In the past few weeks, upheaval has impacted everything from geopolitics, to the economy, to civil liberties. It is easy to get sucked into a cycle of doom scrolling and notification anxiety in the face of what feels like never ending chaos.
While feelings of monolithic, existential dread are understandable, the solution may be far more manageable. Yes, there are large, complex, and wide-ranging problems in our country and the world. And although it feels like one person is causing all the chaos, the reality is he is not.
There is an army of NPCs, each working in very specific roles to institute this shock doctrine. The counterattack to this tactic is for each one of us to focus on one issue to lend our donations, energy, and support. Choosing one battlefield and fighting back over the long term will save your sanity and maybe our society.
The hill I’ve decided to die on is supporting comics and graphic novels against the rising tide of censorship. I’ve chosen to support comics that are facing bans and challenges because this cause naturally fits into my personal and professional life. I’ve been a comic book attorney reader for more than twenty-five years. I’ve been a comic book reader for more than forty-five years. If there is one issue that I can be both knowledgeable and passionate about, this is it.
Political and social attacks on comics have been around since the 1950s, Seduction of the Innocent, the Comics Code Authority, and the infantilization of mainstream comics up until the 1990s. Comics still carry that stigma seven decades later.
Modern challenges and bans have ramped up since COVID. All the literary and progressive gains for comics in libraries, schools, and among general readers over the past thirty years are being threatened in the name of white supremacy and anti-intellectualism.
Comics are particularly vulnerable to censorship for two reasons. First, the ignorant association between children and comics persists as a consequence of the Comics Code. “Comics are for kids” is a propaganda slogan that instantly targets any comic dealing with adult themes and issues. Second, it is far easier for a censor to pull one image out of context from a graphic novel, label it as pornography, and insinuate that the entire book was published only for the prurient interest. Many of the most censored books in America are original graphic novels or graphic novel adaptations.
Censorship was not the answer during the McCarthy Era and it is not the answer now. People need to read whatever interests them, especially in comics. There is value in seeing yourself in stories, especially in comics. There is value in learning about the perspectives and struggles of people from different points of view, especially in comics. There is value in comics, and The Comic Book Advocate strives to share that value with as many people as possible.
My grand strategy for total victory has four parts.
The first stage is to understand the nature of the problem. I plan to collect information on proposed censorship laws, prominent incidents of book banning and efforts to intimidate creators and publishers in my newsletter.
The second stage is to spotlight comics that are actively being banned or are likely targets of shadow bans. I plan to create this content in the form of reviews that can be shared easily.
The third stage is to provide guidance and resources to help everyone who loves comics push back against comic book censorship.
The final stage is donating funds and resources to get comics into the hands of people who want to read them.
The Comic Book Advocate will not save the economy, end war, or stop white supremacy. But if one child can find solace and support in the pages of comics, then this isn’t a bad hill to die on.
If you’d like to be part of this plan, click here to subscribe to The Comic Book Advocate.
Thanks
Gamal