Review: Occupy Comics #3
This week sees the final issue of the Kickstarter funded, Black Mask Studios published Occupy Comics. With the third issue, we get a solid final entry full of though provoking cartoons, editorials and a great history lesson from Alan Moore. The Occupy Comics trilogy is a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration of more than 50 comics pros is a celebration of Occupy and a time-capsule of the movement’s themes. The organizers and creators are donating all their revenue after costs to Occupy-related efforts and initiatives as well.
This issue features the talents of the before mentioned Moore, Molly Crabapple, Joshua Dysart, Caleb Monroe, Kevin Colden, Swifty Lang, Salgood Sam, Brea and Zane Grant, Shannon Wheeler and Charlie Adlard. If you’re a fan of any of these creators, this is a must get as far as comics.
The stories vary in quality and length with every one at least good and a few in the great category. Overall, there’s an air over the issue, since is the last one. A few entries reflect on the fleetingness of the Occupy movement, but also could be used as commentary on a series that I wish would go on for longer.
Occupy Comics is a perfect combination of comics and politics with a great balance of education, fairness and not being too preachy. Even though it’s labelled as Occupy, it never really takes on side or the other about the movement as each creator ads their own voice and thoughts about it. To have an anthology that allows this political thought and expression go is a loss for the comics community and I wish we could see more of it.
No matter your take on the Occupy movement as a whole, this issue, and the two that proceeded it, is a nice look at a political movement that fizzled quickly and whose long lasting contributions will be debated for some time to come. To get first hand accounts, and opinions, about what it all meant and why it happened is important in in the historical sense but also the educational. This series acted as a voice for creators to reflect and be free with what they say without corporate interference, much like the movement itself. It’s voice is one we need and one I hope we see more of down the road.
Story: Caleb Monroe, Mark L. Miller, Zane Grant, Bea Grant, Patrick Meaney, Joshua Dysart, Kelly Bruce, Alan Moore, Kevin Colden, Swifty Lang, Shannon Wheeler Art: Molly Crabapple, Theo Ellsworth, Mark L. Miller, Jonathan Spies, Jenny Gonzalez-Blitz, Eric Zawadzki, Allen Gladfelter, Salgood Sam, Matt Bors, Jerem Morrow, Frank Renoso, Eric Drooker, Charlie Adlard
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy
Black Mask Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
