World War 3 Illustrated
Encyclopedia
World War 3 Illustrated is an American
comics anthology
magazine with a left-wing
political focus, founded in 1980
by New York
comic book artists Peter Kuper
and Seth Tobocman
, and painter Christof Kohlhofer, and subsequently produced by a collective
with a rotating editorship. Other frequent contributors, mostly based in New York City, include Isabella Bannerman, Sue Coe
, Scott Cunningham, Eric Drooker, Sandy Jimenez
, Sabrina Jones, Mac McGill, Kevin Pyle, James Romberger
.
and hardcore
bands and musicians, the magazine took control of the means of production and distribution, foregoing possible relationships with established publishing institutions or companies for the sake of its own editorial integrity and political independence.
In the first decade of the magazine, its focus ranged from the global, to the hyper local, specifically addressing the politics and concerns affecting the neighborhoods of the Lower East Side of Manhattan: housing rights; gentrification; police brutality; racism; economic oppression. The Tompkins Square Park Riot (1988) was a watershed event for the magazine’s founders and artistic contributors as much of the work in the anthology had focused squarely on the political issues leading to the riot, such as the city government’s policies towards squatters and the homeless. When tensions brought the riot to its most dangerous points across the two day conflict, much of the notable imagery associated with the grassroots resistance on improvised signage and wheat-pasted posters was appropriated from published work in the magazine created by Eric Drooker, Seth Tobocman
, and others.
The late 1980s and 1990s saw an increasing diversity in both the number of new individual artists and writers contributing original comic book stories to World War 3 Illustrated, and a widening of the range in subject matter. This period is also marked by an explosive expansion in distribution, as Ruth Schwartz of Mordam Records
took on the magazine’s circulation fulfillment ensuring that it would be present in any and all outlets that already carried the notable music punk ‘zine, Maximum RocknRoll
. This distribution agreement took World War 3 Illustrated’s issues international, as they were carried by Tower Records
in all territories. The partnership with Mordam records continued late into the 1990s until World War 3 Illustrated handed its distribution over to Chris Staros
of Top Shelf Productions
and Diamond Comic Distributors
, an arrangement which continues today.
Unlike other comic book anthology format magazines like Heavy Metal
or the defunct Epic Illustrated
, World War 3 Illustrated is known more for the sustained or recurring presence of certain artists, than any ongoing series across issues of character-based episodic features such as in Mad magazine. Shit House Poet
, running exclusively in World War 3 Illustrated since 1991, is the exception, as the longest-running recurring feature with an identifiable single cast of characters. 2011 marked its twenty-first year in the magazine.
The magazine’s logo, an image of a globe superimposed over a blazing matchstick, is indicative of the magazine’s philosophy concerning the need for vigilance and recognition of perennial conflicts and systems of ongoing oppression all over the world.
and embattled cartoonist Mike Diana
have published work in the magazine.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comics anthology
Comics anthology
Comics anthologies collect works in the medium of comics that are too short for standalone publication.- U.S. :- UK :British comics have a long tradition publishing comics anthologies, often weekly...
magazine with a left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
political focus, founded in 1980
1980 in comics
-Year overall:* Big Rapids Distribution, a major Midwestern comics distributor, goes under, and two former employees , form Capital City Distribution, headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin....
by New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
comic book artists Peter Kuper
Peter Kuper
Peter Kuper is an American alternative cartoonist and illustrator known for his autobiographical, social, and political observations.-Early life:...
and Seth Tobocman
Seth Tobocman
Seth Tobocman is a radical comic book artist who has been living in Manhattan's Lower East Side since 1978. Tobocman is best known for his creation of the political comic book World War 3 Illustrated, which he started in 1979 with fellow artist Peter Kuper...
, and painter Christof Kohlhofer, and subsequently produced by a collective
Collective
A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project to achieve a common objective...
with a rotating editorship. Other frequent contributors, mostly based in New York City, include Isabella Bannerman, Sue Coe
Sue Coe
Sue Coe is an English artist and illustrator working primarily in drawing and printmaking, often in the form of illustrated books and comics. She grew up close to a slaughterhouse and developed a passion to stop cruelty to animals. Coe studied at the Royal College of Art in London, lived in New...
, Scott Cunningham, Eric Drooker, Sandy Jimenez
Sandy Jimenez
Sandy Jimenez is an American comic book artist, writer and director, most commonly associated with the New York city independent comic book scene of the 1990s, with work appearing in magazines such as Inner City Press and World War 3 Illustrated.-Biography:He was born in Manhattan, but raised by a...
, Sabrina Jones, Mac McGill, Kevin Pyle, James Romberger
James Romberger
James Romberger is an American fine artist and cartoonist known for his depictions of New York City's Lower East Side.Romberger's pastel drawings of the ravaged landscape of the Lower East Side and its citizens are in many public and private collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art...
.
History
The magazine initially began as a home for comic book work and graphic/illustrated story telling that was anti-establishment and aggressively critical of the social and political right-wing conservatism in ascension after the election of President Ronald Reagan. In the spirit of the then burgeoning DIY approach prevalent among independent punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
bands and musicians, the magazine took control of the means of production and distribution, foregoing possible relationships with established publishing institutions or companies for the sake of its own editorial integrity and political independence.
In the first decade of the magazine, its focus ranged from the global, to the hyper local, specifically addressing the politics and concerns affecting the neighborhoods of the Lower East Side of Manhattan: housing rights; gentrification; police brutality; racism; economic oppression. The Tompkins Square Park Riot (1988) was a watershed event for the magazine’s founders and artistic contributors as much of the work in the anthology had focused squarely on the political issues leading to the riot, such as the city government’s policies towards squatters and the homeless. When tensions brought the riot to its most dangerous points across the two day conflict, much of the notable imagery associated with the grassroots resistance on improvised signage and wheat-pasted posters was appropriated from published work in the magazine created by Eric Drooker, Seth Tobocman
Seth Tobocman
Seth Tobocman is a radical comic book artist who has been living in Manhattan's Lower East Side since 1978. Tobocman is best known for his creation of the political comic book World War 3 Illustrated, which he started in 1979 with fellow artist Peter Kuper...
, and others.
The late 1980s and 1990s saw an increasing diversity in both the number of new individual artists and writers contributing original comic book stories to World War 3 Illustrated, and a widening of the range in subject matter. This period is also marked by an explosive expansion in distribution, as Ruth Schwartz of Mordam Records
Mordam Records
Mordam Records was a Sacramento, California record distribution company for independent record labels. It was originally founded in San Francisco in 1983 as an independent punk distribution company by Ruth Schwartz...
took on the magazine’s circulation fulfillment ensuring that it would be present in any and all outlets that already carried the notable music punk ‘zine, Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
. This distribution agreement took World War 3 Illustrated’s issues international, as they were carried by Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
in all territories. The partnership with Mordam records continued late into the 1990s until World War 3 Illustrated handed its distribution over to Chris Staros
Chris Staros
Chris Staros is the publisher of the graphic novel publisher Top Shelf Productions, as well as the president of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund . He is also the author of Yearbook Stories, 1976–1978, published by Top Shelf....
of Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf Productions
Top Shelf Productions is an American publishing company founded in 1997, owned and operated by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock and a small staff. The company is based in Marietta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and New York City, New York....
and Diamond Comic Distributors
Diamond Comic Distributors
Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. is the largest comic book distributor serving North America. They transport comic books from both big and small comic book publishers, or suppliers, to the retailers. Diamond dominates the direct market in the United States, and has exclusive arrangements with most...
, an arrangement which continues today.
Content and editorial profile
A predominantly black-and-white printed comic book story anthology, World War 3 Illustrated has featured full color covers and occasional special color sections “within book.” It has historically carried advertising of less than ten pages total per issue and has ranged in total page count from 80 pages to 138 in recent issues of the last decade. Typical World War 3 Illustrated issues are focused on a single political issue, theme or broad subject decided upon by the editorial staff. Artists and writers are then invited to develop material addressing the issue’s subject. This approach of incubating material around a different political concern or specific topic every single issue has made the magazine an extremely diverse and unpredictable periodical anthology in the world of comics and possibly the longest-running of its kind in print, at over 30 years of publication.Unlike other comic book anthology format magazines like Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal (magazine)
Heavy Metal is an American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, known primarily for its blend of dark fantasy/science fiction and erotica. In the mid-1970s, while publisher Leonard Mogel was in Paris to jump-start the French edition of National Lampoon, he discovered the French...
or the defunct Epic Illustrated
Epic Illustrated
Epic Illustrated was a comics anthology in magazine format published in the United States by Marvel Comics. The series lasted for 34 issues, from Spring 1980 to February 1986....
, World War 3 Illustrated is known more for the sustained or recurring presence of certain artists, than any ongoing series across issues of character-based episodic features such as in Mad magazine. Shit House Poet
Shit House Poet
Shit House Poet is the creation of writer and comic book artist Sandy Jimenez. Featured in World War 3 Illustrated consistently throughout the 1990s, these stories chronicle the lives of a nameless narrator and his friends in New York city.-Storylines and themes:The stories range from the...
, running exclusively in World War 3 Illustrated since 1991, is the exception, as the longest-running recurring feature with an identifiable single cast of characters. 2011 marked its twenty-first year in the magazine.
Aesthetics, logo
The magazine's look is greatly informed by the work of its original founders, and also the era and context in which the anthology was initially developed: the 1980s DIY culture and grassroots activism. Much of the earlier work was created for the magazine with an eye toward visuals that could be easily reproduced in other media, such as silk screened banners, posters and tee shirts. In the past decade, the magazine has increasingly published work that is more varied in its graphic approach, with increasing use of half-tones, grayscaling and fine line work alongside the established hardline work and photo collage of years past.The magazine’s logo, an image of a globe superimposed over a blazing matchstick, is indicative of the magazine’s philosophy concerning the need for vigilance and recognition of perennial conflicts and systems of ongoing oppression all over the world.
Contributors and controversy
World War 3 Illustrated has provided an ongoing platform for many writers and artists active in the worlds of grassroots and leftist politics over the past 30 years. It has also published work by controversial political figures, including journalism and essays by controversial thinkers, critics and academics, at times assigning its veteran cartoonists to illustrate certain works. Imprisoned activists and writers like Mumia Abu-JamalMumia Abu-Jamal
Mumia Abu-Jamal was convicted of the 1981 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner and sentenced to death. He has been described as "perhaps the world's best known death-row inmate", and his sentence is one of the most debated today...
and embattled cartoonist Mike Diana
Mike Diana
Michael Christopher "Mike" Diana is an underground cartoonist who became the first artist ever to receive a criminal conviction for obscenity for artwork in the United States.-Early life:...
have published work in the magazine.
Collections
- World War 3 Illustrated 1980-1988. (1989). Fantagraphics BooksFantagraphics BooksFantagraphics Books is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented Eros Comix imprint...
. ISBN 1-56097-002-2 - Confrontational Comics. (1995). Four Walls Eight WindowsFour Walls Eight WindowsFour Walls Eight Windows was an independent book publisher in New York City. Its debut occurred in the fall of 1987, under the direction of two young editors, John G. H. Oakes and Daniel Simon. In 1995, Oakes and Simon parted ways...
. ISBN 1-56858-039-8