As incendiary as the news cycle is these days, it’s hard to imagine a simpler time. A time where discussing politics was an uncomplicated disagreement at best and not a blood sport. There was a time where right and wrong were varied along party lines but now the differences between liberals and conservatives are a solid moral line. The spread of misinformation just adds to this nightmare cycle of fake news and irrational pundits.

The liberal side has a few “loud” voices who often get held back by their moral compasses making them pause to take the “high road”. Bill Maher is considered one of the most vocal liberal voices who sees this line wider by the minute. Alex Schumacher also has as his Mr. Butterchips comic gives readers that rare unfiltered truthful yet comical view of right-wing derangement. In the first collected volume of Mr. Butterchips: A Collection Of Cantankerous Commentary, Schumacher gives an unvarnished yet comical look at the times we live in.

As one of the first comics in the collection gets into the ridiculousness of internet celebrity while another espouses the pressure of having a different relationship and going against societal norms. We find Butterchips in a different comic expressing the frustration most of America has with Donald Trump when he ran for president and how we didn’t have any strong choices, which where Schumacher gives a rather irreverent and interesting alternative. In another comic, he faces harassment when out with his girlfriend from a Trump supporter, where they spout a form of racism and xenophobia, for which the right-wing is most known for in present times. In one comic, Butterchips gives a sanctuary to Bees who have traveled thousands of miles and illustrates brilliantly how fogged your moral compass must be not to give respite to the downtrodden. One of my favorite comics is his tribute to Chris Cornell,  as Schumacher’s love for the singer rings true within the panels. Another one of my favorites is the impertinence of the “war on Xmas”, where Schumacher skillfully dissects how moronic the argument really is. The “Alt-Right Reaction Figures” dives into how outlandish and anachronistic these archetypes are, despite their very real existence. The “Pro-Life” cartoon is an excellent example of just how this argument is incredibly uninformed. The last comic, where Butterchips makes a trip to San Francisco is the perfect bookend, as it surmises what the character is about and how provides a voice to the voiceless. If you wished had someone like Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm in comics, then Mr  Butterchips is for you. As his irreverence will immediately remind you of Larry David and Ray Romano, his heart will remind you of Ricky Gervais and Billy Crystal, his relevancy will remind you of Dave Chappelle and Iliza Schlesinger and his spot-on comic timing will remind you of George Carlin and Robert Klein. Schumacher’s brilliance and timeliness of subject matter make this a  MUST READ  as he makes the reader laugh as much as he makes you think.

Overall, an excellent book which both pushes boundaries and pushes the reader to take inventory of their own belief systems. The stories are by Schumacher, are powerful, funny and relevant in more ways than most books. The art by Schumacher is simply gorgeous. Altogether, a book you will want to pick up and buy for your best friend, as this is that one in a million.

Story: Alex Schumacher Art: Alex Schumacher
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy