Parecomic: Michael Albert and the Story of Participatory Economics - Softcover

Wilson, Sean Michael; Thompson, Carl

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1609804562 ISBN 13: 9781609804565

Publisher: Seven Stories Press, 2013

Synopsis

Parecomic is a graphic novel about the system we live in—what’s wrong with it, and how we might be able change it for the better. The recent upsurge in popular protest around the world shows that people are not happy with the state of capitalism and desire an alternative that will work for the 99%, not just the 1%. Parecon is one such alternative, and Parecomic brings this to life in illustrated form.

Parecomic is about Michael Albert—the visionary behind “participatory economics”—and his life’s struggle as a left-wing activist in the US, beginning with the heady days of 1960s student demos and lifestyle rebellions; following the developments of the antiwar, civil rights, woman’s, and Black Panthers movements; to the establishment of alternative media like South End Press and ZNet; and the development of the participatory economics model.

About this title

About the Author

Sean Michael Wilson is a graphic novel writer from Scotland, living in Japan. His books are often on themes of history, biography and social issues. He has had more than a dozen books published with a variety of US, UK and Japanese publishers, including: AX:alternative manga ( 'Best ten books of 2010', Publishers Weekly), Parecomic (with an introduction by Noam Chomsky, his first contribution to a book in graphic form), Fight the Power! A Visual History of Protest Amongst the English Speaking Peoples' (intro by Tariq Ali) Portraits of Violence, with Dr Brad Evans (intro by Henry Giroux) , and several manga versions of  Japanese classics, such as The Book of Five Rings, Hagakure and The 47 Ronin. In 2016 his book 'The Faceless Ghost' was nominated for the prestigious Eisner Book Awards, and received a medal in the 2016 'Independent Publisher Book Awards'. In 2017, his book Secrets of the Ninja won an International Manga Award from the Japanese government - he is the first British person to receive this award.
 
CARL THOMPSON is a cartoonist based in Minneapolis. A graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, he has worked with writer Sean Michael Wilson on the political comic strip "Green Benches," published monthly in the British magazine Blue and Green Tomorrow.

Review

"This graphic novel challenged me to think through new ideas as well as the world we live in. Even better it did so in a way I didn’t find boring or grating to read, much like some of the works referenced within it. Parecomic is a fine example of how far the comic medium has come. It’s no longer ruled by only heroes in tights, it’s now a tool in our greater understanding of the world and further education."
—Graphic Policy

“This is an accessible and serviceable introduction to the principles of parecon and the vision of one of its founders. Recommended for readers interested in alternative economic models and the legacy of the radical 1960s.”
—Library Journal

"As a primer on the history and theory of participatory economics, this title is never short on ideas, tracing the development of Michael Albert’s theories on self-management, social justice, and internationalism, and their origins in the civil disobedience and consciousness-raising movements of the late ’60s and early ’70s. As a student at MIT, Albert was inspired by the culture of activism to found Z magazine, ZNet, and the International Organization for a Participatory Society. Some readers may wonder why Wilson (AX: Alternative Manga) and Thompson (the webcomie Green Benches) have chosen Albert’s story for treatment as a visual narrative, and that treatment definitely makes some of book’s issues more palatable to a wider audience. Artist Thompson is also very adept at marrying the literal and the symbolic to allow Wilson’s prose, and therefore Albert’s ideas, to resonate with readers. There are moments, though, when the book stalls and readers find themselves wading through lengthy, text-heavy panel sequences featuring shots of Albert discussing a given issue. Still, Thompson and Wilson can be very inventive with their effects. Parecomic is inspired at times, and as a treatise on participatory economics, it’s pretty great. As a comic, though, it’s just pretty good."
—Publisher's Weekly

Edition details

• Publisher: Seven Stories Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1609804562
• ISBN 13: 9781609804565
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 224