Wobblies! A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World

A vibrant history in graphic art of the "Wobblies," published for the centenary of the founding of the Industrial Workers of the World.

The stories of the hard-rock miners' shooting wars, young Elizabeth Gurly Flynn (the "Rebel Girl" of contemporary sheet music), the first -sit-down strikes and Free Speech fights, Emma Goldman and the struggle for birth control access, the Pageant for Paterson orchestrated in Madison Square Garden, bohemian radicals John Reed and Louise Bryant, field-hand revolts and lumber workers' strikes, wartime witch hunts, government prosecutions and mob lynching, Mexican-American uprisings in Baja, and Mexican peasant revolts led by Wobblies, hilarious and sentimental songs created and later revived-all are here, and much, much more.

The IWW, which has been organizing workers since 1905, is often cited yet elusive to scholars because of its eclectic and controversial cultural and social character. Wobblies! presents the IWW whole, scripted and drawn by old-time and younger Wobbly and IWW-inspired artists.


What They Say About Wobblies!
"Tell the bosses to go to hell and buy an extra copy of this wonderful
history. Give it to an exploited friend or just leave it in a public
place. On the centenary of the IWW, we should be replanting the seeds of
rebellion." -Mike Davis, author of City of Quartz and Planet of Slums

"When I was in graduate school, we longed for "Classic Comics" of some of our more inaccessible historical tomes. Paul Buhle and Nicole Schulman have gone way beyond that with Wobblies! A Graphic History. Carefully researched, interesting, informative and accessible, this book could not be more timely." -Sara Paretsky, author of the V.I. Warshawski novels

"America, contrary to what you might have been led to believe, has a deep indigenous radical tradition. Wobblies! excavates an essential part of American history that has been conveniently overlooked in recent years, and does so with style, great graphics, and no punches pulled." -Luc Sante, author of Low Life and Evidence

The Wobblies made a unique and remarkable contribution to American culture and the everlasting struggles for freedom and justice, with effects that reach very far, and should in the future as well. The excitement and inspiration of their creative and courageous work is brilliantly captured in this wonderful graphic history." -Noam Chomsky, author of Hegemony or Survival

"Paul Buhle and Nicole Schulman shine an illuminating spotlight on a dimly lit corner of American history with their Wobblies! A Graphic History-and, even better-it's chock full of great images. The Wobblies never stood so tall." -Bill Griffith, artist, Zippy the Pinhead

"Wobblies! is an entertaining and richly instructive history of the IWW, a story told largely through illustrations whose styles vary from spare to surreal. Some of the stories and biographies are familiar, others obscure or little known. But the lessons are stark: even the most progressive activists today suffer little for their convictions, and our dreams and expectations and goals are narrow and shriveled compared to those of the Wobblies who provide our inspiration." -David Newby, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO

"Political cartooning has experienced a genuine revival in recent years, led in part by the remarkable editor-artists of World War 3 Illustrated. This new book connects some of today's most exciting cartoonists-Seth Tobocman, Sabrina Jones, Fly, Kevin Pyle, Nicole Schulman, Peter Kuper and many others-with one of the great dramas of the labor movement-the rise and fall (and rise?) of the Industrial Workers of the World. Wobblies! A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World is more than a superb-looking coffee table book; it is an introduction to a critically important chapter in American history, and a graphic guide to grassroots political organizing. This book is highly recommended to fans of cartooning and class warfare." - Kent Worcester, a regular contributor to The Comics Journal and the coeditor of "Arguing Comics: Literary Masters on a Popular Medium" (2005)


Paul Buhle is Senior Lecturer at Brown University, a member of the Organization of American Historians, a columnist, a journalist, and the author of many books including From the Lower East Side to Hollywood.

Nicole Schulman is an artist and activist on the editorial board of World War 3 Illustrated, to which she frequently contributes work. Her comics and illustrations have appeared in publications such as the New York Times, and are in the permanent collection of the Library of Congress. She lives in New York City.

Contributors include Carlos Cortez (former editor of the Industrial Worker), Harvey Pekar (author of American Splendor), Peter Kuper (current artist of Mad's Spy vs. Spy), Sue Coe, Seth Tobocman, Chris Cardinale, Ryan Inzana, Spain Rodriques, Trina Robbins, Sharon Rudahl, and the circle of artists for World War 3 Illustrated.


Publication
April 2005
256 pages
150 b/w illustrations

Paper
1 84467 525 4
?16 / US$23 / CAN$37





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