Politics in Comics

Depending on who you talk to, Edison is either a strip exclusively about politics or else it is a cute strip about a boy inventor.

What are the actual ratios? In looking over the strips of the past year, one can break Edison down into a few categories: very political, light social commentary, science, inventions, entrepreneurialism, and general silliness.

How many of the strips are truly political along the lines of Prickly City or Doonesbury? Roughly 20%.

Still - some folks seem to think it's more like 85%.

And they don't like it.

And they write us and tell us to knock it off.

Which, frankly, ain't going to happen.

Because for every person who writes us and tells us to knock of the political stuff, 10 more write to say how much they like it. And because Edison is, like most people, a highly complicated personality. Furthermore, the strip was syndicated specifically because it had a strong socio-political bent.

And because the political ones are the ones John enjoys doing the most. They help him scratch an itch.

Take, for example the above two strips.

The first one, according to our mail, has been misinterpreted by some people as being anti business. John and I are not anti business. It would be impossible for us to be anti business, as we both run small businesses. And if you read every Edison from the past six years you will not find ONE strip that attacks small mom and pop businesses.

But you'll see us go after the greedy corporate bastards who buy off both sides of the political system and rig everything in their favor so they can stamp out their competition. You'll see us go after them every single time.

Not afraid to call a spade a spade.

And the second strip is interesting because it promotes the possibility that there are actually people in this country who LIKE Obama care and would be in big trouble without it. Its amazing how the voice of these people has been drowned out in the debate over healthcare. Only the naysayers seem to get media coverage.

So, for those of you who don't like the political strips - we understand, we really do. We hear you.

But they're not going away.

And if you hated the two above strips, you'll REALLY hate the strip that will run next Wednesday, August 1 2012.

Probably better read "Love Is" that day instead.