Derf definitely picked an appropriate historical juncture at which to turn back the clock and delve into the head-on collision that took place between the ideals of democracy and Federal policy under the administration of Woodrow Wilson, a collision that took place within the overarching ongoing conflict between capital and labor on the eve of the United States' entry into the First World War, over 100 years ago.
At the center of this collision is the battle of and for the freedom of the press, and at the center of this particular presentation of events there is the power – and artistry – of political cartooning. The Dissidents, is a 300+ page heavy-duty hardcover that's been in the works since Derf's last major work, Kent State arrived during the pandemic. It provides a very up close and personal portrait of the actual personages – most notably the cartoonists – behind the premiere modernist magazine of resistance: The Masses, which was published from 1911 through its forced (by agents of the Woodrow administration) closure near the end of 1917, as the Russian (Bolshevik) Revolution shook the western powers and the US entered the War.
To provide narrative propulsion and so save readers from floundering amidst the overwhelming historical forces, Derf has taken the liberty of creating a fictional lead protagonist that is more or less a stand in for his own subjective point of view – a cartoonist, of course – and inserting him at the center of the action. And plenty of action there is.
Readers won't be able to help noticing, and feeling, many (many) strong parallels to current events, and most will empathize with Derf's portrayals of the feelings and responses of the leading players – the titular dissidents – to the circumstances in which they find themselves, and respect – or at least understand – their decisions when imagining themselves in their place (which isn't hard to do, given the numerous parallels to the present).
The volume concludes with copious historical, biographical and bibliographical notes (as in, 38 pages worth) that will go a long way towards filling in any gaps in readers' knowledge regarding the period, cast and setting. Also, just FYI: to anyone inspired by The Dissidents to delve deeper into The Masses – the magazine at its center – please know that full-issue scans of the entire run are available online HERE. Amazing! Check it out! Also amazingly available in its entirety, also in high-resolution scans – if in a slightly more clunky reading set-up – is its successor, The Liberator, HERE! (And, both runs are available at those linked-to locations as high resolution PDF downloads, as well!)
And, wow, check out the heaping helpings of praise dished out to Derf by his peers!
“The Dissidents is a thoughtful examination of a largely forgotten moment in U.S. history and a reminder that the struggles of contemporary America are hardly new. Let us never stop fighting the autocrats. This is an important book for an important moment.”
—Badiucao and Melissa Chan, You Must Take Part in Revolution
“A magnificent book, forensically researched and beautifully drawn. In The Dissidents, a cartoonist invents a cartoonist to witness the giants of American social political cartooning. The story is of their contribution to a publication of dialectical art and reportage called The Masses. Their time is one of global upheaval—a pandemic, revolutions, a world war, and its partner, ‘the enemy within,’ pitting working class people against one another, fueled by murderous corporate overlords and their lackeys and corrupt, moronic politicians. The artists’ lives are fraught with ideological contradictions. They struggle against poverty whilst being persecuted, censored, and blacklisted. And through it all they carry their only weapons—a pencil and a sketchbook. This book is an inspiration for the artists of today, who expose bullies and will not be silenced.”
—Sue Coe, artist and social activist
“Derf Backderf’s The Dissidents reminds us, in no uncertain terms, that history does, indeed, repeat itself. In this graphic novel, based on all-too-real events, German immigrant and political cartoonist Joe Hertle moves to New York City’s East Village, where he falls in with all manner of socialists, artists, communists, and cartoonists. The story is as compelling as it is didactic; it is painfully timely and absolutely necessary. The stunning artwork only reinforces this graphic novel’s powerful message—there is nothing more precious and threatening than freedom.”
—Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist and Hunger
“As William Faulkner noted: ‘The past is never dead. It’s not even past.’ Derf Backderf’s deeply researched, stunningly executed book underlines this in red. The Dissidents is a remarkable journey back in history, leading right up to our twenty-first-century doorstep. An ode to the power of art to shake the pillars of power, this tour-de-force graphic novel couldn’t be more timely.”
—Peter Kuper, author, Insectopolis and co-founder of World War 3 Illustrated
“The Dissidents is Derf’s very best work, and a rightly shocking masterpiece: His expert linework delivers history’s haunting rhyme with nuance and gravity. Derf deftly illuminates a democracy in crisis, inviting readers to make modern connections while underlining the essential role of art in making our voices heard.”
—Nate Powell, National Book Award–winning artist of the March trilogy, Save it for Later, and Diana
“The Dissidents is a revelation and a masterpiece of visual storytelling. Derf Backderf places the reader in a time and place when the rights granted by the First Amendment were truly at risk—a story that mirrors much of what is happening in today’s America. By putting the reader front and center, Backderf makes us feel what it is like to be an artist on the front line covering an authoritarian administration—taking risks, fighting back, and confronting those who threaten our essential rights as American citizens. The Dissidents demands to be read, and it must be. It is essential reading.”
—Edel Rodriguez, Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey
“Derf Backderf’s latest graphic novel, The Dissidents, is absolutely brilliant. For anyone obsessed with comics, history, politics, corporate greed, propaganda, humor, art, humanity, and the necessity of speaking truth to power, this book is for you. It’s part cautionary tale, part wake-up call, part inspiration, and 100% a damned great ride.”
—Bill Sienkiewicz, Eisner Hall of Fame artist
“You won’t believe this story. Journalists arrested and government-sponsored violence in the streets? Derf Backderf shows us in The Dissidents that the suppression of history is why we’re doomed to repeat it today. It also underscores what I constantly tell my students: Making comics is the most important thing you can do. The Dissidents should be required reading for students of all ages—and everyone else.”
—Christopher Sperandio (aka Pinko Joe), artist and art professor
“War. Anarchists. Jingoism. A government suppressing the free press. Derf Backderf’s masterful new book The Dissidents brings us back to a time both historical and of the moment with a fresh homage to cartoonists of yore. Drawn masterfully with his characteristic stark, original, detailed charm, The Dissidents is fascinating, entertaining, and disturbing. A must-read for lovers of history, cartooning, and what America is supposed to stand for.”
—Jake Tapper, anchor and chief Washington correspondent, CNN
“If you’re still not paying attention, Derf Backderf’s latest book will remind you that this is a time for urgency. Weaving the art of the brilliant opinion artists from the early 20th century magazine The Masses with the life journey of a fictional young ambitious political cartoonist, Backderf brings to life an era when Americans forgot about our most important amendment.”
—Ann Telnaes, two-time Pulitzer Prize–winning cartoonist
