Politics and comics: The NRA


I’ve long intended to start a series addressing the use of comics to promote political ideas. That never happened.

But at the very least, here’s an opportunity to at least share some links! Wonkette.com got ahold of a leaked copy of the NRA’s as-of-yet unreleased graphic novel, Freedom in Peril: Guarding the 2nd Amendment in the 21st Century.

It’s a beautifully illustrated, horribly simple-minded, attempt to frighten the card-carrying (and dues-paying) members into loyalty and recruitment. Apparently it’s so over-the-top, NRA allies at the California Concealed-Carry Weapons forum rushed to dismiss it as a hoax (which was later retracted in a very responsible manner). Poor boingboing.net has had to go back and forth on whether or not it’s real or a hoax.

According to rawstory.com, the early rumor is that the artwork duties were handled by Chris Gall, who has done illustrations for the NRA’s magazine America’s First Freedom.

Rawstory has made the full graphic novel available here.