The American Revolution is an essential part of American history and mythology. It is an oft-told tale of rising anger, military determination, and remarkable change. Some may wonder, “Do we really need another book on the American Revolution? The answer, “Yes.” Few books can match the details, wit, and charm of Stan Mack’s “Taxes, The Tea Party and Those Revolting Rebels – A History in Comics of the American Revolution.” The outlines of the story, the major events, and the leading characters in this remarkable drama have been recreated in pen and ink drawings in this delightful book.
Mack’s book covers American history from the end of the French and Indian War in 1763 through the ratification of the Constitution in 1787. In detailing this story Mack employs three avenues of information. There is a narrative of concise statements which describe events as they unfold; often filled with a certain whimsical flair. Describing the Minutemen watching the British at Concord, Mack wrote, “Meanwhile, the Redcoats arrive at the town of Concord. There’s no stockpile of weapons but they trash the place anyway. Musket packing farmer [Minutemen] watch the destruction.” The cartoons supplement the factual narrative by depicting some element of the story and usually in a humorous way that accentuates the historical action. At Lexington, three worried Minutemen watching the British march into sight have this exchange, “Why are we called Minutemen?” Response, “ Because in a minute I’m outta here.” Third is Carl, a 21st century know-it-all, who appears in the cartoons to make some salient point about what is happening. In one instance he conducts a quick historiographical lesson on who shot first at Lexington, explaining, “Historians argue about who fired first.”
When combined, these elements of story-telling provide a remarkably detailed picture of the dissolution of the English colonial Empire in North America, from growing colonial anger towards England, a revolutionary movement which fought and won on the battlefield, and the subsequent debate over how best to run these new United States. It’s all here: petty ego battles by political and military leader, the impact of the war on many segments of society, the role of the Enlightenment, the nature of war, a full chronology of events from 1763-1787, etc.
Mack closes with an illustration of those groups who did not experience the fruits of “All men are created equal,” slaves and free blacks, Indians, poor whites, and women.” Hopefully, he will tell their struggle equality story next.