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09-29-2004, 10:20 AM
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STEVE & DAN GOLDMAN ON EVERYMAN: BE THE PEOPLE
 by Chris ArrantIt's 2004, and the United States is at a crossroads. The current Republican President is entrenched in a 'war on terrorism', while being challenged on all sides regarding his choices in office. The Texan son of a President deflects any criticism under a carefree demeanor and an un-relenting, un-changing plan of action. Rumours and allegations of impropriety in voting results have been rampant since his win in 2000, and as the 2004 election nears, more and more speculation and reports come out. The voters have a choice in November, not necessarily for what's right, but for what's the least wrong. Sound familiar? Although some of the names may be different, this world could be ours. Writers (and brothers) Steve & Dan Goldman have teamed up with artist Joe Bucco to take us to an all-to-familiar world in which a President oversteps his bounds and it's up to the actions of two would-be political activists to make a difference. Under the name OneLove, these two Americans set out to form a bi-partisan effort combat the behind-the-scenes politicking going on in a corrupt administration. Newsarama had a chance to speak with the Brothers Goldman about Everyman: Be the People, and find out what it takes to make a difference. Newsarama: The primary driving force behind OneLove, the political movement in Everyman, is author Thomas Womack. Can you bring us up to speed on who Thomas 'Mack' Womack is, and what led up to his introduction in the book? Steve & Dan Goldman: Mack is the best-selling author of a series of thrillers that made him a pile of cash, enough that he could buy his Harlem apartment and go on walkabout across the world, writing new Thirsty Simmons - sort of black power superspy, Malcolm X-as-James Bond - novels along the way. While crisscrossing the globe for years, the usefulness of Thirsty as a mouthpiece for his ideas starts to wear thin, and upon his return from abroad, he meets ex-convict Spence Delfino sitting next to him at the counter of a Harlem diner. After few hours in a bar with Spence, another voice speaks up in Mack’s head, a convict named Dexter Chisholm… which spirals into his award-winning new novel The Reality of My Surroundings about an ex-convict’s reintegration into a society that ostracizes him. Reality makes the world take Mack seriously as a writer and a thinker for the first time.  As Be The People opens, Mack’s new novel is up for the National Book Award, is soon to be a movie and all eyes are on him. At this point, Mack feels like he’s done his part, given back to society something to help him. It’s only when he meets Dita that he realizes that putting ideas on a page isn’t enough.NRAMA: Another central character in Everyman is Perdita 'Dita' Orozco, who meets Womack at one of his book signings. It seems that she acts as the catalyst and sounding board for Womack and his ideas. Could you explain to us more what her motivations are, and how her relationship with Womack works? SG & DG: Dita is definitely the sounding board for Mack’s unrealized ideas, but you’ve got to remember… she is bringing her own perspective, scientific knowledge and an already-active political imagination to the table herself. Dita’s role in OneLove favors the brain versus Mack’s soul; together they are able to strike the balance that makes OneLove’s ideas attractive to the American people. Dita’s parents are theoretical physicists, so the idea of everything being connected and causality being implicit is something that she’s grown up around. But as we discuss in the book, her parents live in theory, whereas she’s spent her life trying to apply things that she’s learned practically, to bring them into the world that we can observe. From Dita’s perspective, if you want what we know to be true in science to be reflected in public policy, you have to have the right ears… or just millions of them at the same time. Her relationship with Mack we get to see from its beginning… it’s like all true love, fast and intense and quickly out of either’s control. What they don’t count on is the intellectual union taking on an active political slant with a life of its own. Mack and Dita give birth to OneLove, and by the end of Be The People, their relationship is one for which there is no historical precedent.  NRAMA: Early on, we are also introduced to Presidential Aide Manolo 'Prez' Perez, who served under the previous Democratic President as well as Birch, the current Republican President. Political observers have always noted that most of the senior staff at the White House changes with each new President, especially if it's from a different party. Why did Birch keep Manolo, and more importantly, why did Manolo decide to stay?SG & DG: Prez was kept on for the most obvious and insidious reasons… people who “serve at the pleasure of the President” do exactly that… they stay until dismissed, and that position is one of honor. As for Prez, he works at the White House, which was always a dream of his… he’d just rather be on the other side of the desk. That is, until President Birch begins twisting the shape of America until Prez doesn’t recognize it anymore… what better reason to stay and try to do something about it, hiding in plain sight? NRAMA: As the ball begins rolling on the OneLove campaign, they start a grassroots media effort to bring their message across. It seems that the political arena has been slow to accept new technology, with former Democratic Presidential hopeful Howard Dean's campaign being the only standout. Why did OneLove decide to go this route? DG: We patterned much of OneLove’s ideas on the “viral politicking” that Joe Trippi and the Dean campaign pioneered, as well as the techniques of organizations like MoveOn.org and indymedia.org who endeavor to widen the information-bottleneck of “approved” media in this country. We’ve also a lot of respect for the true revolutionaries of our parents’ generation, like the Weather Underground; their use of propaganda at home to generate anger at the abuse of American citizens’ right to information was simple and brilliant. There’s nothing like that going on in these times, when we need it most… which is why we decided to throw our revolution in comics form, and design the cover as propaganda instead of pin-up. We’ve always viewed Everyman as a series of pamphlets wrapped in fiction, offering not just ideas, but a sense of hope underneath the cold issues and the anger. NRAMA: One of the major points in Be The People is the current President's plan to manipulate the voting on his re-election by rigging the electronic voting machines. For anyone that has closely followed the news lately, there have been numerous reports on this possibility due to the security (or lack thereof) on the current e-voting machines. Can you tell us about the inherent plusses and minuses of the e-voting system, and how it impacts Everyman?  SG & DG: The best place to start is BlackBoxVoting.org; from here you can learn all about the flaws in Diebold and other manufacturers’ e-voting systems. Another great resource is Greg Palast’s book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, an analysis of Bush’s perplexing “victory” in the 2000 election. But more than the web activists and journalists admonishing us to look carefully at our system before it steals our votes, you can read for yourself actual state election boards assessments of these machines, all of whom found them to be easily manipulated and fault-ridden. Email us directly at everyman@onelove.us if you’d like the links.The manipulation of e-voting machines - in Everyman, if you will - is just one of several possibilities lurking under our noses in the current political climate, and unfortunately - for the damage it does to the concept of democracy - is one of the things that would allow people like OneLove to gain the ears and hearts of our nation. A huge amount of people today are scared and confused into paralysis by the knowledge that they are being lied to by their leaders, but don’t feel there’s anything they can do… OneLove has a few ideas for you. NRAMA: Although some of the names have been changed, readers of Everyman can see some similiarities between the fictitious president of Everyman, Henry R. Birch, and the current U.S. President, George W. Bush. What led you to basing this story in a world so close to home, and how do you think it will impact readers? SG & DG: Honestly, I think the over-fictionalization of politics - a la what we see in mainstream comics - completely dilutes the impact of questioning what we see around us. Denny O’Neil’s Green Arrow and Green Lantern was lauded for making comics socially relevant, but that - and anything that’s been influenced by it - still skirted around directly addressing national politics. Because this is fiction, we can keep this close to reality and still do more than criticize…we can offer solutions and make the world better by example, which is the point of OneLove. NRAMA: Since most of the story is based in the real world, why did you decide not to use George W. Bush's real name? SG: I think the idea of getting sued for libel might've played a big part in it.  DG: That, and after reading up on the Patriot Act, it's blindingly obvious how easy it is to be labeled a "enemy combatant", which is a word made of Silly Putty that can be stretched across anything threatening to whoever chooses to use it. We wanted Everyman to remain indisputably a work of fiction, intentionally thinly-veiled though it is. I don't want to be taken away in the night and locked up with the rest of the "enemies" someplace where I can't make comics and there are no pretty girls. SG: Also, it's close enough to reality without sledge hammering the crowd with who we're talking about. We kept appearances and behaviors of the characters pretty close to their real-life counterparts, and used the fact that this is fiction to make a few points and express a few opinions about them. Call it dramatic license. DG: I find it troubling to even entertain the though consider that the ideas and spirit of Everyman could be called "unamerican" by anyone. I imagine getting a unanimous thumbs-ups from our Founding Fathers for Be The People, heh. NRAMA: Let's say some of the events you've forecasted in Everyman come true, and the massive mainstream media juggernaut points its light in your direction. Besides "I Told You So", what would you say? SG & DG: A voting machine scandal coming true means it’s time for America to pay closer attention to the actions of its leaders and their supporters, and just maybe, find new leaders in the country’s midst, from other walks of life than Washington. Different experiences mean different perspectives, and that means a government that can evolve ideas. NRAMA: Everyman is an attractive, manga-sized digest format. What led you to the decision to publish it in this format, rather than the standard American comic-sized format? SG & DG: It’s a graphic novel with a spine and a UPC code, and we felt that given the subject matter, the more portable, affordable and accessible we could make this, the more likely it is that people who would never set foot in a comic shop would pick it up. And quite frankly, that means more eyes and ears pointing towards OneLove. NRAMA: The topics brought up in Everyman are very time-sensitive, and the release date of October 2004 is perfectly planned to take advantage of the upcoming election in November. What led you to deciding on this publishing schedule? SG & DG: The November 2nd Presidential election, what else? Be The People was conceived last December specifically to come out for the election, but in its writing has gained more staying power. We were incredulous last winter that no one was putting out any work openly criticizing this administration (except for Michael Moore and a handful of others), and we felt we needed to speak out about the clear and present danger to democracy that we see in the voting machines. Seeing that we are both comic creators, throwing our "tea party" in comic form seemed both perfect timing and totally punk rock. NRAMA: How did you get in touch with Joe Bucco, and why did you choose him to illustrate Everyman? DG: Joe answered an ad we put out on Craiglist; we'd checked out a lot of people before finding his art and his enthusiasm. Because of the density of the work, Steve and I knew we'd need to be more hands-on with our artist than usual, since we were all pushing ourselves to the limit to bring this baby into the world. Joe is incredibly easy to work with, works at least as hard as we do, and taught us all a thing or two about storytelling. That, and the closeness of his studio to our workspace, really made things easier to put our heads together. And look at the final work... it's gorgeous. NRAMA: On the spine and in the indicia of Everyman, we can plainly see that this is just the first volume. Can you tell us about upcoming volumes, and when they would be available? SG & DG: The second volume of Everyman is due out sometime in 2005. Volume 2 will begin shortly after Be The People's conclusion, and will very quickly step into a much larger scope for the series. NRAMA: What are your intentions for producing such a politically-minded piece of fiction? SG & DG: We always intended to write a book that would get people thinking a lot harder about this election, about the technology being used to gather the votes, about the candidates involved and where their true motivations lie, and about whether just voting in an election and paying taxes is enough to consider oneself participating in our society. DG: And taking a step back from that, looking at the priorities our government sets for our nation, and what its constituents are willing to define as "quality of life", and what they'd really want, given their say. The election keeps us grounded in the right now, but we shall soon spiral out into the "what if", and America will be better for it. All knobs are turned up to 11 in the next volume. NRAMA: What kind of research did you do for the story of Everyman?  SG & DG: What didn’t we read? Everything from 8-10 news sites per day from across the world to policy analyses from both liberal and conservative think tanks - to get multiple perspectives. We consulted with an Air Force intelligence officer to gauge the plausibility of what we wrote and to get a more first-hand view of the world from someone who served all over the world, including both Iraq and Afghanistan. We read multiple biographies on our president so we wouldn’t take the easy road and demonize him.We wanted to make this as smart as possible, while keeping it as readable as possible. NRAMA: The genre of political fiction seems relatively sparse in comics, with Maus being the most notable. Why do you think Everyman works so well in the comics format? SG & DG: Comics is a medium in which you can tell any kind of story; it’s just that in America that the medium comes front-loaded with preconceived notions of the kind of stories that are “comic-booky” in nature. Everyman works well in comic form because we’re not beholden to anyone else: we can say what we think and feel, and not have the studio recut the final product because we’ve upset their advertisers and shareholders. NRAMA: On a related note, why do you think there is such a lack of comics of political nature available? SG & DG: Partially, because of the time-sensitive nature of political comics, and partially because people are afraid to stake out a position for fear of alienating their audience. And in that, we beg to differ, because we think there is an audience for this kind of work, one who would applaud what we’re doing. NRAMA: In addition to writing Everyman, the Brothers Goldman are also the publishing force known as FWDbooks. Can you tell us why you decided to self-publish? SG & G: We wanted to make sure that no one was going to censor what we had to say - the way HarperCollins tried to do with Michael Moore’s Stupid White Men and St. Martin’s Press did with James Hatfield’s biography of George W. Bush, and we wanted the book out on time, which would’ve required the rush-solicitation that other publishers weren’t prepared to offer us. NRAMA:. The motto for FWDBooks is 'manga con corazan'. Can you tell us why you chose this phrase, and what it means to you? SG & DG: Funnily enough, we met Sergio Aragones this summer at the San Diego Comic-Con, and he let us know that manga - Japanese for “comics” - means “sleeve” in Spanish, making our work literally translated “sleeve with heart,” comics that wear their heart on their sleeve, which is a great description of anything FWDbooks does. The whole idea behind FWDbooks is make comics that don’t leave anything out, that engage you with ideas, have human characters that live and breathe, wow with talent art and storytelling, and sweep you off your feet the way comics did when you first read them. We still remember how that felt, and we want to keep that feeling going forever. NRAMA: Last question... You're riding up an elevator with someone you've never met before. You've got 3 minutes to try to tell them why they should buy your book. What do you say? SG & DG: Most books about politics are criticisms, and not constructive ones at that. Where Everyman differs is that it points the way to an America that’s just not so far out of reach. Everyman is a comic. It’s also a love letter… from Americans to America. We shouldn’t have to close our eyes to see the American Dream. EVERYMAN: Be The People is a 96-page B&W graphic novel with a color cover by Joe Bucco and Dan Goldman, written by Steven & Dan Goldman, art by Joe Bucco. Everyman: Be The People is published by FWDbooks, carries a retail price of $6.00 and is currently being solicited in Diamond’s August Previews catalog (order code AUG04 2774) for an October 13th street date. Everyman will be available online via Amazon on the street date, as well as available directly from FWDbooks at OneLove.us. Ed. Note - the first paragraph of this article previously erroneously referred to the fictional President in the story as the first son of a President to hold the same office as the father, and has been changed. |
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09-29-2004, 10:38 AM
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very very interesting
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09-29-2004, 10:47 AM
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Umm.. Actually, he's the second son of U.S. President to become one himself. John Quincy Adams was the first.
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09-29-2004, 10:56 AM
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This looks great. I'll definitely pick it up - in fact, I can't wait to read this book.
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09-29-2004, 11:02 AM
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#5 |
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O.K., had time to read the full write-up on this thing. Seeing the Weathermen cited as revolutionaries was a little off-putting. Didn't the weathermen bombings kill several people, or was just just property destruction like in Fight Club. Any responses to this please site sources, I want to check for myself.
JMC |
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09-29-2004, 11:53 AM
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#6 | |
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As was the quotation marks around "victory" in referring to Bush's win in 2000 and, well, just about everything else in the interview. I think we can see easily which side of the aisle this book will tilt from... -Augie |
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09-29-2004, 11:59 AM
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#7 | |
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I´m definitely for comics exploring political themes. But the pages about and parts of the interview seemed a bit naive at best. I don´t think they will really explore political topics in any deeper way. What really upset me was this part of the interview:
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I´m not an US citizen and so not 100 percent up in US history but a quick check online confirmed my memory that the weather underground was a violent movement. They waged a low-level war against the U.S. government through much of the 1970s, bombing the Capitol building, breaking Timothy Leary out of prison, and evading one of the largest FBI manhunts in history. Sorry, but I don´t have lot of respect for people who respect people who use criminal methods to further their political goals (Don´t we call this kind of people terrorists? - The criminals not the apolegical supporters) The fact that the creators support such an organisation means that I will not support that book. I have no problems buying books, newspapers or whatever which differ from my political viewpoints but there are limits. Christian PS: Oh, and btw I´m not an rabid Bush supporter or anything like that. |
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09-29-2004, 12:02 PM
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#8 |
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I'd definitely say this book SEEMS to tilt to one side. That's ok though, I think its a great freedom to be able to express your views be it through TV/BOOK/Comics so good luck with the book.
Doesn't appeal to me but I'm sure it will to many.  |
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09-29-2004, 12:03 PM
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#9 | |
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You too Augie. Stinking Tory.  History has a unique way of looking at/selectively canonizing "revolutionaries." MattB |
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09-29-2004, 12:28 PM
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#10 | |
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Christian, If you read the second half of the sentence you quoted, we were referring the fact that we respect their use of propaganda to call attention to how the government and media of the time were hiding information from the American public, and NOT their violent tactics. Dan and I had the chance to go to a lecture by a former member of the Weather Underground and see a documentary on them, and we found the violent side of their activities pointless, even if we agreed with what they were protesting against. (It IS possible to agree with a terrorist's motives and be opposed to their methods.) As for the book, EVERYMAN is very much about how nonviolent people can shift the course of history. I hope you'll give it a shot and decide for yourself. Thanks, Steven Goldman FWDbooks Brooklyn, NY, USA Last edited by StevenG : 09-29-2004 at 12:32 PM. |
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09-29-2004, 12:44 PM
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History has a unique way of looking at/selectively canonizing "revolutionaries."
Matt, I was just thinking the same thing. |
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09-29-2004, 01:05 PM
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I think the original statement should have been worded a bit clearer: Quote:
In my eyes it is not made clear that your respect is only coming from their propaganda use. I read it that you respected them in general and find their use of propraganda esp. brilliant. I think that such statements in regards to violent organisations should be worded most carefully. Also it could be argued that violence by such organisations is part of their overall propaganda strategy and cannot be seen apart from it. The backslash of the state against violent acts leads to steps against the organisations. This can then be used by the organisation to paint themselves as victims of a state witchhunt and used to gain supporters. I don´t know if this is true to the weathermen underground but it was for the German leftist terrorists of the 70ies and 80ies. Quote:
You are absolutely right there. But it is really advisable to distance oneself from the methods very clearly then. Quote:
Got me there Matt (and in a very humorous way). Not on the royalist / Tory part but with the argument that Quote:
Ones person / nations freedom fighters are the other person / nations terrorist. In Germany we honor once a year the officers who tried to kill Hitler and overthrow the Nazi government. In my eyes and 99,9 percent of living Germans they were freedom fighters. But the nazi government and quite a number of Germnas at that time regarded them as terrorists and traitors. So history really changes the outlook on historical events and persons. (For which in that case I´m very thankful.) But shouldn´t there be some methods of violence which should be despised regardless of political goals? Christian |
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09-29-2004, 01:20 PM
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And furthermore...
you can meet Steven, Dan and Joe on October 15th at Jim Hanley's Universe from 6:00 - 8:00 PM.
Jim Hanley's Universe 4 West 33rd St (across from the Empire State Building) NYC 10001 212-268-7088 |
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09-29-2004, 01:20 PM
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#14 | ||
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You're certainly right, we should've been clearer on that point. The times are different, and our argument is that the tools activist/terrorist/guerilla (the term depends on who's spouting it) organizations could/should use change with the times. If media can be the weapon instead of violence, then that's a move forward. Quote:
Indiscriminate terror against civilians should always be despised. But rising up against a government that acts against the people's wishes and/or oppresses them? That's when the lines between terrorist and freedom fighter blur dramatically. Personally, I'm curious what's going to happen to the government of Iraq when the U.S. pulls its troops out. --Steven |
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09-29-2004, 01:36 PM
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Since my job involves PR for an interest group I couldn´t agree more. Two final and this time positive remarks: I really appreciate that someone produces a comic about politics. There are a few comics with political topics but comics directly about politics are an extremely rare breed. The only recent one I can think offhand was Eagle and that was the reprint of an Japanese series. (And it had more of a politcal setting then a political theme). There´s Ex Machina but it is primarily a super hero book (which might change with time). Second: Great price. 6 Dollars for a 96 page b/w Graphic Novel is very attractive. (That nearly raises the question if it is sponsored by a political organisation  Just kidding)Christian |
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09-29-2004, 02:15 PM
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#16 |
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I'm glad someone other than me also noted that G. W. Bush is in fact NOT the first son of a president to become president.
I'm usually suspicious of the intellegence and motives of people who write such transparent political allegory (particularly in comics) but in this case, lazy political and historical scholarship has reached a new low. How can I possibly take these people's message (especially as it's a particularly clumsy and partisan one) seriously when the very first sentence I read contains a factual error so embarassing anyone who passed 5th grade history should know better? Are we comic book fans really precieved as such bottom-feeding idiots that now we're expected to be dazzled by the ham-fisted polemics of two guys who count among their intellectual blind-spots the history of the very subject they're writing about? Hey Steve and Dan, get back to me once you can prove that the sum totus of your historical and political perspective doesn't come from a single documentary film (and subsequent google search) about a radical group of fuzzy-minded idealouges who broke away from the American mainstream to commit murder. Until then, you can read MY upcoming book. It's a big, complex narrative filled with subversive ideas in the socio-economic reality of Europe shorty after the first time America went to war with Germany, in 1942. |
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09-29-2004, 02:19 PM
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what's a totus? Is that a new word for irony?
MattB |
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09-29-2004, 02:24 PM
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But why worry about it now, I mean, I'll retire and die before teh US pulls out of Iraq (and I mean completley pulls out, including the hands shoved up the asses of the installed politicians to move their mouths and make them say the right things). MattB |
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09-29-2004, 03:26 PM
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I'm not going to say that this book out and out slams Prez Bush, because I haven't read it. Nonetheless, just reading this article gives me the impression that it follows suit with left-wing propoganda, given its aforementioned allegorical nature. And, if there's one thing that makes me sick, it's the "drunk with partisan Kool-Aid" mentality that 95% of the public adheres to. Probably half of that number say they're not, but once you talk politics with them for five minutes, you can usually tell which pitcher they've been lapping from. The grass is always greener on the other side, isn't it? Until you get over there and you realize the grass is just as brown and dead. In my opinion, there is simply not a good candidate available to vote for and I have no idea who I will vote for, if anyone. I cannot support a trend towards democratic-socialism and yet, cannot respect the increasing theocratic nature of the President, despite my religious upbringing. Last edited by Marcus : 09-29-2004 at 03:30 PM. |
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09-29-2004, 04:24 PM
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#20 | |
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Honestly, the partisan kneejerk reactions are part of the reasons we sat down to write EVERYMAN. We don't care who's drinking whose Kool-Aid; we care about the country we live in. If a candidate's going to do a better job running it and isn't out to push a deeply religious agenda (that whole separation-of-church-and-state thing) or sell out the nation to corporate interests, then they're worth the vote. Same goes for Republicans or Democrats or independents. For my money, it's about seeing the best of us run the country. While EVERYMAN certainly has its own strong political bent, it doesn't graze on either side of the political fence. We've got bigger fish to fry. As I've said above, I hope anyone who's curious but suspicious of the book will give a pair of well-intentioned writers a chance before dismissing a book out of hand that he/she hasn't read. That goes for anyone on/near either side of the fence. Write us at everyman-at-onelove-dot-us if you read it and disagree; debate is what made the nation great, and I love to be proven wrong. |
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09-29-2004, 05:33 PM
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#21 |
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Matt,
"Totus" (-a -um) is a latin word meaning "entire" or "whole." Back when I was in school, me and a few of my friends would often lapse into Latin, or interject Latin words into otherwise English conversations when we felt the literal English lacked a certain aesthetic or connotation. "Sum totus" is a phrase that has since just kind of entered my venacular. Sorry for the confustion, but as Stan The Man would say, excelsior! |
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09-29-2004, 07:21 PM
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#22 | |
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Brady's getting owned! btw, this "ya never know who's gonna get picked as an enemy combantant" line would have a lot more credibility if Michael Moore hadn't just released a more than scathing movie that everyone and their (left wing) mothers saw!!! I think ya'll will be OK... |
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09-29-2004, 07:27 PM
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#23 | |
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Alas, being that they were so big, we all had to wear neck braces to keep our heads up, we never did get laid. But plase, do stick around fellow Chesirfordhamshire man, it's good to have another learned fellow around, wot, wot?  MattB And you just shut up, Coughlin.... |
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09-29-2004, 09:58 PM
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#24 | |
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I read the book this afternoon. It's almost a 100 pages and I couldn't stop reading it until I was done. In fact, as the book ended I wanted to cheer. No, not because I hate George Bush, but because the story made me hopeful about the strength and will of ordinary citizens.
And yes, it's obvious what side of the aisle it leans to. It leans to the side that thinks that we as voters deserve the truth from our elected officials. Is it anti-Bush? Yeah, yeah it is. But writers, artists and the rest of us have a right to speak out against the president and his policy. Isn't that one of the reasons we love America? But Augie, you're right, you wouldn't like it at all. But wouldn't you be scared if we liked the same book?Reading the book, you get the feeling that the brothers Goldman don't think that Bush has done a very good job in his four years and they would prefer he not be re-elected to muck things up further. But they're not alone; roughly half of the country thinks the same thing. I'm not a big fan of heavy handed storytelling, especially when it's a political attack, but this was more than that. It was a gripping story (This is fiction, remember) born of the daily reports and headlines that we should all be paying attention to in the news. I applaud Steven, Dan and artist Joe Bucco for caring enough to make this statement. They are exercising their rights as American citizens in a pro-active way, which is really the theme of this book. The book is Pro-America, pro-action, and implores the reader to get involved in the political process and demand more from our leaders. The art matches the story perfectly and reminded me of early Queen & Country or Lutes' art in Berlin. Beyond the political nature of the story, it's also a very personal tale. The characters work well together and they flesh out the main character enough to allow you to be emotionally involved as events unfold. Nice job on the book guys. And $6 for a 100 page book is a great price point. Quote:
I could be wrong, but wasn't the quote that sparked your scorn and venom a part of Chris's intro, rather than a quote from the authors? |
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09-30-2004, 02:13 AM
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#25 |
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It could be that Chris made the mistake himself, but a few elements to this piece made me doubt that:
1. It's a detail listed among several others, all of them characteristics of the President character in the comic, and all of them calculated for maximum transparency so we can draw the connection to our current sitting President. This list is so specific (and the detail that he's the FIRST is so specific) it seems unlikely that the author of this article would have mentioned it if it wasn't explicitly presented in the book as part of the "allegory." Would you read a comic and then remember specific character details that weren't actually there? 2. The entire interview was so choked full of pat questions and rehearsed-sounding answers that it seems suspiciously prepared. It navigates like an infomercial or FAQ, not like a one-on-one interview. For example, the character of 'Dita and her meeting with Mack are mentioned in the answer to the first question. Yet, in the very next question, the interviewer rather stiffly states: "Another central character in Everyman is Perdita 'Dita' Orozco, who meets Womack at one of his book signings." Does this sound like a conversation between two people in the same room to you? Or even a conversation between two people who are even listening to one-another? That exposition is chunkier and more unnecessary than something Chris Claremount would write. It is clearly manufactured to take the reader's hand as directly as possible, regardless of how phony or clumsy it sounds. In my experience, this is usually the end-result of editing questions like a press-kit or publicity package would, suggesting that all the information (the important details and plot points that the authors or publishers wanted spotlighted, for instance) was available to the "interviewer" beforehand so that he might craft questions that jibe with the answers the authors were prepared to give. Again, this doesn't leave a lot of room or editorializing or mistakes on the interviewer's part. Ironically, the White House press room works almost exactly the same way. |
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