Comic Books, Strips etc.

Comic strip by Rooum, published in Freedom, London
Anarchists have appeared in comic books of various genres ranging from cartoon collections to graphic novels. At times these works have recounted spectacular stories such as the history of the Bonnot Gang or commented on current events, as in the case of Bernard Réglat’s “Toulouse, Black September.” Alternative visions of history are also presented, such as the Gord Hill’s vision of Indian resistance. Sometimes the artists have tried to depict personalities (for example, Malatesta), organizations (such as the Makhnovists), or even ideas.
Virtually every style, mood and genre is represented, ranging from the playful, to the seriously political, to science-fiction. For instance, some of them focus on the typical stereotypes and have invented cartoon characters, such as Ernest Riebe’s “Mr. Block,” Donald Roome’s “Wildcat,” or Roberto Ambrosoli’s “Anarchik". Others have reinterpreted novels such as Seyer’s “The Thief” or have created original stories. And as for any analysis of anarchism, you may discover this rich diversity if you do not restrict your observation to a single language.
The Research on Anarchism site presents here a Comic Strip Bibliography. It has been made possible above all thanks to the large collection of the International Center for Research on Anarchism (CIRA) in Lausanne, where these diverse works can be found. I am very grateful to Marianne Enckell of the CIRA, who has sent us a “preliminary” bibliography (as in fact any bibliography must be!).
Ronald Creagh

Articles

Power unlimited

New York : Ecology Action East, 1978 13 p. : ill. ; 18 x 22 cm CIRA, Lausanne

BLACK AND RED "We called a strike and no one came"

by Black and Red Detroit : Black and Red, 1973 46 p. : ill. ; 22 cm CIRA, Lausanne

BURNETT, Graham. Our allotment

Victoria, Australie : Scam, 1999 20 p. : tout en ill. ; 15 cm A kids coloring book to encourage gardening, but also a cool Punk comic book CIRA, (...)

HARPER, Clifford. The Education of Desire : The Anarchist Graphics

London : Anarres, 1984 100 p. : ill. ; 30 cm CIRA, Lausanne

COHN, Jesse. "Breaking the Frame: Anarchist Comics and Visual Culture"

Comics, like much of "high" modern culture, bear the trace of a certain historic association with the anarchist movements of the late nineteenth (...)

PECK, James. Underdogs vs. upperdogs ; a picture-story of the struggle against social injustice

By Jim Beck, illustrated by Mat Kauten New York : Jim Peck, 1954 15 p. : ill. ; 13 x 18 cm CIRA, Lausanne

RIEBE, Ernest. Mr. Block : twenty-four IWW cartoons

original 1913 introd. Walker C. Smith ; Song lyrics by Joe Hill ; new Introd. Franklin Rosemont Chicago : Charles Kerr, 1984. # SBN: 0882860631 (...)

ANTLIFF, Allan. "The Politics of Rupture"

in Gord Hill, The Anti-Capitalist Resistance Comic Book. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp, 2012. p. 6-13.

ROOUM, Donald. Wildcat Strikes Again

Anarchist Comics by Donald Rooum, Freedom Press – Wildcat Anarchist Comics, Rooum, Donald, London : Freedom press (Radical Graphic Arts), 1989. (...)

DANIELS, J. Breaking free

London : Attack international, 1989. 174 p. Pirate publication, drawn by the British artist Jack Daniels and sold by a Trotskyist organization, (...)