What I'm Reading: Divided States of Hysteria, by Howard Chaykin

And now for something a little darker than cute cartoons about vampires.

Howard Chaykin's comic Divided States of Hysteria is out. Terrorism, death and destruction, political hacks looking to take advantage. Written in what now seems like a more innocent time, 2016.

First issue's collecting a bunch of psychopaths. Not sure what they'll be doing, but I trust Chaykin's road trips to go somewhere interesting.

"So now that liberal-center-left narcissism, with a healthy dose of identity politics, has lost the game to right-wing ignorance and hypocrisy-driven rage, and I find myself anticipating a future spent in a live-action dystopia, the book seems almost naively cheerful and filled with hope. Go figure."
—Howard Chaykin, Divided States of Hysteria #1 editorial

There's been some controversy about a cover, apparently people think showing cruelty in art is the same as endorsing it? I don't know. Anyone not familiar with Chaykin's American Flagg! or Black Kiss will probably be appalled at the mix of explicit sex, explicit violence, and explicit politics; this book is for people who aren't appalled.

Synchronicity: Just found this Howard Chaykin art for Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination