# My new political satire comic book/graphic novel project, AMERICAN GREATNESS **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-books-manga, books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [April 19, 2024, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505 "2024-04-19T15:43:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2024, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/1 "2024-04-19T15:43:39Z")
A handful of you may remember my novel CULTURAL PRACTICES OF THE HEARTLAND – a political satire I wrote about a giant monster, representing the insanity of recent politics in the US. The visuals of it stuck with me so much that I felt like I had to see what it would really look like… so I hired a comic book artist (a fantastic talent from Chile named Seb Valencia) and commissioned a cover page and a few pages of art. It blew me away – so much so that I’m compelled to finish adapting the story to comic/graphic novel form. Of course, artists don’t work for free, so I’m launching a Kickstarter to try and raise money. Very brief summary: _The last 8 years of American politics, distilled into a revolting, orange haired, tiny-fingered thousand-foot monster, tromping through the American heartland._ Longer summary: _Deep within the suburban jungle of Cincinnati, a monster has emerged, bursting out of the Rumpke Sanitary Landfill. Taking its name from its birthplace, Rumpke is a thousand feet tall, has revolting personal habits, and might be vaguely familiar to readers, considering his orange-tinged hair and proportionally tiny hands. What do Americans do when such a creature appears, lumbers around at random, and occasionally defiles a local landmark? For millions, the choice is obvious – worship it._ _New York journalist Fred Millard is assigned to report on the exploits of the monster, his bizarre fandom, and the ludicrous internet conspiracy theories that have caught fire since his appearance. Fred quickly learns that the absurdity of Rumpke’s fandom leads to more serious consequences than mere internet hysteria – when serious illness starts to spread in those closest to the monster, its biggest fans refuse to follow the government’s guidance of masking and social distancing, worsening the outbreak. And most appalling of all, one conspiracy theory inspires a violent mob to assemble in Washington, DC and assault a federal building, with deadly results._ _A funhouse-mirror reflection of modern American politics, AMERICAN GREATNESS is a raunchy and hilarious political satire comic series. With art by Seb Valencia, it was written for all of us who are exhausted, baffled, and even terrified by the insanity of American politics in recent times._ If any of this sounds interesting, I hope you’ll take a look at the link in the Marketplace thread below! Thanks so much! Here’s the Marketplace thread, with the Kickstarter link (which has some of the artwork that’s already completed): > [@Presenting AMERICAN GREATNESS, my new political satire comic book/graphic novel (Kickstarter)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presenting-american-greatness-my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-kickstarter/1000503): > > Presenting AMERICAN GREATNESS, a political satire comic book/graphic novel. It was originally a novel called CULTURAL PRACTICES OF THE HEARTLAND – which at least a handful of Dopers have read. But the visuals of the story stuck with me so long, and so deeply, that I felt like I absolutely had to see them “on paper”. So I hired an artist (a fantastic artist named Seb Valencia) and made a cover and a few sample pages of comic book art, and I was so excited by them that I felt like I had to do the… ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2024, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/2 "2024-04-19T18:36:39Z")
Thanks to whichever Doper already contributed $70! Much appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/3 "2024-04-20T12:35:20Z")
A second Doper has contributed - thanks so much to whomever it is! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/4 "2024-04-21T23:43:36Z")
Someone contributed from Switzerland – if that’s a Doper, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2024, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/5 "2024-04-23T00:35:59Z")
At least three Dopers have now contributed - thank you, whoever you are! And it’s over 25% funded… I’m starting to feel a bit of optimism! ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2024, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/6 "2024-04-23T03:23:49Z")
backed…It looks like you’re doing great for your first kickstarter. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2024, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/7 "2024-04-23T05:09:57Z")
Fantastic! Thanks so much! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/8 "2024-04-27T13:25:10Z")
The Comics Multiverse podcast just interviewed me about the project: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kPpwq-4s114/maxresdefault.jpg "Krowdfunder Korner: Andy Crawford Distills Last 8 Years Of Politics In American Greatness") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPpwq-4s114) ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/9 "2024-05-18T21:02:38Z")
And the project (or, at least, the first issue) is fully funded! Thanks so much to everyone who contributed. Still a few hours left for anyone who wants to get it on it at the earlybird prices! [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andycrawford/american-greatness-1?ref=project\_build](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andycrawford/american-greatness-1?ref=project_build) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/10 "2024-05-18T21:49:19Z")
Congrats! Looking forward to seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/11 "2024-05-18T21:57:23Z")
That looks cool. It gives me a very old school _Mad Magazine_ vibe. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2024, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/12 "2024-05-18T23:52:40Z")
Thanks! Can’t wait to see the finished product! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/13 "2024-12-20T00:38:09Z")
Just wanted to post a little update - this project is still on the works, and may be close to complete - the art has just been much much slower than I hoped. I really had hoped to have it complete and available before the election, but that obviously didn’t work out. It’s been “a few days away” seemingly for at least two months now. Hopefully soon. And hopefully there’s still an appetite for political satire. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2025, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/14 "2025-04-30T15:55:18Z")
You really should post an update on the KS page. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2025, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/15 "2025-04-30T16:05:16Z")
Thanks for the reminder - just posted. The art is done and the digital version is done, I’m just waiting on the print version. Hopefully very soon. My apologies for the delay. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/16 "2025-06-07T17:26:08Z")
It’s finally available for sale, in print and digitally! See this marketplace thread for details: > [@My satirical comic book AMERICAN GREATNESS #1 is available for sale digitally and in print](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-satirical-comic-book-american-greatness-1-is-available-for-sale-digitally-and-in-print/1019308): > > It’s finally finished and for sale! AMERICAN GREATNESS takes on Trumpian politics – “The last 9 years of American politics distilled into a revolting, orange-haired, tiny-fingered, thousand-foot monster, tromping through the American heartland…” Written under a pseudonym, it’s available in print ONLY at the IndyPlanet link below (and maybe comic book stores near you!), and digitally as an eBook at most eBook retailers (Amazon link included, but it’s also at Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and many others… Thanks so much to everyone who contributed (your rewards are on their way), and for everyone else, if a political satire comic book about a revolting, giant orange monster sounds like it might be fun, I hope you’ll check it out! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/17 "2025-06-07T19:21:08Z")
I’m hard at work work issue #2; one little hint is that I expect it to include a second monster named Elmo. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/18 "2025-06-10T17:37:46Z")
Someone ordered a batch of ten copies - if that was a Doper, thanks so much (and what are all the copies for?)! ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/19 "2025-06-10T17:54:39Z")
Given how different and much worse the 2nd Trump term is (and will be) compared to the 1st, are you going to write another sequel to reflect current events from 2025-2028? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505/20 "2025-06-10T18:25:27Z")
Since I’ve only published the first issue so far, I’m free to update the story however I like. Right now I’m working with the artist on introducing a second monster (“Elmo”). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-political-satire-comic-book-graphic-novel-project-american-greatness/1000505.md?page=2)