7 Anti-Authoritarian Comics

May 6
2 min read

Do you like graphic novels and dislike tyrannical government? Then here are some comics for you!

7 - X-Men Days Of Future Past

Several decades into the future, we find that the world has become a dystopian nightmare. Hatred and fear of mutants has infested the government, which has created the sentinel robots whose purpose is to hunt and eliminate all mutants. Many of the X-Men have already been killed, along with the Fantastic Four. Can the surviving mutants travel back in time to stop the event that led to this authoritarian regime?

6 - Maus

Art Spiegelman wrote and illustrated this story based on his parent’s life experiences. This biographical story of surviving the violent, fascist government in Germany is depicted through mice representing Jews and cats representing the Nazis. In the story, Art’s father recounts the details of living through Auschwitz, like he had done in real life.

5 - V For Vendetta

After nuclear war destroyed much of the world, the totalitarian political party Norsefire has taken over the UK. An escaped prisoner known as V enacts a plan of vengeance against his former captors, while also exposing the corruption of the police state. With the help of his new friend Evey, they influence an anarchist revolt against the government.

4 - Civil War: Captain America/Iron Man

After the U.S. government deems superheroes too dangerous, Tony Stark proposes a compromise that would force all superpowered people to register with the government and follow orders from elected officials. But Steve Rogers does not trust politicians and opposes the registration act. For this he becomes a wanted fugitive. One by one every superhero in the Marvel universe must decide whose side they are on.

3 - On Tyranny

This more recent graphic novel explores what led to the various authoritarian governments of the 20th century. It describes what the warning signs were, and how to defend freedom against tyranny. And it causes one to consider if we are seeing the warning signs now in the 21st century.

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