Fight The Power!
A Visual History of Protest Among the English Speaking Peoples
According to Gandhi, the Four Stages of Protest are as follows: First they ignore you. Then they ridicule you. Then they fight you. Then you win!
In Fight the Power!, comics authors Sean Michael Wilson and Benjamin Dickson team up with illustrators Hunt Emerson, John Spelling, and Adam Pasion to show how this process has been played out again and again throughout history--and has slowly but surely led to hard-won rights for the people along the way. Focusing on the English-speaking nations, Wilson and Dickson chronicle the struggles of the Luddites and Swing Riots in the early 1800s, through the Irish Rebellions that lasted through 1922; from the suffragettes in 1918 to Rosa Parks and the bus boycott of the mid-1950s; from the trial of Nelson Mandela to the Occupy movement that has only just begun. By illuminating the variety of protests--and the valuable connections among them--through an accessible art form, Fight the Power! shows that there is a point to the struggle, fight by fight, win by win.
With an intro by long standing social activist, and pal of The Beatles, Tariq Ali. A wonderful painted cover by Eva Schlunke and Poly, who also has some cartoons inside. This is a great book, Im very pleased with it.
October 2013 $19.95/ 9.99 UK 192 Pages
US version from Seven Stories
UK version from New Internationalist
The US publisher made this little presentation pack pdf for history teachers:
http://bweissler.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/seven-stories-ftp-paracomic.pdf
In Fight the Power!, comics authors Sean Michael Wilson and Benjamin Dickson team up with illustrators Hunt Emerson, John Spelling, and Adam Pasion to show how this process has been played out again and again throughout history--and has slowly but surely led to hard-won rights for the people along the way. Focusing on the English-speaking nations, Wilson and Dickson chronicle the struggles of the Luddites and Swing Riots in the early 1800s, through the Irish Rebellions that lasted through 1922; from the suffragettes in 1918 to Rosa Parks and the bus boycott of the mid-1950s; from the trial of Nelson Mandela to the Occupy movement that has only just begun. By illuminating the variety of protests--and the valuable connections among them--through an accessible art form, Fight the Power! shows that there is a point to the struggle, fight by fight, win by win.
With an intro by long standing social activist, and pal of The Beatles, Tariq Ali. A wonderful painted cover by Eva Schlunke and Poly, who also has some cartoons inside. This is a great book, Im very pleased with it.
October 2013 $19.95/ 9.99 UK 192 Pages
US version from Seven Stories
UK version from New Internationalist
The US publisher made this little presentation pack pdf for history teachers:
http://bweissler.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/seven-stories-ftp-paracomic.pdf
Reviews
"Throughout human history, social change has never been doled out by those very few that hold power, but taken by the collective with a common need for justice (like not to starve or be worked to death for pennies). Fight the Power harnesses a chunk of this history and graphically illuminates it with humor and eloquence. It reminds us of the struggles that, against the odds, brought us a better world and empowers us to carry those actions into the future."
—Peter Kuper, Co-founder, World War 3 Illustrated and artist/ writer for Mad magazine's Spy vs Spy
"An accessible and engaging introduction to protestors in history. If you care about social change, read it!"
—Mary Talbot, author of Dotter of Her Father's Eyes (Costa Biography Award winner)
"The compelling power of graphic narrative to efficiently, potently and evocatively disseminate vast amounts of information and seductively advocate complex issues with great conviction through layered levels has always been most effectively used in works with a political or social component. That’s never been more evident than in this stunning and scholarly new graphic anthology detailing some of the most infamous and effective instances of popular protest."
- Win Wiacek, Comics review.co.uk
"An entertaining and informative read for anyone interested in social activism and its history. Writers Sean Michael Wilson and Benjamin Dickson join forces to tell us some of the key struggles for social change in our history, from the early 1800s to the present day, in a graphic narrative brilliantly complemented with art by Adam Pasion, John Spelling and underground comics icon Hunt Emerson... So order your copy of Fight the Power and find out what it really means to be one of the 99% -- you won't be disappointed! "
- Nicholas Heartland.
"Fight the Power! is not just a valuable historical reminder, it’s a rallying cry to the disenfranchised. At a time when gay rights are still being defined and economic disparity worsens daily, the message has never been more apropos." - San Francisco Book Review
Get the book here:
The book can be had from book shops or online at the US or UK publisher, or even Amazon (if you like supporting capitalism, dear boy):
UK and Australia version:
http://newint.org/books/politics/fight-the-power/
North American version:
http://catalog.sevenstories.com/products/fight-the-power-a-visual-history-of-protest-among-the-english-speaking-peoples
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1114194561?ean=9781609804923
Amnesty International is also selling the book:
http://amnestyshop.org.uk/fight-the-power.html
Picked by hip London record shop, ROUGH TRADE, as one of their ten 'Best of the year' books: "The perfect Christmas gift for the Armchair Anarchist, a fully illustrated guide to Protest over the past two centuries in the vein of the '...for Beginners' series." - Nice!
http://www.roughtrade.com/books2013
"Throughout human history, social change has never been doled out by those very few that hold power, but taken by the collective with a common need for justice (like not to starve or be worked to death for pennies). Fight the Power harnesses a chunk of this history and graphically illuminates it with humor and eloquence. It reminds us of the struggles that, against the odds, brought us a better world and empowers us to carry those actions into the future."
—Peter Kuper, Co-founder, World War 3 Illustrated and artist/ writer for Mad magazine's Spy vs Spy
"An accessible and engaging introduction to protestors in history. If you care about social change, read it!"
—Mary Talbot, author of Dotter of Her Father's Eyes (Costa Biography Award winner)
"The compelling power of graphic narrative to efficiently, potently and evocatively disseminate vast amounts of information and seductively advocate complex issues with great conviction through layered levels has always been most effectively used in works with a political or social component. That’s never been more evident than in this stunning and scholarly new graphic anthology detailing some of the most infamous and effective instances of popular protest."
- Win Wiacek, Comics review.co.uk
"An entertaining and informative read for anyone interested in social activism and its history. Writers Sean Michael Wilson and Benjamin Dickson join forces to tell us some of the key struggles for social change in our history, from the early 1800s to the present day, in a graphic narrative brilliantly complemented with art by Adam Pasion, John Spelling and underground comics icon Hunt Emerson... So order your copy of Fight the Power and find out what it really means to be one of the 99% -- you won't be disappointed! "
- Nicholas Heartland.
"Fight the Power! is not just a valuable historical reminder, it’s a rallying cry to the disenfranchised. At a time when gay rights are still being defined and economic disparity worsens daily, the message has never been more apropos." - San Francisco Book Review
Get the book here:
The book can be had from book shops or online at the US or UK publisher, or even Amazon (if you like supporting capitalism, dear boy):
UK and Australia version:
http://newint.org/books/politics/fight-the-power/
North American version:
http://catalog.sevenstories.com/products/fight-the-power-a-visual-history-of-protest-among-the-english-speaking-peoples
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1114194561?ean=9781609804923
Amnesty International is also selling the book:
http://amnestyshop.org.uk/fight-the-power.html
Picked by hip London record shop, ROUGH TRADE, as one of their ten 'Best of the year' books: "The perfect Christmas gift for the Armchair Anarchist, a fully illustrated guide to Protest over the past two centuries in the vein of the '...for Beginners' series." - Nice!
http://www.roughtrade.com/books2013
Eyes on you to get this book.
This comic book covers 14 cases of such struggle over the last 200 years and in several English speaking countries including not just the US and UK but Australia, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, India and Jamaica.
An interview in Ireland - with myself and Ben Dickson. This is with the bilingual (English and Irish Gaelic) website, An Sionnach Fionn (The White Fox), an excellent site run by Séamas Ó Sionnaigh which was nominated for the 'Best Politics Blog 2013'. Go raibh maith agat - Thanks!
http://ansionnachfionn.com/2014/03/05/fight-the-power-a-interview-with-the-authors/
And another in Ireland, focusing on the chapters about Ireland and Scotland:
http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/a-novel-approach-to-exploring-irish-history-1362363-Mar2014/
A promo video for the book is here:
https://vimeo.com/73293975
- The Luddites and Swing Riots (1811-1832)
- The Battle of Peterloo (1819)
- Colonial Rebellions (1837-1865)
- Irish Rebellions (1791-1922)
- The Suffragettes (1903-1918)
- The Australian General Strike (1917)
- The Boston Police Strike (1919)
- The UK General Strike and the Battle of George Square (1918 & 1926)
- The Battle of Toledo (1934)
- Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott (1955-1956)
- The Trial of Nelson Mandela (1964)
- Fragging (1969-1971)
- The Poll Tax Riots (1989-1991)
- Occupy (2011-)
An interview in Ireland - with myself and Ben Dickson. This is with the bilingual (English and Irish Gaelic) website, An Sionnach Fionn (The White Fox), an excellent site run by Séamas Ó Sionnaigh which was nominated for the 'Best Politics Blog 2013'. Go raibh maith agat - Thanks!
http://ansionnachfionn.com/2014/03/05/fight-the-power-a-interview-with-the-authors/
And another in Ireland, focusing on the chapters about Ireland and Scotland:
http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/a-novel-approach-to-exploring-irish-history-1362363-Mar2014/
A promo video for the book is here:
https://vimeo.com/73293975
Think protest never achieved anything? Fight the Power sets the record straight with a unique visual history of protest among English-speaking people. Various artists and writers who contributed will be presenting the book across the country, and I will be taking part via skype at the Falmouth and London events:
- 28th Sept: Gnash Comics and Graphic Novels, Ashburton, Devon, gnashcomics.co.uk
18-20th Oct: The Lakes International Comic Arts festival, Kendal, comicartfestival.com
26th Oct: Falmouth Arts Comics Convention, Falmouth, falmouthcomicartshow.tumblr.com
9th November: COMICA - London International Comics festival,
The book is also for sale via AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL:
http://amnestyshop.org.uk/fight-the-power.html
http://amnestyshop.org.uk/fight-the-power.html
Or lovely anarchist publisher AK Press:
http://www.akpress.org/catalogsearch/advanced/result/?name=fight+the+power&description=&sku=&price%5Bfrom%5D=&price%5Bto%5D=&isbn13=&subtitle=&contributors=&publication_date%5Bfrom%5D=&publication_date%5Bto%5D=&publisher=&publisher_ak=
Judge Dredd is not best pleased by our FIGHT THE POWER! book - since he IS the power!
"Five years in the cubes for producing pro-democracy literature, perp."
Review in the MORNING STAR newspaper, March 2015
