) are tortured by Israeli Shin Bet.

Israeli apologists and closet bigots will ironically (and predictably) call this book "propaganda" and "lies". Unfortunately for them, truth does not conform to the subjective imaginings of a flawed and hypocritical ideology. Zionism is founded on the exploitation and suffering of the Palestinians, and no amount of prevarication, sophistry, and lies can change this fact.

Sacco's artwork is unique and eye-catching, meticulous and quirky. The images are worth the price alone. A must-read.

5 out of 5 stars The Truth behind all the Pain .. .......2007-02-16

This is probably the best book out there that'll make you understand what you never understood before , A true Graphic novel that captured what other artists haven't .. 10\10 You can't live without reading this, Just give it a chance .. You wont be the same .

5 out of 5 stars A real achievement........2007-01-15

I'd just like to echo what so many other reviewers have said - such as how people will gain a deeper understanding of the Palestinian's struggle, and that we should buy two copies of "Palestine" and give one away. I actually bought an additional copy that's in Spanish and sent it to a library in Mexico.
The way Joe Sacco describes life and his own experience in the Occupied Territories is captivating, and the drawings are fantastic.
When he came out with this graphic novel, there were very few voices who would dare to say something sympathetic toward Palestinians. Now, with books like Jimmy Carter's "Palestine: Peace not Apartheid" and the work of Noam Chomsky reaching a global audience, Sacco's compassion is more mainstream.

For analysis of how the Palestinian's struggle was mischaracterized for so long, I'd suggest the DVD "Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land."
And for people who are interested in the "graphic" novel format, I'd also highly recommend "Wobblies!: A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World" edited by Paul Buhle and Nicole Schulman.

5 out of 5 stars If you want to understand it all you MUST read this one.......2006-09-11

If you seek to understand the Middle East, this is one you MUST read. That's all I have to say. To say more would be superfluous. You really want to understand it all, you MUST read it. There, I"ve said it twice. NOw go read it. If you want to understand.....

4 out of 5 stars A lot of cliches, one lie and bias.......2006-08-19

It is not suprising that the conflict in the middle east lends itself to distortion and hyperbole, after all not everyone can visit the region and few understand the size of things being fought over. If the region was as proportional to the world as presented in the media it would be the size of Asia rather than .001% of it.

This comic looks at a person travelling to Israel and subseuqently going to the Palestinian territories and seing the 'truth'. But there is one truth here. When in Israel he wears a skullkap or Yarmluke(Kippah) a sign of being Jewish, in the territories he does not. Why? Because he could die for it. This might be a worthwhile litmus test for tolerance, it clearly shows what 'tolerance' really means in Palestine. If you can die for being religious, that doesnt point to the liberal tolerance Edward Said claims to exist.

However there is one blatent lie in the drawings here. The Jewish houses in the settlements are accused of looking 'foreign' while the Arab ones are said to be 'indigenous'. Somehow this is hard to beleive given the fact that 95% of Arab homes in Palestine are constructed of concrete, and are two stories. THos 'native' houses the author refers to, and depicts, existed as mud huts in the 1800s, todays rich Palestinian elite have Mercedes and 3 story houses, ten times larger than the trailors and single bedroom homes of the 'bad' settlers. But distortion can be forgiven, it is a critical view of how Israel is bad and Palestine good.

Seth J. Frantzman
In the Shadow of No Towers
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Dull
  • Not quite what I expected
  • "I finally understand why some Jews didn't leave Berlin after Kristallnacht"---Art Spiegelman
  • Go Shopping and Be Afraid
  • Deeply moving, but ill-informed
In the Shadow of No Towers
Art Spiegelman
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 0375423079
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com

Catastrophic, world-altering events like the September 11 attacks on the United States place the millions of us who experience them on the "fault line where World History and Personal History collide." Most of us, however, cannot document that intersection with the force, compression, and poignancy expressed in Art Spiegelman's In the Shadow of No Towers. As in his Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus, cartoonist Spiegelman presents a highly personalized, political, and confessional diary of his experience of September 11 and its aftermath. In 10 large-scale pages of original, hard hitting material (composed from September 11, 2001 to August 31, 2003), two essays, and 10 old comic strip reproductions from the early 20th century, Spiegelman expresses his feelings of dislocation, grief, anxiety, and outrage over the horror of the attacks---and the subsequent "hijacking" of the event by the Bush administration to serve what he believes is a misguided and immoral political agenda. Readers who agree with Spiegelman's point of view will marvel at the brilliance of his images and the wit and accuracy of his commentary. Others, no doubt, will be jolted by his candor and, perhaps, be challenged to reexamine their position.

The central image in the sequence of original broadsides, which returns as a leitmotif in each strip, is Spiegelman's Impressionistic "vision of disintegration," of the North Tower, its "glowing bones...just before it vaporized." (As downtown New Yorkers, Spiegelman and his family experienced the event firsthand.) But the images and styles in the book are as fragmentary and ever-shifting as Spiegelman's reflections and reactions. The author's closing comment that "The towers have come to loom far larger than life...but they seem to get smaller every day" reflects a larger and more chilling irony that permeates In the Shadow of No Towers. Despite the ephemeral nature of the comic strip form, the old comics at the back of the book have outlasted the seemingly indestructible towers. In the same way, Spiegelman's heartfelt impressions have immortalized the towers that, imponderably, have now vanished. --Silvana Tropea

Book Description

For Art Spiegelman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Maus, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were both highly personal and intensely political. In the Shadow of No Towers, his first new book of comics since the groundbreaking Maus, is a masterful and moving account of the events and aftermath of that tragic day.
Spiegelman and his family bore witness to the attacks in their lower Manhattan neighborhood: his teenage daughter had started school directly below the towers days earlier, and they had lived in the area for years. But the horrors they survived that morning were only the beginning for Spiegelman, as his anguish was quickly displaced by fury at the U.S. government, which shamelessly co-opted the events for its own preconceived agenda.
He responded in the way he knows best. In an oversized, two-page-spread format that echoes the scale of the earliest newspaper comics (which Spiegelman says brought him solace after the attacks), he relates his experience of the national tragedy in drawings and text that convey—with his singular artistry and his characteristic provocation, outrage, and wit—the unfathomable enormity of the event itself, the obvious and insidious effects it had on his life, and the extraordinary, often hidden changes that have been enacted in the name of post-9/11 national security and that have begun to undermine the very foundation of American democracy.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Dull.......2007-03-09

In a small series of comic strips originally designed to be printed as large, two-page newspaper spreads, Spiegelman illustrates his personal experiences of the attack on the World Trade Center. He focuses mainly upon four themes: his concern over the safety of his daughter who was attending a school right near the towers, his growing paranoia over the government, the funny but disturbing display of blind patriotism that arose amongst the US population and media following the tragedy, and, lastly, how slow he is at producing comic strips.

Given the emotions still surrounding 9/11, it would take extraordinarily bad writing to fail to get any reaction from a reader, and perhaps that is why Spiegelman is so lazy and sloppy here. I'm sure he felt emotions while he was writing this, and he DOES do a good job of making the reader feel some of his anxiety over his daughter's safety, and some of his anecdotes are interesting (his never-used TV interview about how "American" 9/11 made him feel -- it didn't -- is quite humourous). But overall the writing lacks direction, is amateurish and hackneyed, and surprisingly ineffective at eliciting a strong emotional reaction from the reader given the subject matter. It usually wasn't so much Spiegelman's writing that made me feel emotions, but the memories it drew from inside of me (like the images of people falling from the towers). Without those memories, it was just history.

The problem may in part be due to the format of his stories. In each spread we tend to get a glimpse of a storyline, then we get to the next strip and we see basically the same glimpse of a storyline with much repetition and little progression, rendering his storytelling completely choppy. It reminded me of newscasts where they keep repeating the same "coming up" message over and over again, and when they finally get to the story itself, it winds up being even shorter and less informative than any of the multiple previews you sat through. And sometimes he doesn't even go that far. To illustrate, Spiegelman repeatedly tells you how paranoid he felt. But he does not get his feeling of paranoia across. He doesn't make the reader feel any of his paranoia or really show its effects on his life (other than some lost sleep). And it comes across as completely matter-of-fact. He might as well be telling us that he ate a salami sandwich for lunch yesterday without even describing its taste, his hunger, etc.

Some of his artwork is interesting as he draws upon classic strips from the early 20th century for inspiration, but this technique rarely adds any depth to the story's content. It is interesting style, but that's all it is -- style. It makes for pretty pictures, but fails to redeem the text.

Overall, Spiegelman has nothing new to say on the subject of 9/11. It has all been done far more competently and compellingly elsewhere by numbers too great to count. Ultimately lightweight, Shadow is printed on nice, thick boards to create the illusion that it is far more substantial than it is. It includes reprints of several interesting vintage comic strips which are included both to allow the reader less versed in comics to see where Spiegelman drew stylistic inspiration, and to pad out the books extremely small page count.

3 out of 5 stars Not quite what I expected.......2006-04-02

I thought this would be more of a story of the artist's personal experience & less political. I don't disagree with his politics, but it was still somewhat of a disappointment. Spiegelman's artwork is always amazing, often moving & thought provoking. I was really moved by his quote: "I finally understand why some Jews didn't leave Berlin right after Kristallnacht!" I also enjoyed the section on old political cartoons

3 out of 5 stars "I finally understand why some Jews didn't leave Berlin after Kristallnacht"---Art Spiegelman.......2006-02-17

Before this book, I had never picked up a book on 9/11, being that I assumed they are all so politically biased (be it one extreme or another). There are also so many of them, some released very soon after the attack. It is frustrating to look at the "new books" section of the local library and see ½ the shelves filled with 9/11 books. I couldn't help myself with this curio, however. I am a fan of history and comics. Browsing through the large, thick, colorful cardboard panels of "In the Shadow of No Towers", I saw a vintage newspaper page on the shooting of President McKinley (the author doesn't elaborate on why this was used, must be the terrorism theme, in this case anarchism) and what looked like on first glance a vintage comic on the Titanic (it turned out to be an even older comic). I knew this book was right up my alley. Having never read Maus, I wasn't sure what to expect but looked forward to checking it out.

It didn't take long to find the politically-biased stuff I dreaded.. On the very first plate: "In those first few days after 9/11 I got lost constructing conspiracy theories about my government's complicity in what had happened that would have done a Frenchman proud. (My susceptibility for conspiracy goes back a long ways but had reached its previous peak after the 2000 elections)." In fact, in his "...No Towers" comics that make up the first 10 panels of the 18-plate book, the author reveals a preoccupation with the 2000 elections. At one point he calls George W. Bush that "creature in the White House" (7). This book came out before the 2004 elections, so one can only wonder if the author has yet to let 2000 go. On panel 7, he has a red/blue zone look at the 2000 elections "the one that put the loser in office," with what I'm guessing is the percentage of the popular vote showing Gore the winner (of course, it is not the popular vote that determines the winner).

The "...No Towers" strips are very aesthetically interesting with computer images mixed with colorful comic artwork. The author relives his experiences during the tragedy, getting his daughter from the UN school near the towers, a run-in with a predictable crazy lady living on the street, etc. He then goes into his own internal struggles with what had transpired and the aftermath. My favorite line is "sometimes complaining is the only solace" (9). The vintage comics section I found to be the most intriguing as I enjoy (though I don't often understand) that early 20th century humor. Spiegelman chose is 8 comics, it seems, based on themes of buildings and American patriotism. I am grateful he includes an explanation of them, especially the Krazy Kat comic, as I would probably not understand the connection he drew between them and 9/11 otherwise. Actually, I was a little disappointed in the vintage comics used. I thought they'd deal with how comic writers dealt with other tragedies. My favorite vintage comic is the first one used in plate 1 "Etymological Vaudeville" where Happy Hooligan gets ready for bed and takes off one of his shoes that goes "Klomp!" Not wanting to wake his family, he quietly takes off the other shoe and goes to bed only to be awakened by his family cussing and yelling, "Drop the other @*g! shoe so we can go to sleep!".

What strikes me the most is the reoccurring theme that the end of the world is upon us. I think that probably people from every generation felt this away about the tragic events of their time, be it war, famine, plague, etc. Spiegelman makes statements like "I worry whether New York City or I will still be around" (7). I think we all are guilty of taking our time on earth too seriously. We like to think that we witnessed the worst thing to ever happen in the history of man. Horror is all relative of course, but in the scheme of history, as horrible as 9/11 was, it was not the worst thing to happen on earth. Worse things have happened in the past and will happen in the future. Spiegelman himself hints at this at the end of his introduction: "I still believe the world is ending, but I concede that it seems to be ending more slowly than I once thought" (i).

3 out of 5 stars Go Shopping and Be Afraid.......2006-02-04

There's no way this project could be as tremendous as Spiegelman's life's work, "Maus," but it's tough not to make comparisons. This book consists of just ten large-scale comic strips that Spiegelman created to explore his feelings about 9/11 and its aftermath. Spiegelman's personal experience of the disaster – his family lives and works literally next to the World Trade Center – gives his accounts a direct poignancy, with more strength and emotion than the jingoism you get from pundits who weren't there. And as always, Spiegelman's artwork is outstandingly expressive, with his gifts for artistic allegory and surrealism in full eye-popping display. However, things go asunder when Spiegelman extends his comic strips to the political aftermath of 9/11. I don't disagree with the idea that the Bush administration has used the disaster to consolidate votes and bully a fearful public into backing their political agenda, and I won't accuse Spiegelman of conspiracy theorizing as others have. However, Spiegelman's social and political philosophy is rather undeveloped and sketchy, and frankly too weak to stand next to his outstanding artwork. Meanwhile, the second half of this very meager book consists of reprints of old comic strips from the early 1900's, which Spiegelman says have influenced his artwork and his opinions on the post-9/11 American political landscape. These strips are certainly interesting from a historical standpoint, but I'm not really buying Spiegelman's claims of a direct connection to the rest of the book. [~doomsdayer520~]

3 out of 5 stars Deeply moving, but ill-informed.......2005-12-26

With Maus, Spiegelman showed how well he could tug at our emotions and portray a sense of struggling and grasping in the most hopeless scenarios. Here, however Spiegelman tries to weave the same effect based on conspiracies and propaganda, and the result is to cheapen Maus and Spiegelman alike. Readers of Maus are advised to steer clear of this book, as it will destroy the power of Spiegelman's narration by destroying the credibility and the sense of a frank and honest witness to the events.
Japan, Inc.: Introduction to Japanese Economics (The Comic Book) (The Comic Book)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Interesting read (for fun of course)
  • Griping is universal.
  • Japan, Inc by Shotaro Ishinomori
Japan, Inc.: Introduction to Japanese Economics (The Comic Book) (The Comic Book)
Shotaro Ishinomori
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520062892

Book Description

They are burning Japanese cars in Detroit. The top management at Toyosan Motors must decide whether to begin offshore production of its cars in the U.S. But our hero Mr. Kudo fears that offshore production will devastate the numerous local subcontractors of Toyosan, leading to a hollowing out of the auto industry in Japan, leaving only a financial shell. The American color TV industry has already suffered such a fate. The villain, Mr. Tsugawa, calls Kudo a wimp and sees a splendid opportunity for union busting. Will our hero prevail?
Thus begins the first episode of this rollicking yet incisive introduction to the world economy from the Japanese point of view. Other episodes treat the appreciation of the yen, the impact of the 1970s oil shocks, deficit financing, the internationalization of business and banking, and the post-industrial future of Japan and the Pacific Rim.
The book is an English edition of volume 1 of Manga Nihon keizai nyumon, originally published in 1986 by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the Japanese equivalent of the Wall Street Journal. It is based on a serious introductory text put out by the newspaper and is packed with informative charts and facts. When the comic book was first published in Japan, it was an immediate best-seller, selling over 550,000 copies in less than a year.
The stories in the book reflect Japan's national mood during the "Japanese miracle" and into the 1980s economic bubble: apprehension and optimism jostle one another, and there is a sense of national self-pity. The book also reflects a deep suspicion of politics and bureaucrats. The prime minister appears more worried about his government's popularity than about taking the right economic course. Ultimately, the employees at Toyosan Motors demonstrate that the success of the Japanese economy will not depend on natural resources or politics but on business practices that are ethical, socially responsible, and forward-looking.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Interesting read (for fun of course).......2007-05-12

This manga is very fun, especially for those who already have extensive knowledge in Japanese/American politics, cultures, and economics. For those of you who don't know, its about the lives of workers in the Japanese automobile industry and the tensions, hopes and dreams felt in Japan during the 1980s. This manga captures the essence of the long passed era, and is always a fun read.

3 out of 5 stars Griping is universal........2006-10-03

What really amused me about this book is that many of the complaints the Japanese workers in it make are virtually the same as American workers were making at the time, i.e. that protective trade policies from America were costing them work.

4 out of 5 stars Japan, Inc by Shotaro Ishinomori.......2004-08-24

Ever wonder how Toyota spells out a 100 year business plan while Intel keeps giving investors quarterly advisories? Shotaro Ishinomori gives an interesting perspective on Japan's economic problems and the ensuing volatility. In Japan, comic book artists often strive to achieve intellectual respectability. Hence comic books are very common among white-collar workers. Two characters- Tsugawa and Kudo are used to illustrate various economic realities such as global trade disputes, appreciation of the yen with respect to the dollar, 1973 oil crisis, deficit financing, and corporate speculative financing. Tsugawa represents a capitalist indifferent to the the little guy. Kudo clashes often with Tsugawa as he urges taking the long view and emphasizes the social utility of business. Politicians are exposed as individuals putting private gain above public interest. Ishinomori is greatly influenced by the moralists of the Meiji era. The theme of his book is that great corporations are built on long-term, ethical, and socially responsible business practices. Let's hope more western CEOs listen to Ishinomori.
9-11: Artists Respond, Volume 1
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • To "A reader"
  • Hard to keep the moisture from your eyes
  • Heartfelt Tales of September 11th and it's Aftermath
  • Amazing collectable, great read
  • Personal Takes on a Tragic Event
9-11: Artists Respond, Volume 1
Will Eisner , P. Craig Russell , John McCrae , Eric Powell , Jon J. Muth , David Chelsea , Eric Drooker , Kevin Nowlan , Paul Sloboda , Paul Chadwick , Randy Stradley , and Dave Gibbons
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563898810

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars To "A reader".......2005-06-05

I am sorry for your loss and will make no positioning to state I in any way know how you feel. However, if you had taken the tiny extra bit of time to look at this graphic novel you would have noticed that not a single artist or writer made money on this. It was all a voluntary work basis and all the profits, every last dime, went to charities to help those that lost loved ones in this human atrocity.


Peace be with you.

4 out of 5 stars Hard to keep the moisture from your eyes.......2005-03-24

It is natural to flash back to that fateful day when you read these cartoons. With that in mind, it is hard to keep the moisture out of your eyes. Like everyone else, I was astonished at the fall of the twin towers, it stunned us all in a way that goes to the depth of our being. These are some of the most powerful cartoons that have ever been published. Not necessarily on their own, but in the context of the times, they cannot help but move you.

5 out of 5 stars Heartfelt Tales of September 11th and it's Aftermath.......2002-12-16

There's really not much I can say about this book. The stories contained in it are poignant and touching and heartbreaking and hopeful all at once, and each and every contributor has given not only their time and talent to the project, but clearly they've also given a piece of their hearts. Being born and raised in New York City, the events of September 11th are especially painful to me, but I came away from reading this book feeling just a little more hopeful than I did when I started it. Kudos to all involved for a magnificent effort. (And all of the money goes to a good cause, too!)

4 out of 5 stars Amazing collectable, great read.......2002-07-16

Got this after a desire to collect the 9-11 comics as my ending run in comic collecting, and I must say I am impressed with not only the size of it, but the consitent and diverse work inside. Loads of unfamiliar work that perhaps wouldn't be seen on such a public level with such quality, and at 200 pages for the price its at, its damn good.

The stories themselves? Some make you think. Some make you wonder. All make you remember.

5 out of 5 stars Personal Takes on a Tragic Event.......2002-04-05

The power of the comic book medium is that, by using drawings, they express emotions and reactions that are difficult to put down in words. Due to the extreme nature of this event, this is an excellent way to express what we have all been through.

The most impact is provided by the independent, i.e. non-superhero, writers who express what they went through with pictures and words. From the initial shock to the lingering malaise, the complete cycle is expressed. Reading this book brought back those feelings in me and, even though my emotions were swelling up, I kept reading. This event is now part of our collective experience and we are forever affected by it.

I recommend reading through when you need some perspective on what's important in life. Enjoy life, tell your friends and family that you love them because you never know when it may end.

This review doesn't get too into the content of the book but the impact that it had. As for me, that's the sign of a good read.
You Back the Attack, We'll Bomb Who We Want
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Hilarious, timely, incisive
  • It's all made up... fiction
  • These made me laugh
  • A LIAR! A FILTHY HYPOCRIT!
  • I Don't Like The Message So I'm Attacking The Messenger!
You Back the Attack, We'll Bomb Who We Want
Micah Ian Wright , Kurt Vonnegut , Howard Zinn , and Center for Constitutional Rights (Commentary)
Manufacturer: Seven Stories Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1583225846

Book Description

This stunning, hilarious, and politically incendiary full-color poster book by U.S. Airborne Ranger-turned-dissident-comic-book-artist Micah Wright reworks classic American World War I and II propaganda into biting commentaries on war and pariotism for the post-September 11 era.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Hilarious, timely, incisive.......2007-04-14

First, yes he lied. Wake up, the author is just another reader, as is said in postmodernism. It doesn't matter whether Micah lied, or whether he is a murderous demon or another incarnation of Hitler.
It's the book that matters.
It's very funny and well taken.
The followup book is decent as well, but round 3 is getting a little repetitive and uninspired.

1 out of 5 stars It's all made up... fiction.......2007-01-04

Those of you who are in the "don't shoot the messenger" camp, wake up! He made the whole thing up, he never served in the Rangers, and now has made up another book. He could have presented it as fiction, but he tried to pass it of as fact.

I don't take cooking tips from Jeffery Dahmer.
I don't turn to Brittney Spears for parenting advice.
I don't look to Dr. Phil on how to lose weight.
I don't rely on George Bush for advice on how to govern.
I don't turn to a Kennedy for driving lessons.
I don't look to OJ Simpson for relationship advice.
I don't look to Micah Wright for lessons on the military.

It's fiction, folks. And it's offensive to those who really served in the military to try to pass it off as fact, seeking to gain from their hard lives.

4 out of 5 stars These made me laugh.......2006-08-25

You know what? These posters made me laugh. I have posted them around my desk at work. They make statements with which I agree.

Lighten up, all of you reviewers who have written screeds about whether or not the author was an army ranger. Who cares?

Some people don't have enough to do, apparently.

3 out of 5 stars A LIAR! A FILTHY HYPOCRIT!.......2006-05-23

This guy Wright lied about being an army ranger, kinda like lying about one's air national guard service. how can these disgusting commies keep supporting this guy's work when he isn't even running for office (then it'd be okay).

4 out of 5 stars I Don't Like The Message So I'm Attacking The Messenger!.......2006-01-14

What Micah Ian Wright expected to gain from lying about being a ranger in Panama I don't know. All he's done is give people something to attack other than the actual book itself. Well done, chief.

Yes, Wright lied. He did a stupid thing. However his message is still valid. And most of the people giving it 1 star know it, which is why they didn't even mention it.

Don't trust reviews that attack the messenger over the message.
Justice League International: The Secret Gospel of Maxwell Lord
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Gets funnier with every book
  • JLA gets a sense of humor
Justice League International: The Secret Gospel of Maxwell Lord
Keith Giffen , and J. M. Dematteis
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563890399

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Gets funnier with every book.......2006-03-21

I loved the JLI when it was funny. Especially Blue & Gold. This series really picks up by the end of this collection and only gets better as it goes, reaching it's peak by the time Blue & Gold try to build a resort on Kooey Kooey Kooey! Ah wish they would just collect the entire series in a HC collection. I know I would buy it.
It's almost impossible to believe that Giffen and DeMatteis could put so many jokes without having to recycle them. Check out their latest book too: Formerly Known As the Justice League (5 Stars) and I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League (3 Stars).
Worth it if you like your comics to be witty and funny.

5 out of 5 stars JLA gets a sense of humor.......2005-07-08

Wow, the other reviewer just didn't get it.

In the mid 80s JLA came back with a bunch of second and third string super heroes, and they could only be viewed with a skewered and wry eye. These were funnybook heroes, being funny.

Giffen and DeMateis were masters of the quick wit and sometimes down right silliness that filled these pages. Aided by super star artist Kevin Maguire, who made every facial tick shine to the height of comic interpretation.

This was great stuff. I fell in love with this off pace series, which was a nice relief in the angst ridden 80s comics.

PIck up any of these issues and books for a good fun and often goofy time.
9-11: September 11, 2001 (Stories to Remember, Volume 2)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • The writers and artists at DC respond to September 11th
  • some people need to take it for what the book was for
  • This is really very disappointing
  • Hmmm
  • Chicken Soup for the 9/11 Soul
9-11: September 11, 2001 (Stories to Remember, Volume 2)
Neil Gaiman , Stan Lee , Jill Thompson , Kieron Dwyer , Steven T. Seagle , Duncan Rouleau , and Aaron Sowd
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563898780

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars The writers and artists at DC respond to September 11th.......2004-01-19

"9-11: September 11, 2001: The World's Finest Comic Book Writers and Artists Tell Stories to Remember" collects original stories and illustrations from many of the top writers and artists from DC Comics, including Wildstorm, VERTIGO, and "MAD" magazine. But in addition to the likes of and Dan Jurgens, Neal Adams, Jim Lee, Neil Gaiman, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopze, Sergio Aragones, and Joe Kubert, you will also find contributions by Will Eisner, Stan Lee, Richard Corben, and Michael Moorcock. Unfortunately, the book's subtitle echoes badly, because even thought DC had a comic book entitled "World's Finest," which featured Superman and Batman team-ups for the most part, using that phrase to describe your own writers and artists on the same cover where Superman is impressed by those who were heroes on September 11th misses the obvious reason not to toot your own horn.

The volume is divided into section entitled Nightmare, Heroes, Recollections, Unity, and Dreams, which provide a rough thematic organization to the stories. There are stories dealing with what actually happened, such as James Denning and Guy Davis' "Walk," Josh Krach, Scott McDaniel James Pascoe's "The Job." and Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti's "Silver Linings in a Big Dust Cloud"), as well as stories that address the line between comic books and the real world created by 9-11 (e.g., "Unreal," "For Art's Sake" and "If Only"), while a few actually work DC superheroes into the story (e.g., "This, Too, Shall Pass" and Gaiman's "Endless" story, "The Wheel"). Unlike the Marvel universe, where Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers all work out of New York City, the DC superheroes inhabit an alternative, so there was not the need to have Superman, Batman, and the others deal with the destruction of the World Trade Center the way their competition had to. There are also a couple of stories that serve as reminders that there were dogs that were involved in the rescue efforts as well.

One of the other major differences between this and the first volume, which featured work by the talents at Chaos! Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and Image Comics, is that some of these stories are a bit more political. Neal Adams does a splash page supporting the Red Cross that shows Superman holding an American flag with scorch marks and Uncle Sam rolling up his sleeves in front of the rescue workers at Ground Zero with the caption: "First Things First. Then We Come For You." Stan Lee and Marie Severin tell "A hitherto undiscovered Aesop's fable" entitled "The Sleeping Giant" whose moral is "Never awaken a sleeping giant!" There are several stories that make an argument for tolerance and objectivity, such as Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, and Prentis Rollins' "Wednesday Afternoon" and Geoff Johns, David S. Goyer, Humberto Romas and Sandra Hope's "A Burning Hate," while Ben Raab, Roger Robinson and Dennis Janke's "A Tale of Two Americans" makes a point about true patriotism. The final word goes to Joe Kubert, who points out "I've lived long enough to see the worst turn into something better."

Yeah, there are some misfires in this collection. "The Firsts Division" and "Spirit" both involve famous dead people, and while the latter is slightly better, neither really works. Paul Levitz and Jim Lee's "The American Dream" has some good points but could have found a better way to get them across than a lecture. But this just makes the simple elegance of Tim Sale's three-paneled page (from an idea by Chuck Kim), where a boy wearing a Superman t-shirt ducks into a telephone booth and changes into a FDNY t-shirt all the more effective. There are enough efforts within these 224 pages to find a few you will really like, and can forget about those you do not.

4 out of 5 stars some people need to take it for what the book was for.......2002-09-12

I am using these two volumes to do my senior thesis and have read the other reviews and am convinced that some reviewers need to BACK OFF. This was written in commemoration for those who had a hard time dealing with the tragedy, not for you to criticize. The artists and comics who made these works did so as a way to understand and as a way to vent. I am sorry, but if you are going to criticize a creative effort to release you have no compassion. Some stories are disturbing, but the whole event was and has been disturbing. I am sure someone is going to think I am waving my flag a little to wildly, but you know what I am just calling it as I see it. Until you spent the day watching from your window as the towers fell down and smoked up the whole city to tell them how to do there job!

2 out of 5 stars This is really very disappointing.......2002-05-01

There are a few really compelling stories here - mostly the ones that focus on the victims and the rescue workers. But there is also, sadly, a great deal of garbage.

There's actually a fair amount of America bashing here. Some stories are patriotic, but, for the most part, the people holding or displaying American flags are protrayed as ignorant bigots.

Now, the artists and writers have every right to express their views. If that sort of thing is your cup of tea, I suspect you'll regard the more anti-American stories as provocative and stimulating. To me, they seemed like more of the same tired cliches I used to hear all the time before 9-11.

There's also a fair amount of the mushy-headedness about Islam which seems popular in this country these days. ...

The worst stories were those that tried to make some sort of political point. In one, an alien shows up and explains why we are all doomed if we don't adopt the Democratic party platform. (I'm really sort of neutral on abortion, but I always have to shake my head when someone starts preaching about the need to take care of the poor, the weak, the children, the elderly, the fish, the birds, the dung beetles, and then insists, even by omission, that destroying a human fetus is just fine.)

I guess what I'm trying to say is a lot of this felt very contrived. The more powerful stories and pictures were the ones where the author/artist was writing/drawing from the heart. The worst were the ones were the author was "moralizing," for a lack of a better word.

3 out of 5 stars Hmmm.......2002-04-20

Firstly - I bought this book. Therefore, my money went towards the funds that helped victims of the atrocities of 11th September. It was the least I could do. (I also signed a book of condolence, but we all know how practically useful _that_ is.)

Secondly, this book is a remarkable ragbag of responses to the attack. One of the striking thing about the 9-11 attack is that it was the first time in nearly 200 years that the US mainland had been attacked. (Pearl Harbour doesn't count because, at the time, Hawaii was not a state of the US, it was still a "dependency" - shorthand for "ex-colony".)

The best responses in this book are the ones that take a, shall we say, dialectical response to the attack - those that at once focus on the innocent victims (cause it was a terrorist attack, and terrorism by nature is aimed at targeting the innocent in order to make the guilty feel guilty) and that also have a longer historical perspective. Because, and I'm almost embarrassed to point this out - the 9-11 attack did not happen because some deluded lunatics somewhere took it into their heads to be mean to Americans. It was the ultimate suicide attack, the nec plus ultra of the recent bombings in Jerusalem.

The best pieces in this book do not merely recognise the heroism of New York firefighters and police personnel - which is a sort of heroism that I, for one, don't doubt. But the facts are, this kind of heroism has been displayed around the world by populations under attack from US-funded or US-trained forces. It's not a very nice fact to have to face, but unless it is faced, there is little chance of events like 9-11 never happening again.

The sad thing is, much of the more ambitious pieces in here rely on "private" tragedy (as if these events had no more significance than the deaths of people in New York) and public jingoism - witness Stan Lee's asinine allegory about sleeping elephants. Stan, if the elephant's population was happy, it's because it had stolen so much from other countries already. Learn a little history.

Those of us who have learned to live with the potential for terrorist attacks on a daily basis are a little less naive than much of the authorship of this book. I grieve as much as anyone else for the dead of 9-11. But I cannot pretend that it isn't the kind of thing that happens around the rest of the world, as a result of the insanely inequal distribution of wealth.

This is a good book. But it is as much symptom as it is diagnosis.

3 out of 5 stars Chicken Soup for the 9/11 Soul.......2002-03-11

Some of the works in this collection are quite good...I especially enjoyed Will Eisner's contribution ("Give me real, people!") and the single panel work of a woman touching the other side of her half empty bed. That was an excellent demonstration on how subtlety can have a much greater impact than a sledgehammer.

By contrast, there's the story written by Stan Lee ("The Sleeping Giant" I believe it's called) which uses a simple animal metaphor to retell 9/11 past, present and possible future. It starts out interesting but never elaborates on 9/11, only simplies it and assumes we can't figure things out for ourselves (such as the terrorist mice wearing "666" T-shirts).

Most of the stories were in between the ones I mentioned. Sometimes the tales are clever and subtle, but usually there's just a small bit of creativity per story.

Granted, I don't think I'm the target audience of this book. If you're looking for stories of hope after the attacks, you might enjoy this book more than I did.

Books:

  1. Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't
  2. Life: Picture Puzzle (Picture Puzzles)
  3. Llamas, Weavings, and Organic Chocolate: Multicultural Grassroots Development in the Andes and Amazon of Bolivia
  4. Lonely Planet Costa Rica
  5. Mad About the Seventies: The Best of the Decade
  6. Mad in America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill
  7. Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
  8. Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 1 (Reprints TALES OF SUSPENSE #39-50) (Hardcover)
  9. Mastering Beadwork: A Comprehensive Guide to Off-loom Techniques
  10. Mastering the Trade (McGraw-Hill Trader's Edge)

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