The Great Anti-War Cartoons

By: Craig Yoe

For centuries, cartoonists have used their pens to fight a war against war, translating images of violent conflict into symbols of protest. Noted comics historian Craig Yoe brings the greatest of these artists together in one place, presenting the ultimate collection of anti-war cartoons. Together, these cartoons provide a powerful testament to the old adage, "The pen is mightier than the sword," and remind us that so often in the last couple of centuries, it was the editorial cartoonist who could say the things his fellow newspapermen and women only dreamed of, enlightening and rallying a nation against unjust aggression. Readers of The Great Anti-War Cartoons will find stunning artwork in a variety of media and forms (pen-and-ink, wash, watercolor, woodcut -- single images and sequential comic strips) from the hands of Francisco Goya to Art Young, from Robert Minor to Ron Cobb, and from Honor Daumier to Robert Crumb, as well as page after page of provocative images from such titans as James Montgomery Flagg, C.D. Batchelor, Edmund Sullivan, Boardman Robinson, William Gropper, Maurice Becker, George Grosz, Gerald Scarfe, Bill Mauldin, Art Spiegelman and many more (see below for a complete list of contributors). The book also includes an Introduction by 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus and a Foreword by Library of Congress curator Sara W. Duke. This book is neither ideological nor parochial: The cartoons range across the political spectrum from staunch conservative flag-wavers to radicals and hippies, and span two centuries and the entire globe (Australia, Russia, Poland, France...). But their message remains timeless and universal.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1606991507
• ISBN13: 9781606991503
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
• Length: 190 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 9.0" x 11.6"
• Age Range: 16 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 11 and higher

Customer Reviews

A must-have book... unfortunately

It's too bad there has to be a book about anti-war cartoons. It would be wonderful if there were no wars and no cartoons about them. Then this book would be unnecessary. Unfortunately, wars continue. Which means cartoonists continue to draw cartoons about them. And that makes this book a necessity in every library, public or private. What's most fascinating about this collection is that the material covers a span of hundreds of years, yet little has changed except the uniforms. It's chilling to look at a cartoon from World War I alongside a similar image from World War II and realize how little progress mankind has made. The killing goes on and the graphic themes - skulls, graves, guns, devils - are still relevant today. Craig Yoe has done a terrific job of collecting these cartoons from many different periods in history and from countries all around the world. By juxtaposing them he gives us a unique global perspective of the horrors of war. I should also mention that it's nicely designed and beautifully printed. As digital books grow in popularity, this is one that you'll want to own in paper form. Although it's tempting to flip through and just look at the pictures, I recommend taking the time to read the biographical index. It was interesting to see some familiar names (Syd Hoff, Winsor McKay, Sir John Tenniel) among those of foreign cartoonists I'd never heard of. Even more interesting was the number of cartoonists jailed, tortured or killed for creating these works.

Stunning Conversational Piece

This is a beautiful and stirring compilation of artwork. It's a perfect conversation piece and every page is packed with passionate and meaningful illustrations. Five bright stars from me! I guarantee you will enjoy this book!

Excellent compilation of historical anti-war cartoons

The Great Anti-War Cartoons by Craig Yoe offers a "hard-hitting but hopeful" collection spanning centuries of anti-war drawings by some of the best graphic artists, from Honore Daumier to R. Crumb and many others. As noted in the foreword, the works included in this compilation of responses to war come from both the left and the right, and this is indeed one of the strengths of this book. The insightful, thought-provoking introduction is delivered by none other than Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus and proves to be well worth reading in its own right. I was impressed not only by scope of the contents and the thoughtful division of themes by chapters, but by the quality of the artwork and the excellent design of the book itself, as well. A quality book in every respect, The Great Anti-War Cartoons would be a valuable addition to the personal libraries of historians, historical comics collectors, and anyone who is an advocate for peace.

moving

This book encompasses so many different areas of the human condition. Some cartoons are funny, some are moving, but they all have something to say! They are all beautifully arranged in this book. All this, plus a moving intro by Prof. Muhammad Yunus and a Foreword by Sara Duke! Definitely worth a look for anyone interested in art, peace, history...etc.