Review by Win Wiacek
Comics are an invaluable if sometimes under-rated teaching tool, and here the medium has been used by an acclaimed master to comprehensively recapitulate the most pivotal period in the history of democracy. Taxes, the Tea Party, and Those Revolting Rebels is both inviting and astoundingly effective – as is clear by the pages of testimonials from satisfied teachers.
Former art director for the New York Times Sunday Magazine, Stan Mack is also a writer, artist and cartoonist with a long history of turning strips into documentary, commentary and reportage.
In 1994 he released a stunningly addictive pictorial treatment of convoluted times, characters and events that explosively combined to create the libertarian utopia of the United States of America. The re-released saga examines background and context, lays out key events and the causes of them. Tracing the tricky path from sidelined and dissatisfied colonial possession to new nation is handled with wit, understanding and a determined effort to demystify and desanctify history, undoing two centuries of spin and revisionism.
It all starts with a charming introduction, explaining the origins of this superb monochrome hardback tome (164 mm x 240 mm) and tale, laying out the ground rules for use and the ethos behind the project.
Thereafter the fact-packed fun unfolds in three dated sections breaking down into individually dated chapters such as ‘1761-1775 Monarchy and Mobs’. That covers – in smart, snappy, efficiently short and phenomenally memorable vignettes – ‘1761 The Writs of Assistance’ and ‘1763 The Colonies’ setting the scene whilst the heinous money-making schemes of English bean-counting Prime Minister George Grenville (whose swingeing taxes and tariffs kickstart the rebellion) are seen in action through ‘1764 Sugar Act’ and ‘1765 Stamp Act’ before his successor ramped up the grief with ‘1767 Townsend Duties’ resulting in ‘1770 Boston Massacre’.
Thus we come to the truth about the ‘1773 Boston Tea Party’, and the ‘1774 1st Continental Congress’ before at last shedding blood at ‘1775 Lexington & Concord’.
Throughout the chapter and the book Mack is scrupulous in pointing out that all the talk of equality, liberty and self-determination only applies to white males, not slaves (or freed Africans), Indigenous people and women. We’re still living through the results, which have never been adequately addressed.
The second section then counts down battles, George Washington and 1776’s Declaration of Independence, while the third and final section explores how the war was won but victory led only to factional infighting. Federalists opposed Constitutionalists such as Washington, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison Jr. and seeing all the familiar names are on one side, guess who won? Apparently each faction was as concerned with wealth as well-being and freedom.
Potently enthralling, beguiling succinct and astoundingly matter-of-fact, Mack offers an eyes-wide-open account of events and motives that make this book an absolute must-have for any student, political exponent or tub-thumping pub expert.
And it’s bloody well drawn and rather funny too.
